In Australia, a PPE-related coronavirus controversy for Greenland; in the United States, a quiet contributor to local help, in New York and elsewhere

Half a world away, Greenland Holdings Group (aka Greenland Group), the parent company of Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park developer Greenland USA, was caught up in some coronavirus controversy, sourcing medical items to send to China.

And here in the United States, Greenland USA was part of a much quieter effort to contribute locally.

A scoop in March

As reported 3/26/20 in the Sydney Morning Herald, Chinese-backed company's mission to source Australian medical supplies:

As the coronavirus took hold in Wuhan earlier this year, staff from the Chinese government-backed global property giant Greenland Group were instructed to put their normal work on hold and source bulk supplies of essential medical items to ship back to China.
A whistleblower from the company has told the Herald it was a worldwide Greenland effort - and the Sydney office was no different, sourcing bulk supplies of surgical masks, thermometers, antibacterial wipes, hand sanitisers, gloves and Panadol for shipping.

Greenland told the paper it "felt compelled" in January and February " to assist in efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus, which had caused a shortage of crucial medical supplies in China."

The newspaper, citing a company newsletter, said Greenland sourced 3 million protective masks, 700,000 hazmat suits and 500,000 pairs of protective gloves from multiple countries, including Australia, Canada, and Turkey.

China's statement

Less than two weeks later, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Australia on 4/6/20 issued a combative statement, Aussie media's disinformation:

While a number of Australian firms (including FMG, Rio Tinto, BHP) are busy purchasing medical supplies in China, some Australian media such as SMH and The Australian are keen to defame the local Chinese companies who did similar things here in February. It was known to all that at the time China was in great need of certain medical materials in its fight against COVID-19. The procurement by the Chinese business was just to help China overcome difficulties. What they did bears no difference with what the Australian companies are doing at the moment in China, which is to help this country to get the badly needed medical items in response to COVID-19 outbreak. The Aussie media are misleading the public, maliciously characterized the Chinese companies' purchasing, a purely humanitarian move, as "scandal". Then how do they characterize the Aussie companies' procurement in China? Another Scandal?
At present what the world needs most is solidarity and mutual support other than spreading disinformation and inciting hatred. By the way, two planeloads of about 45 tonnes medical materials procured by Minderoo Foundation (FMG) already arrived in Perth from Shanghai in the past week. The arrived medical supplies include 300,000 face masks, 50,000 N95 face masks, 9960 medical goggles, 50,500 medical coveralls. And there are more to come.

Greenland statement

Three days after that, on 4/9/20, Greenland issued MEDIA STATEMENT RE: CHINESE-BACKED COMPANY’S MISSION TO SOURCE AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL SUPPLIES, suggeseting that the quantities sourced from Australia were relatively small:

Greenland Australia would like to address the recent media coverage regarding the company’s shipment of medical supplies to China.
Greenland Australia can confirm that in late January and early February 2020, the company organised shipments of medical supplies – in the form of 10,000 surgical masks, 68,000 disposable gloves, 400 protective goggles, 30,000 medical protective gowns, 1,800 forehead thermometers and 300 shoe covers – to the Greenland Group global head office in Shanghai as a donation to provide support at the frontline of the virus.
These supplies were dispatched to help contain the rapidly-developing coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in China, which at the time, was the epicentre of the outbreak. In this sense, Greenland Australia’s efforts corresponded with those of many other companies and individuals around the world organising similar donations.
Greenland Australia’s parent company, Greenland Group, felt compelled, as a major international company, to assist in efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus, which had caused a shortage of crucial medical supplies in China. As such, Greenland Group initiated a drive for medical supplies, and provided accommodation services for front-line medical staff in China via the company’s hotel group.
Greenland Australia supported Greenland Group’s initiative by arranging for medical supplies to be dispatched to China. Again, it should be noted that this proactive response occurred in late January and early February, at a time when the worldwide spread of the virus, and all response efforts, were focussed on China.
However, Greenland Australia also recognises that Australian people are currently at risk with the more recent and ongoing domestic spread of COVID-19. At present, the company is making every effort to source Australian-standard medical supplies, subject to stock availability, that can be used to assist the response in this country. Greenland Australia will provide further updates when more information becomes available.
Greenland Australia continues to take this pandemic very seriously, and in conjunction with Greenland Group, we will continue to do everything we can to assist.

