China offers aid to Ukraine to fight A/H1N1 flu

KIEV, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- China will donate relief goods to Ukraine to help the Eastern European country prevent the spread ofA/H1N1 flu, according to an agreement signed here on Monday.

The 3. 5 million-RMB (about 500,000 U.S. dollars) aid includes facemasks, latex gloves, medicine and medical equipment.

Zhou Li, Chinese ambassador to Ukraine, and Igor Yakovenko, deputy health minister of Ukraine, signed the agreement on behalf of their governments.

"China and Ukraine are friendly countries. We should support each other and the Chinese government is willing to offer necessary assistance to Ukraine at its difficult time," Zhou Li told Xinhua.

Yakovenko thanked the Chinese government for its timely assistance, saying that the aid from China would play an important role in helping Ukraine fight against the spread of the flu.

"China is one of the first countries that responded to our call for help with invaluable material and moral support," said Yakovenko.

"The first wave of flu epidemic in Ukraine is over, but we should be ready for the outbreak of a second wave," Yakovenko added.