Chinese companies advance safe operation of overseas projects amid pandemic
By Cheng Yuanzhou, People’s Daily
Taking strict containment measures,
Chinese companies have both advanced progress of overseas projects and secured
the health of their overseas employees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is very considerate of you and I’m
sure we could defeat the epidemic guided by your successful experience,” said
Salim, an Algerian engineer working for a project in Algeria undertaken by the
Third Construction Co., Ltd. of China Construction Third Engineering Bureau.
He praised the Chinese company’s
practice when talking to Li Fei, deputy head of the company’s pandemic
containment team over the phone, right after learning that the company allowed
its employees to work from home during the pandemic for the sake of their
safety.
The pandemic containment team was
established immediately after Algeria reported the first pneumonia case on
February 25, Li introduced. The company required all of its employees, both
Chinese and foreigners, to report their health conditions on a daily basis, and
distributed masks to them. Besides, the company also requested its employees to
disinfect offices, cafeterias and vehicles.
“We didn’t dismiss anyone amid the
pandemic. We did our best to ensure the safety of all our foreign employees and
help solve their problems,” said Li.
Since some of them don’t have fixed residence
or source of income during the pandemic, our company provided them with free
accommodation and meals, Li introduced.
Besides, the company also offered them
with new jobs to work as patrols in a bid to support them with stable income.
Since Africa was hit by the pandemic, Chinese
engineering projects in Africa have become a front for China-Africa joint
efforts to fight the disease, where China’s anti-pandemic experience was
promoted by Chinese constructors.
The Caculo Cabaca hydropower project in
Dondo, Angola undertaken by China Gezhouba Group Co., Ltd. (CGGC) is the
largest hydropower station constructed by a Chinese enterprise in Africa. Once
completed, it is expected to offer more than 40 percent of the country’s
electricity supply and greatly promote local economic and social development.
“Over 200 Chinese employees and about
200 foreigners work on the construction site,” said Peng Zhan, director of the
project’s quality and security inspection department, adding that it wasn’t
really easy to prevent the spread of the virus while ensuring the progress of
the project.
Drawing on the experience of Chinese
communities in combating the virus, the company divided the construction areas
and lodging houses into 7 independent units. Each unit is equipped with a specially-assigned
employee who records and reports the health conditions of the employees in the
unit and monitors the disinfection and prevention work.
The anti-epidemic measures have achieved
remarkable results, with no suspected or confirmed cases found within the
project, Peng noted.
For the 475 local employees working for
the Mekelle water supply project, another CGGC project in Ethiopia,
preventative materials were extremely scarce commodities. To cope with the
situation, the material buyer at the project department Yuan Xianchao contacted
his colleagues back in China and purchased 100,000 masks and other supplies for
the local employees.
“We are at ease with you here,” said an
Ethiopian employee after receiving masks and disinfectant from his Chinese
employer.
“As the local testing and medical
resources are limited, we have strictly followed the practices at home to prevent
the virus and ensure safety,” said Li Fengbiao, manager of the Mekelle water
supply project.
According to him, temperature taking,
hand washing, disinfection and registration have been developed into a routine
at the construction site.
Besides, it also locked down the lodging
houses of the employees, asked them to work in shifts and separated the
construction areas. “The locals trusted China’s experience and were willing to cooperate,”
Li said.
The Third Construction Co., Ltd. of
China Construction Third Engineering Bureau sets up a temporary shop at a
construction site in Algeria to provide necessities for its employees during
the outbreak. (Photo by Li Jianfei)
Chinese companies advance safe operation of overseas projects amid pandemic
Reviewed by PEOPLES MAIL
on
12:01
Rating:

No comments: