Beijing—Mercedes-Benz and its dealer partner’s RMB 10 million donation against COVID-19 announced on Jan. 26 has been implemented with purchased medical supplies delivered to the intended recipients. Over the past month，the Mercedes-Benz Star Fund and relevant executors have acted in a highly efficient manner and ensured a solid delivery of all donations. Today，Mercedes-Benz Star Fund，on behalf of Mercedes-Benz brand and its dealer partners，has announced it will donate an additional RMB 20 million to fight against COVID-19. The initial donation made in January is being used to provide urgently needed virus prevention and medical supplies. To reinforce the battle against COVID-19，the new donation prioritizes long-term improvements to China’s national capabilities in epidemic prevention and emergency response.

When the outbreak of COVID-19 occurred，Mercedes-Benz Star Fund Management Committee immediately launched a major epidemic response mechanism to support the battle against the virus. In the past month，under the supervision of China’s National Health Commission and Ministry of Civil Affairs，the Mercedes-Benz Star Fund finalized the appropriation plan for the initial donation within three days. With support from the China Youth Development Foundation，the Star Fund has acted with an efficient，disciplined，scientific-based and pragmatic approach to ensure actual demands during the outbreak will be met. Together with donation execution organizations，a tracking mechanism was set up to report the latest progress every 48 hours for areas including supply purchases，qualification verification，distribution and logistics as well as hospital acceptance. This is being done to ensure quick payment and stable delivery of the donation funds in a transparent，pragmatic and efficient manner.

So far，the initial RMB 10 million donation has been delivered as planned，most of which has been transferred into actual suppliers for frontline fight. This includes RMB 5 million allocated to the Command Center for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in 17 cities in Hubei，including Wuhan；medical supplies valued at RMB 1 million which are on the way to the designated hospitals in Henan，Hunan，Chongqing，Zhejiang，and Guangdong；supplies valued at RMB 2 million which are designated for the national medical team for supplies，the first batch has arrived at Wuhan Union Hospital and the second batch is under purchasing based on current actual needs；and RMB 1 million that has been allocated to support the CYDF’s Emergency Youth Volunteer Service Team for virus prevention and control which have been allocated to the provincial Youth Development Foundation of Hubei，Sichuan，Henan and Yunnan. The remaining RMB 1 million has been used to response the Project Hope’s Caring Program to the Children of Frontline Medical Workers，launched by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League，to support the families and children of the medical workers on the frontline（especially the decreased media workers and those hit by the virus），also unprivileged youth hit by the virus.

Mr. Hubertus Troska，Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG，Chairman and CEO of Daimler Greater China Ltd. said：“Over the past month，everyone in China has kept a close watch on COVID-19. The tremendous efforts made by the Chinese government and Chinese people to fight against the outbreak has been witness by all. China has undertaken unprecedented efforts to mobilize enormous resources nationwide and adopt the strictest，the most comprehensive and the most radical measures in containing the virus from further development. We have seen medical workers make extraordinary efforts and ordinary people help each other in the fight against the virus. We have seen the entire society act together to spare no effort to support virus prevention.”

In the face of the current situation and long-term social needs，Mercedes-Benz Star Fund has announced an additional RMB 20 million donation through the Star Fund. In addition to continuously supporting the frontline in virus prevention and control，the funds will be allocated to efforts focused on long-term solutions after the virus has been contained，and eliminating negative effects caused by the outbreak. It will be used to help improve the national public health emergency management and enhance the public health management system.

Under the guidance of the National Health Commission，relevant departments and professional institutions，projects funded by this donation will include：nationwide training on “epidemic prevention and control and public health emergency” when the outbreak is contained；epidemic prevention capability improvement in designated hospitals in Wuhan and other severely affected cities and counties in Hubei；the “Mental Health Assistance Project to Fight Against the Virus” at Beijing Normal University；scientific research on epidemic prevention and control by the Beijing related institutions，purchases of medical equipment for the virus diagnosis and treatment to designated hospitals in Beijing；and maintaining normal operations at affected schools and supporting affected students，including those from schools for children of migrant workers and Hope Schools.

