An association of Chinese enterprises operating in the United States made a large donation of personal protective equipment (PPE) to San Francisco on Tuesday.

The hope is that by mutual aid, the battle against a common enemy, the novel coronavirus, will be won sooner.

Included in the donation were more than 30,000 surgical masks, 225 isolation gowns and 180 goggles — all much-needed gear for front-line medical staff, nursing home workers and employees in essential businesses.

Representatives from China Mobile International, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China USA, and Shanghai Hongbo Investment & Management gathered Tuesday afternoon to have more than 20 boxes of PPE shipped and unloaded at San Francisco's emergency operations center, which is in charge of resource-allocation and distribution.

The three companies, as key members of the Chinese Enterprise Association (CEA), sent a strong and clear message to their US counterparts and the American people, said Yang Yihang, commercial counselor at the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, who also attended the hand-over.

Now is a time for solidarity, collaboration and mutual support, Yang said, adding that the collective efforts of Chinese enterprises in this difficult time is "very meaningful".

Established in 1997 as a self-help organization for Chinese companies doing business in Northern California, the CEA now has more than 200 members covering industries from banking and telecommunication to real estate and e-commerce. The CEA constitutes the Northern California chapter of the China General Chamber of Commerce-USA.

"We will always remember that our American friends, many of whom are from … the West Coast, offered us a helping hand when China was among the countries hit by the first wave in this COVID-19 pandemic," Yang continued. "Now we stand ready to repay their kindness and generosity."

Yang called on US cities to continue providing a level playing field — "a just and fair environment", as he put it — for Chinese enterprises.

"Today, we encourage more Chinese enterprises operating in the US to join their counterparts and the local community to fight our common enemy," Yang said.

Mark Chandler, director of the San Francisco mayor's Office of International Trade and Commerce, said, "Our city is extremely grateful for this generous contribution."

By late Wednesday, more than 71,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported in California, including 2,876 deaths. In the San Francisco Bay Area alone, there are more than 10,000 cases, including 368 deaths.