Despite the global impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Guangzhou remains committed to further its opening up efforts.

"The development history of Guangzhou is the process of continuous reform and opening up," said Liu Baochun, director of the foreign affairs office of the Guangzhou municipal government, in a recent interview with Guangzhou Daily.

"In particular, in promoting the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou, as one of the core engines of the Greater Bay Area, should seize this opportunity to achieve a higher quality of opening up."

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on global exchanges, but it couldn't stop people's desire for friendship and cooperation around the world. Guangzhou will do more practices and exploration to advance the building of a community of a shared healthy future for mankind, Liu said.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Guangzhou has received donations of money and pandemic prevention materials worth about 239 million yuan ($36.34 million) from international Friendship Cities, international organizations, foreign-funded enterprises, friendly institutions, and overseas Chinese donors.

All sectors of Hong Kong and Macao have donated about 32.23 million yuan, nearly 3.66 million masks, and 140,000 protective garments to Guangzhou.

Guangzhou has also actively contributed its efforts to the international COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control efforts. In the name of the mayor, the city has sent consolation letters to 80 international Friendship Cities, as well as donated five batches of pandemic prevention materials to 63 Friendship Cities in 47 countries and two international organizations.

In addition, it has conducted online exchanges with Gwangju in South Korea, Los Angeles in the United States, Frankfurt in Germany, Birmingham in Britain, Lyon in France, and Kyiv in Ukraine. It has also been invited to attend the international online COVID-19 pandemic prevention seminar  held by UN-HABITAT 36 times.

"We have clearly felt the goodwill of many cities," said Liu. "Therefore, I believe that we should not only do our things well, but also keep in mind the common difficulties faced by the whole world. Only in this way can we win international influence for Guangzhou and for China."

Since the beginning of this year, Guangzhou has become international sister cities with Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kyiv in Ukraine, Jena in Germany, Penang in Malaysia, and Panama City in Panama.

Among them, the sister city relationship between Guangzhou and Panama City is the first of its kind since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Panama.