“True friendship in adversity”: The city of Verona thanks China Telecom for its support during the pandemic

Verona, Italy, last update 16^th September 2020

China Telecom has been recognised among the “team of silent angels” – companies, restaurants, organisations and communities – who have been publicly thanked for their outstanding assistance to the city and people of Verona during the COVID-19 pandemic. On 16^th September, Mayor Federico Sboarina and councillor Daniele Polato awarded certificates of merit to its “true friends in adversity”, including Alex Lin, from the Italian office of China Telecom (Europe) Co., Ltd.

At the ceremony in the Palazzo Barbieri, Mayor Sboarina looked back at how the city responded to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the complete lockdown of Italy. He said. “The rapid spread of the virus caused the city to run out of medical supplies in early March. Government staff, police and social services were working without protective measures. We feared that this would lead to the rapid spread of the virus, that could then become more widespread among the general public.”

At the time, China Telecom was working on the construction of smart cities in Verona. When Alex Lin heard about the city’s shortage of medical supplies during a phone call with Mayor Sboarina, he applied for support from China Telecom. On 18^th March, at a time when Italy was struggling to introduce protective measures because of the scarcity of PPE, a package with the words “Amici sempre” (forever friends) arrived at the Verona Town Hall. The package contained 2,000 surgical masks sent with China Telecom’s support to Verona city council in their fight against the epidemic. The masks were soon helping customer-facing government employees protect residents.

Mayor Sboarina particularly thanked China Telecom for providing Verona’s council and citizens with timely assistance during the worst period of the city’s outbreak. He shared his sincere hope that China and Italy will have a deeper level of cooperation in the fight against the epidemic and in other business areas.

Addressing all the recipients of the certificates of merit, he said, “Every day, thanks to your help, many different forms of donation arrived in the Municipality. Masks, disinfectants, food and services. A great wave of generosity, often spontaneous, on the part of those who silently felt an integral part of their community. What you have done makes the whole city proud.”

Councillor Polato added, “You are the great heart of Verona. With your donations it has been possible to bring help and support to many men and women who, without stopping, continued to work on the front line in the difficult days of the lockdown.”

ABOUT CHINA TELECOM EUROPE IN ITALY

China Telecom Europe (CTE) provides integrated telecoms and communications services as local solutions for Chinese companies and global solutions for multinational corporations. CTE’s unrivalled knowledge of the Chinese market, and regional offices across Europe, make CTE an ideal partner for European and Asian businesses looking to work in China and Asia.

Founded in 2007 to handle the European business of China Telecommunications Corporation, China’s leading telephone company, CTE’s mission is to build a digital silk road by connecting Europe with Asia. CTE has headquarters in London, England and offices throughout Europe including Italy (set up in 2018).

In October 2019, CTE and Italian consortium Consorzio ZAI agreed to work together on Europe’s largest modern logistics centre in Verona, jointly developing new technologies and promoting smart city development. The partnership is helping the Verona International Logistics Centre improve its competitiveness and helping CTE build the Digital Silk Road.

In July 2020, CTE launched its CTExcel mobile communication service in Italy, providing flexible packages for Chinese nationals away from home, including students, employees of Chinese companies, tourists and expatriates.

www.chinatelecomeurope.com