Pushback in Australia

On 4/6/20, the same day of the Embassy statement, the Hong Kong-based Asia Times reported China’s wild and woolly medical equipment heist, noting:

Australia has threatened to jail anyone caught sending face masks and other vital medical equipment to China after Beijing scooped up tons of the gear in a global buying spree during the onset of the Covid-19 virus.
...Now those Covid-19 infected nations are having to buy it back at often highly inflated prices, according to various reports, handing the Chinese a diplomatic if not commercial coup as they dictate where supplies of essential life-saving equipment is and isn’t shipped.

In the Asia Times 4/9/20, Virus stigma, Sinophobia and CCP hit Chinese diaspora, NG WENG HOONG reported on new government regulations:

On April 1, Australia’s Daily Telegraph reported that Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton had imposed new regulations to ban the “exports of gloves, gowns, goggles, visors and alcohol wipes, as well as masks and hand sanitizer” amid the pandemic. It followed news that the Greenland Group, a Sydney property developer with Chinese shareholders, had “recently sent 10,000 masks, 30,000 protective gowns and 68,000 disposable gloves from Sydney to Shanghai.”

Another company, Risland, similarly sourced supplies, according to the article:

Australians may have donated medical supplies to friends and relatives at risk in Italy and the US, but the scale of their giving and the organization of their efforts are unlikely to be anywhere near those mounted by Greenland Group and Risland. Furthermore, the two companies’ links to the PRC government will serve only to stoke Australian fears that Beijing has hidden tentacles extended deep into their country. These tentacles can be called into action when the bosses in Beijing summon. 

...In this crisis moment, the two companies cannot evade the question of whether Australia or China is “your country.

In the Epoch Times, published by the Falun Gong movement and thus critical of China, China Accuses Australian Media of ‘Disinformation’ for Reporting the Truth, wrote Caden Pearson 4/7/20:

The embassy statement is the latest prong of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s own global propaganda campaign to deflect blame for its now obvious failures to handle the pandemic.

Donations in the United States

Unlike in Australia, there's been no question raised about whether Greenland USA considers China or the U.S. "your country."

Indeed, in the United States, Chinese companies, including Greenland, got together for a donation, which, as far as I know, received little press coverage. According to a 5/4/20 press release, Chinese Business Group in the U.S. Donates More Than 2.5 Million Medical Supplies

China General Chamber of Commerce – U.S.A. (CGCC) and CGCC Foundation, together with its regional chapters and member companies, have donated 2,567,444 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to more than 40 hospitals and clinics, and 19 government agencies in 20 states across the U.S., as of April 29th, 2020.
CGCC is the largest non-profit organization representing Chinese enterprises in America, with a mission of "Connecting People, Building Trust and Expanding Cooperation". Its U.S. Medical Supply Donation and Information Sharing Effort started on March 12th. CGCC and its member companies reacted early and decisively in supporting America's fight against the pandemic. Their unique resources and expertise also helped them source PPEs from foreign manufactures at a time when global supply and shipping options were very limited.
"We are very proud of our achievements so far," said CGCC Vice-Chairman, and China Telecom (Americas) President, Mr. Xu Tan. "But more importantly, these healthcare workers and emergency responders deserve our deepest appreciation and admiration. The Chinese business community is committed to support local communities across America because we are all in this fight together!"

About 40 companies were involved, including Greenland. One contributor was not a company but rather real estate broker Darcy Stacom, who did the Atlantic Yards deal.

Another 5/4/20 press release, The Ongoing CGCC U.S. Medical Supply Donation and Information Sharing Effort, cites donations of "2,688,494 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to more than 50 hospitals and clinics, and 19 government agencies in 20 states across the U.S., as of May 4th, 2020."

In New York, one of those 20 states, that included:
– White Plains Hospital
– NYC Health+Hospitals/Harlem
– NYC Mayor’s Office
– VA Medical Center
– St. Peter’s Health Partners
– Westchester Medical Center
– New York Police Department
– New York Post Office
– New York Sanitation
– New York Presbyterian Hospital
– NYU Langone Hospital
– Mount Sinai Health System
– Mount Sinai St. Luke’s
– Mount Sinai West
– New York State Government
– Clarkstown Police Department in New City
– Albany – The US Oncology Network
– Eden Medical Center