“When I was young, 2020 seemed so far way. While imagining the great infinite changes in the future, I wished time pass faster and faster, so that I could embrace the spring I had longed for.” Now that 2020 arrived, it was a cold winter. The COVID-19 pandemic was spreading all across the country. People were scared, they took protective measures. They were cautious. And every single day, they closely watched the latest developments of the pandemic.

I always have affection for the city of Wuhan. And I worried about horrible pandemic that hit Wuhan so hard. When COVID-19 broke out, it was around the Spring Festival, the most important festival for the Chinese people. Due to the unexpected and unwelcome virus, the city came to a standstill and people were panicked. To curb and control the spread of the pandemic, the megacity of Wuhan was locked down. Wuhan is a city with more than 10 million people, a gateway to nine provinces. It was suddenly silenced. And the streets and alleys became silent and empty. They looked familiar yet. What a surreal feeling!

It was a cold winter of ice and snow. After an unusual Spring Festival, there was a shortage of medical supplies in Wuhan, a city under lockdown. However, the whole country was mobilized to give support to Hubei Province as donations and supplies kept flooding in. To fight against the deadly virus, angels in white had emerged. They were truly heroes in harm’s way. For many times, Sir Zhong Nanshan and Madam Li Lanjuan warned people that they should stay at home and avoid going out. However, they themselves led the teams and worked at the very forefront with the patients and doctors. Many workers worked day and night at the center of the deadly coronavirus outbreak. In 10 days, a 1,000-bed hospital was miraculously built. This fantastic speed would not have been made possible without the incredibly hard work of over 10,000 Chinese construction workers. They were competing with the pandemic, racing against the clock. The sooner the hospital was built, the more lives it would save.

China suspended all means of transport in and out of Wuhan and lots of key virus-hit areas. People co-operated well with the government in implementing the strict measures to control the pandemic. Some Wuhanese had no abnormal symptoms for the time being, however they chose to stay at home in Wuhan in order not to pass the virus to others once they ventured out. There was a vigorous flame in their hearts. Adults quarantined for days shouted “Long Live the Motherland” all together from different rooms in one building, while children saluted to the TV screen when it broadcast the scene of the national flay being hoisted up. Wuhan is a heroic city. And China is a heroic country. Chinese people have always been protected well by the bravest of them. Time and time again I was touched by the Chinese sprite of solidarity and sacrifice.

Now that China has successfully controlled the pandemic, the virus keeps spreading all over the world. I am heartened that China keeps sharing its experiences, expertise and donating supplies and equipment to countries around the world. My university mailed facial masks to foreign students stranded in their home countries to protect their health. Teachers worked day and night, teaching online courses and helping students with their questions, without a single day of delay. As a foreign student, I felt the abundant care and love my college had for foreign students. During the period I plunged myself into study with full enthusiasm.  I worked very hard because I had vowed never to fail my teachers and my university.

When its neighboring countries were sick, China offered generous support to help them fight against the pandemic. This had demonstrated China’s global leadership. China had donated facial masks, nucleic acid detection kits and many other medical supplies to the world’s hard-hit countries, such as Iran, Pakistan, Republic of Korea and Japan, and had sent medical teams to many countries, including my country, Cambodia. China shared its anti-pandemic experience and expertise with my country. The medical experts team worked at the forefront at Cambodian hospitals, sharing their experiences with local doctors and medical staff, proactively guiding my country’s fight against the pandemic. The Chinese medical team had brought with them in a chartered plane the much-needed medical supplies to Cambodia. Posted at cardboard boxes containing the medical supplies were national flags of China and Cambodia and the heart-touching words “Together stronger, we help each other. China and Cambodia, our hearts beat together” in Chinese and Cambodian.  Sincere thanks to China for her help when we needed it the most. We will always remember China’s great kindness in our heart of hearts.

I firmly believe the pandemic will finally end. By then, the subway will be crowded with passengers like before, life will come back to the streets. The pandemic had brought us a very cold and dark winter. But I think spring will surely and finally arrive!