Foreign artists lend their voices to struggle against virus

Artists and troupes that have visited Shanghai are sending videos with solidarity messages to the city in its fight against the coronavirus, said Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

Earl Carpenter, director and performer in musical “Three Phantoms” which was staged in Shanghai and Beijing in January, and another two performers Jeremy Secomb and John Owen-Jones all made videos for Shanghai.

“We had, as a team the most incredible time in China and we have made many friends,” said Carpenter. “We just want to send you a message wishing you much strength and determination to deal with this chapter and we are absolutely positive that you will and you will come out of this triumphantly, we all hope to see you very, very soon.”

Secomb said: “We’d like to send strength to our friends and fans in China, we know it must be a very difficult time at this moment and we’d like to send our love and strength. Take good care of yourself and we’ll see you all soon.”

Owen-Jones also extended his best wishes to Chinese people.

Japanese singer and songwriter Shinji Tanimura said in his video that he has plans to hold concerts in Beijing and Shanghai this year to celebrate the Sino-Japanese Year of Cultural, Sports Exchange. He said he is aware of the difficulties that Chinese people are facing and will manage to come to China as planned.

“Let us overcome the difficulties together,” he said. “Keep it up, China! Keep it up, Shanghai! Jiayou!”

The Japanese Matsuyama Ballet Company, managed by husband and wife  Tetsutaro Shimizu and Yoko Morishita, said we always show our greatest strength in the most difficult of times and that they believed the Chinese people would overcome all difficulties. They led their company in chanting the Chinese national anthem and shouting “I love China! We love China! Go, Wuhan! Go, China! Go, humanity!” in a video made for the Chinese people.