Wuhan, the once hardest-hit city in central China's Hubei Province during the COVID-19 outbreak, resumed a total of 117 bus routes starting Wednesday, which is around 30% capacity (Photo/Xinhua)

This content is produced and published by People's Daily Online; it takes sole responsibility for all the content reproduced on this page.

After curbing the spread of Covid-19, China is now offering to help other countries against the virus. By Kou Jie, People’s Daily Online

The March sun shone bright upon the Yellow Crane Tower, a Wuhan landmark that has watched over the city for millennia.

The entire city will soon be immersed in the fragrance of cherry blossom, a wonderful scene that will ease the suffering and pain of Wuhan and its people. Spring is in its heyday, as is the battle against a lethal virus that has killed over 2000 locals.

After becoming the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak, Wuhan has recently made global media headlines for other reasons. The Chinese authorities and the people of Wuhan have made great sacrifices in curbing the spread of the virus.

On January 23, the city went into lockdown - its citizens stayed in their homes for self-quarantine, while thousands of medical professionals and experts across China were sent to the city to help.

After months of struggle, involving the building of makeshift hospitals, professionals coming together to develop quick test kits and providing citizens the necessary material and mental support, some positive signs have emerged.

Chinese experts and local doctors pose for a photo in Padova, Italy. (Photo/Courtesy of Chinese expert team in Italy)

More than 30,000 patients were discharged and all temporary hospitals created to handle the epidemics were shut down. Daily new cases on the Chinese mainland dropped to 27 on March 15, down from its peak of 1000 a month ago. Most provinces have reported zero increases for successive days.

On March 10, Chinese President Xi Jinping, commander-in-chief of China's war against COVID-19, flew to Wuhan to inspect epidemic prevention and control work on the ground, announcing that the spread of the disease in China has been basically curbed.

While the people in Wuhan may soon be able to enjoy the fragrance of cherry blossoms, the pandemic situation for people in other nations is getting worse. During a news briefing on March 14, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that more coronavirus cases are being reported each day outside of China than China reported at the peak of its epidemic, while Europe has now become the epicentre of the pandemic.

Chinese President Xi Jinping waves to residents who are quarantined at home and sends regards to them at a community in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

"No country is immune from the virus. It has been years since President Xi proposed the idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind. It is time to test the theory, with China offering help to the world," said Zhu Liyu, executive director of the human rights research center of Renmin University of China.

In the face of a challenge that threatens everyone on the planet, China has decided to provide support to other nations to tackle the virus. During a phone call with his US counterpart Donald Trump in February, Xi stressed it will take joint efforts from all countries to contain the further spread of the virus.

More than 200 Wuhan bus lines started trial runs on Monday and the metro system in Wuhan also made final preparations on Tuesday to open to the public again.(Photo/ People's Daily)

"China is protecting not only its own people, but also the rest of the world," said the Chinese President.

This article was originally produced and published by People's Daily Online. View the original at en.people.cn