China will be providing 2,000 tonnes of rice valued at around USD 2.5 million as emergency food aid to Sri Lanka, the Chinese Embassy in Colombo said in a statement.
The donation will mark the 65th anniversary of China-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations and the 70th anniversary of the Rubber-Rice Pact.
“The two countries share a tradition of helping each other and sharing weal and woe with each other. At the request of the Sri Lankan government upon current difficulty of food shortage on the island, the Chinese government decides to provide 2,000 tonnes of rice as emergency food aid to the brotherly people of Sri Lanka, with a total value of about 2.5 million US dollars (including freight expense),” the statement read.
The continuously raging COVID-19 pandemic and the dramatically changing international situation have further worsened the global food shortage and shipping capacity, the embassy pointed out.
“Against this backdrop, the technical teams from both countries will work closely to finalize the production and shipment arrangements, and deliver the aid to Sri Lanka at an early date.”
China also reiterated continuous support for Sri Lanka’s social and economic development within its capacity.
