While the world is in a dire need of face masks and other medical equipment because of the Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic which is spreading rapidly across the boundaries, China has stockpiled more than 2 billion surgical masks and essential medical equipment that can meet the shortage of worldwide personal protective equipment.
As per reports, two billion masks and 25 million pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) were imported by China from Australia and other countries between the months of January and March.
A report of Daily Mail Australia suggested that a Chinese government report detailing its foreign trade for the first two months of the year has uncovered that revealed China witnessed a rapid growth in imports of commodities and key consumer goods that consists of 2.46 billion medical supply items. That included masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, hazmat suits, ventilators, and other equipment.
When the Wuhan Coronavirus was at its peak in China, the Chinese government went on a global campaign to recruit the Chinese owned companies in foreign countries to raid stocks of the items.
While Australia’s first COVID-19 patient arrived in Australia from China on January 19, the virus had only just begun to spread globally when the big buy-up began.
As per reports, the national customs in China inspected billions of items between January 24 and February 29. It facilitated the rapid entry of supplies by scrapping custom clearance protocol for “epidemic prevention and control materials”.
Read- Coronavirus and the Chinese conundrum: How the virus spread, China’s bio-warfare and deception
This came after news.com.au revealed that a Chinese property company in Australia named Greenland shipped more millions of pieces of masks, gloves and essential supplies. The luxury real estate giant Greenland sent the bulk of medical supplies to China after redeploying it’s Sydney staff from their responsibilities and sent them to a medical shopping spree. China has 20% stakes in the company Greenland. According to the same media house, another company Risland Australia sent 90 tonnes of masks and essential supplies in mid-February.
News.com.au also claimed that Chinese packaging company Crown win is now targeting Australian businesses and offering them hundreds or thousands of masks in bulk sales.
