China donates nearly 300,000 face masks to Sri Lankan schools, Election Commission

China has donated nearly 300,000 face masks to Sri Lankan schools, universities and the country's Election Commission, as the island nation prepared for school reopening and the Aug. 5 parliamentary election, a statement from the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka said here Tuesday.

The embassy handed over 189,000 face masks to 26 schools and five universities across the country with the coordination of the ministries of education and higher education, according to the statement.

Upon the suggestion of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the embassy also donated 100,000 face masks to the Election Commission ahead of the upcoming parliamentary election.

"China and Sri Lanka are true friends sharing weal and woe," the embassy said in a statement.

The Chinese side will always remember the strongest solidarity and support extended by people from all walks of life in Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 outbreak, it said.

As a reciprocal response, since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Sri Lanka till June, the central and local governments, enterprises, organizations and individuals from China have donated more than 73,000 test kits, over 3 million disposable masks, 210,000 KN95 masks, 54,000 PPE gowns, 41,000 eye goggles and 145,000 medical gloves, among others, to Sri Lanka to fight against the pandemic, the embassy said.

It is strongly believed that these donations from China will contribute to the health and well-being of the Sri Lankan people, and enhance the historical friendship between the two countries, the statement said.