en-us	MANILA, PHILIPPINES (25 February 2020) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed an agreement for a private sector loan of up to CNY130 million ($18.6 million) to Jointown Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. (Jointown) in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).  
zh-cn	菲律宾马尼拉（2020年2月25日讯）— 为帮助中华人民共和国（中国）抗击新型冠状病毒（COVID-19）的蔓延，亚洲开发银行（亚行）今日签署了一项与九州通医药集团股份有限公司（九州通）的私营部门贷款协议，向其提供采购和配送药品等医疗物资所需的短期资金，金额高达1.3亿元人民币（等值1,860万美元）。 

en-us	The local currency loan will support Jointown’s efforts to ensure a continued supply of essential medicines and personal protective equipment such as protective clothing, gloves, goggles, face masks, and respirators.  
zh-cn	该笔本币贷款将支援九州通保障基本药物和防护服、手套、护目镜、口罩、呼吸器等个人防护设备的持续供应。 

en-us	Jointown is the largest private pharmaceutical distributor in the PRC and is headquartered in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province and the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. 
zh-cn	九州通是中国最大的民营医药流通企业，总部位于湖北省省会武汉市，即此次疫情爆发的中心。 

en-us	“We are very grateful to ADB for its timely support for Jointown at the frontline of the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic,” said the Vice Chairman of Jointown Liu Zhaonian.  
zh-cn	九州通副董事长刘兆年表示：非常感谢亚行在中国人民抗击新冠肺炎的特殊时期给予奋战在抗击疫情第一线的九州通提供所需的支持，亚行提供的资金真的是雪中送炭，非常及时。 

en-us	“With ADB’s facility, we will further deliver drugs and urgently needed personal protective equipment to the most severely affected areas.” 
zh-cn	九州通会将这笔贷款资金用于采购和配送疫情最严重地区所急需的医疗防护物资和药品。” 

en-us	“This financing will help Jointown to maintain adequate stock of urgently needed medical supplies, antiviral drugs, and personal protective equipment for distribution to hospitals and retail pharmacy outlets,” said the Director General of ADB’s Private Sector Operations Department Mike Barrow. 
zh-cn	亚行私营部门业务局局长迈克尔·巴罗（Mike Barrow）表示：亚行融资将帮助九州通储备足够的急需医疗物资、抗病毒药物和个人防护设备，并配送给各大医院和零售药店。 

en-us	“By focusing support at the center of the outbreak, the assistance will make a meaningful contribution to Jointown’s crucial role in containing the spread.” 
zh-cn	援助将重点支持疫情爆发的中心，有力促进九州通在阻击疫情中发挥关键作用。 

en-us	Jointown has been designated by the Hubei provincial government to procure and distribute drugs and medical supplies during the COVID-19 outbreak.  
zh-cn	九州通是抗击疫情期间湖北省政府指定的医药配送企业之一，负责采购和配送药品等医疗物资， 

en-us	Its distribution warehouse in Wuhan is the largest such facility in the PRC. 
zh-cn	其武汉仓库的规模在中国首屈一指。 

en-us	Advanced information technology systems help Jointown to maintain efficiencies and service standards even as the spread of the virus significantly increases the demand for medical supplies.  
zh-cn	即使在病毒肆虐、医疗用品需求激增的情况下，九州通仍能借助先进的信息技术系统高效运转，并保持高服务标准。 

en-us	Given its experience in warehouse and inventory management, Jointown has been asked to assist the Wuhan and Hubei provincial branches of the Red Cross Society of China in classifying, storing, and managing inventory of donated products. 
zh-cn	鉴于其丰富的仓储和库存管理经验，九州通受命协助武汉市红十字会及湖北省红十字会对捐赠品进行分类、储存和库存管理。 

en-us	The financing is ADB’s first private sector assistance to support health security and was expedited under a streamlined approval process for small nonsovereign transactions.  
zh-cn	这是亚行私营部门首次为保障健康安全提供援助，亚行采用小额非主权业务快速审批流程，加速通过了该笔贷款融资。 

en-us	The two-year loan will complement loans already provided to Jointown by PRC financial institutions.  
zh-cn	贷款为期两年，是对中国金融机构已向九州通提供贷款的补充， 

en-us	It is part of ADB’s broader response to the COVID-19 outbreak,  
zh-cn	也是亚行对新型冠状病毒疫情的响应援助之一。 

en-us	which was initiated on 7 February with $2 million in funding to strengthen response capacity in several countries in Asia and the Pacific.
zh-cn	此前，亚行于2月7日启动了新型冠状病毒响应援助，出资200万美元，增强亚洲和太平洋地区多个国家的应对能力。