On 24 June 2020, Hu wei, Chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, handed over the third batch of China Aid medical supplies to Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi. They also summarized the cooperation in fighting COVID-19 between China and Sri Lanka in the past six months. Dr. S.H. Munasinghe, Secretary of Ministry of Health attended the ceremony.
Hu said in his address that during the past 6 months, China, Sri Lanka and the whole world has gone through a most difficult moment with huge sacrifice of human lives, health and economies. In the fight against the pandemic, both China and Sri Lanka have performed much better than most of other countries and successfully brought the coronavirus under control. This great achievement credits to 3 words: Leadership, Disciplines and Unity. Only with the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping and President Gotobaya Rajapaksa can we make all the decisive decision and take all necessary measures before situation out of control; Only with the disciplines of our two peoples can we strictly isolate, quarantine and cut off the spread of virus; Only with the unity of all societies as one, despite the difference in ethnicity, religion and background, can we overcome various difficulties raised by the pandemic.
Hu stressed that in the war against COVID-19, no one single country can win by its own self. The most powerful weapons are not money, equipment, GDP etc but Solidarity and Cooperation. From Day-1, China and Sri Lanka both strongly believe in the international cooperation in fighting COVID-19, support the key role of the World Health Organization, and oppose any form of politicization, stigmatization and unilateralism.
The Chinese Envoy stated that the virus separate us, but also unite us. China will never forget Sri Lanka’s firm support at the very beginning of the pandemic. As a reciprocity, China has been helping Sri Lanka’s fight against COVID-19 from the first day of its outbreak in the island. We shared all the experience and measures we learn from our practice with Minister Pavithra and her professional team, we donated all kinds of medical supplies from all channels including local governments, enterprises and individuals to Sri Lanka.
Hu declared that around 73,000 test kits, 3,400,000 masks, and 200,000 PPEs together with many other materials have been donated by China till last week, which become a main source for Sri Lanka combating the pandemic. The Embassy is especially proud to provide 175,000 masks to students across the country and will provide another 100,000 masks to Election Commission for the public health safety during upcoming General Election, upon the request from H.E the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The time-tested friendship and mutual trust between China and Sri Lanka will grow only stronger through the joint fight against COVID-19.
Hon. Pavithra Wanniarachchi said that the friendship between the two countries goes back to ancient times. When China faced the epidemic firstly, the entire Sri Lanka offered firm support to the Chinese government and people in various ways.
The Minister emphasized that since the outbreak of the pandemic in Sri Lanka, China has not only selflessly shared its experience in fighting the coronavirus, but also donated a large number of medical supplies through governments, enterprises and individuals at all levels, thus providing much-needed assistance. In particular, China has exercised strict self-discipline and actively cooperated with Sri Lanka in prevention and control through its Embassy in Sri Lanka. So far, of the nearly 2,000 confirmed cases in Sri Lanka, no one has been infected by China.
Mrs. Wanniarachchi stated that, today, on behalf of President Gotabaya and the Government of Sri Lanka, I would like to once again express our sincere gratitude to the Chinese government and people for their valuable assistance, and also to the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka for working with us in the front line of fighting the epidemic. Sri Lanka will never forget this.
Photos and videos showing the mutual support and assistance between China and Sri Lanka since the outbreak of COVID-19 were also broadcast at the sidelines of the event.
