China's Fujian province donates 50,000 face masks to sister state Oregon

Fujian Province of China sends gift of personal protective equipment (PPE) for Oregon healthcare professionals and frontline workers

WILSONVILLE, April 28 (People's Daily Online) – China’s Fujian Province, which has been Oregon’s sister state since 1984, is gifting the state with 50,000 medical face masks. The masks will be delivered to Oregon’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) for distribution to counties, which will allocate them to frontline workers.

The 50,000 masks are in addition to 12,000 masks recently provided by Ambassador Wang Donghua, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco, as a gift to the people of Oregon.

The Oregon China Council (OCC) – a non-profit association dedicated to supporting economic, educational, and cultural exchanges between Oregon and China – facilitated the receipt of these masks. Before Governor Kate Brown’s Stay at Home Order went into place, OCC frequently hosted forums and exhibitions on Oregon-China topics and sent trade delegations annually to China to champion Oregon goods.

“We are thrilled to receive this generous and critically-needed safety equipment from our friends in China,” said Jin Lan, Oregon China Coalition’s long-time President. “This humanitarian aid is unprecedented and truly is the culmination of many years of relationship-building.

The masks are provided and delivered at no cost to Oregonians through the generous financial support of the Heren Charitable Foundation. Fujian-based Xiamen Airlines flew masks from the Fujian Province to Los Angeles, where they will be routed to a Wilsonville distribution center by truck.

“This pandemic has served as an important reminder that we’re all in this together,” said Andrew Phelps, Director of the Oregon office of Emergency Management. “This generous gift is evidence that international friendships are vital and mutually beneficial, especially in times of crisis. We hope to pay it forward in the future.”