Troska added：“We will further intensify our social responsibilities and stand with our partners in China，our employees and all segments of society to overcome the challenges. That’s why we have also actively responded to the government’s call to resume work and production and have gradually resumed our main production activities to restore the orderly development of the automotive industry. I firmly believe that with China’s firm commitment and its strength，and with resilience and unremitting courage，the entire society as well as the Chinese automobile industry will win the battle against the current challenge.”

In the face of extreme challenges，Daimler and Mercedes-Benz，on behalf of their partners in China，as well as all employees and dealers，offer the highest respect and sincerest thanks to medical workers and all staff on the frontlines fighting COVID-19. China is our second home，and Daimler and Mercedes-Benz are always with the Chinese people in both good and challenging times. To ultimately win the war against COVID-19，we will follow the direction and action of national departments，strive to ensure strict prevention and control of the disease，orderly resume normal work and production，and make greater contributions to industrial progress and social development.

Execution status of Mercedes-Benz Star Fund’s initial RMB 10 million donation：

RMB 5 million delivered to Hubei Youth Development Foundation

·RMB 3 million was delivered to the Command Center for Prevention and Control of COVID-19 in Wuhan City to be used according to overall planning.

·RMB 2 million was delivered to the Command Centers for Prevention and Control of COVID-19 in 16 cities，including Huangshi，Shiyan，Xiangyang，Yichang，to be used according to overall planning.

RMB 1 million delivered to Provincial/Municipal Youth Development Foundations of Henan，Hunan，Chongqing，Zhejiang，and Guangdong with RMB 200，000 for each province/city

·Henan：Medical supplies including protective clothing and masks were delivered to Shangcheng County People’s Hospital，Xinxian People’s Hospital，Guangshan County People’s Hospital，and Xinyang Fifth People’s Hospital in on February 10.

·Hunan：Supplies including hand disinfectant and medical disinfectant were delivered to the First People’s Hospital of Yueyang City，the Second People’s Hospital of Changde City，and the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Medicine on February 17.

·Chongqing：Supplies including medical disinfection solution and alcohol were delivered to Chongqing Public Health Medical Treatment Center，Chongqing Three Gorges Central Hospital，Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University，Chongqing Qianjiang Central Hospital and four designated hospitals in Chongqing District/ County Disease Control Center on February 17.

·Zhejiang：Donation was delivered to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University on February 14. The hospital spent about RMB 6 million（including RMB 200，000 from Mercedes-Benz Star Fund）to purchase medical temperature controllers and respiratory humidification treatment apparatus，ventilators，central monitoring systems，plasma air sterilizers，infrared cameras，positive pressure respirators，masks，protective clothing and other medical equipment and supplies.

·Guangdong：Supplies of water gel dressing used to prevent pressure injury of medial workers have been purchased，that will be sent out to 16 designated hospitals on February 26.

RMB 2 million delivered to the China Population Welfare Foundation

·RMB 1 million designated for the National Medical Team was used to purchase 6，000 surgical gowns which were sent to Wuhan Union Hospital on February 19.

·RMB 1 million designated for the National Medical Team for other supplies which is under purchasing based on current actual needs.

RMB 1 million delivered to Youth Development Foundations of Hubei，Sichuan，Henan and Yunnan Provinces

·RMB 500，000 was delivered to Hubei Province；RMB 200，000 to Sichuan Province，RMB 200，000 to Henan Province，and RMB 100，000 to Yunnan Province.

·To purchase protective supplies including masks，medical gloves，disinfectants，protective clothing，and goggle for community-level emergency youth volunteer service teams to undertake necessary rear-service work.

RMB 1 million confirmed to support special program initiated by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League

·To support the families and children of the medical workers on the frontline（especially the decreased media workers and those hit by the virus），also unprivileged youth hit by the virus.

·CYDF will allocate the fund to recipients’ personal account through bank transfer，based on actual needs.