Chinese Embassy Deputy Chief visits Eastern Province to follow up on Beijing’s donations

Deputy Chief of the Chinese Embassy, Hu Wei visited the Eastern Province recently and told various stakeholders there that China will continue to assist Sri Lankan people of all communities in the coming months to overcome current challenges, the Chinese Embassy said in a press release yesterday.

Given below are excerpts of the press release: “Hu wei paid a visit to the Eastern Province from 8 to 10 December, to follow up the distribution of China’s recent donations to the country, including 10.6 million litres of diesel to farmers and fishermen, 9,000 metric tonnes of rice to students from underprivileged families and 100 sets of solar streetlights donated by China’s Yunnan Province to 38 schools across the Eastern Province

“On the afternoon of 8th December, DCM Hu Wei met with Governor of Eastern Province Anuradha Yahampath at the latter’s secretariat in Trincomalee. Both sides exchanged ideas on further promoting cooperation between China and the Eastern Province and other topics of mutual interests. They also joined local principals in a hand-over ceremony of the donated 100 sets of solar street lights.

“DCM Hu Wei visited Abhayapura Primary School in Trincomalee and Korakallimadu Sri Ramana Maharishi School in Batticaloa, interacted with teachers and students and gifted rice packs and panda backpacks to the pupils. The diplomat also visited the paddy field at Nochchikulam, Trincomalee and the beach in Kaluwankerney, met with local farmers and fishermen, and handed over a consignment of diesel to them. It was highlighted that the 10.6 million litres of diesel provided by China to Sri Lanka free of cost will benefit 232,749 farmers for harvesting 342,266 hectares paddy fields in Maha season 2022/23 and all the 3,796 fishing vessels below 40 feet in the island.

“On the afternoon of 9th, the Chinese Embassy delegation were invited by the Batticaloa District Civil Society to Kaluwankerni, an underdeveloped Tamil fishing village in Batticaloa, where a first phase of 10 houses had already been built to help most needy families by the Embassy. DCM Hu had a discussion with the villagers and Batticaloa District Civil Society representatives and officially launched Housing Project Phase II for the villagers.

During the visit, DCM Hu Wei broadly met with local government officials, civil society representatives, farmers, fishermen, housewives, teachers, students and deeply encouraged by their high praise and friendship towards China, especially for the support of PPEs, vaccines, housing, education, rice, medicines, and fuel donation in the past year. Hu reassured them China’s continued assistance to Sri Lankan people of all communities in the coming months to overcome current challenges.”