China has said that it is ready to help India, fight the second wave of COVID-19 that has hit the country hard. 

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday said that China is willing to help neighbouring India at this hour of crisis. 

It also added that China is closely monitoring the situation in India and that both countries are maintaining close communications. 

“If the Indian side puts forward specific requests, China will provide support and help within its capacity,” said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin in a media briefing at Beijing on Monday. 

The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson also expressed condolences and sympathies to India on the disorientating situation and the spree of deaths. 

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However, on the other hand, despite assurances, China’s state-run Sichuan Airlines has suspended all its cargo flights to India carrying medical supplies. 

China’s state-run Sichuan Airlines has suspended all its cargo flights to India carrying medical supplies for a period of 15 days. 

This suspension in transport of essential medical supplies has posed a fresh challenge before the private traders in procuring oxygen concentrators and other medical supplies from China. 

This development comes despite Beijing’s offer of “support and assistance”. 

The airlines reportedly said that it has suspended its flights to India following the deteriorating COVID-19 situation in India. 

It said that it took the decision of suspending its flights to India for the next 15 days in a bid to reduce the number of imported cases. 

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India on Monday logged 3,52,991 new COVID-19 cases and 2812 more deaths, said Union health ministry on Monday morning.