Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has assured Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi that Sri Lanka will firmly stand with China in supporting the World Health Organization (WHO) to play a bigger role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

During a phone conversation with the Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday, the Sri Lankan Minister has praised China's firm support to the WHO, saying China supports developing countries, including Sri Lanka, by supporting the UN body, the CGTN network reported.

The Chinese minister has highlighted how essential the role of the WHO is in the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic, pledging continued support to the international organization.

Wang has said that certain countries take advantage of the pandemic for their own political purpose and attempt to shift the blame to the WHO for their slow response to the outbreak.

The two foreign ministers have fully agreed to enhance cooperation on combating pandemic and developing economies, and firmly supporting the WHO's crucial role in the global fight against COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the Chargé d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka met with the Foreign Minister Gunawardena on Friday (24) and presented a summary of all supplies donated by central and local governments, companies and individuals of China to Sri Lanka.

The donations from China included 42,024 test kits, 1,098,010 masks, 14,380 PPE etc. as of to date, the Embassy said in a tweet.

http://www.colombopage.com/archive_20A/Apr25_1587786406CH.php