Chinese ocean-going naval fleet donates relief materials to Sri Lanka

By Yan Guiwang and Fang Lihua

COLOMBO, June 1 (ChinaMil) -- A Chinese ocean-going naval fleet arrived in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka, on the morning of May 31, 2017, local time, for a four-day friendly visit.

At least 202 people have been killed and 96 people are still missing following severe rains which caused major floods and landslides in Sri Lanka since Friday. A total of 630,000 people in 15 areas of Sri Lanka are affected by the flood.

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A Chinese ocean-going naval fleet arrives in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka, on the morning of May 31, 2017, for a four-day friendly visit.(Xinhua/ Photo by Huang Haimin)

The visiting Chinese naval fleet contacted the Sri Lanka Navy and the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka for the disaster relief work as soon as they arrived.


A relief materials donation ceremony was held at the Colombo Port at 4 pm on May 31. The commanding officer of the Sri Lanka Navy Rear Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne, and other Sri Lanka naval officials attended the ceremony.

The donated materials are raised from the self-contained equipment of the Chinese ocean-going naval fleet. These relief materials include 500 kg of rice, 500 kg of flour, 300 cases of purified water, 300 cases of instant noodles, 10 rescue rubber boats and some medicine.

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Rear Admiral Shen Hao (R), commanding officer of the Chinese naval fleet and Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne (L), commanding officer of the Sri Lanka Navy, sign at the donation checklist.(Xinhua/ Photo by Huang Haimin)

Vice Admiral Wijegunaratne said after the ceremony that the Chinese naval fleet donated their water, food and medicine to us, as well as 10 combat rubber-raiding craft (CRRC) boats, which are very crucial and helpful to our disaster relief work.

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Vice Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne (3rd R, front), commanding officer of the Sri Lanka Navy, shakes hands with Chinese naval officers and soldiers at the port of Colombo on May 31, 2017. (JZ.81.cn/ Photo by Yan Guiwang)

He expressed sincere gratitude for the Chinese government, the Chinese people and the Chinese Navy. He said that the two navies enjoy very close cooperation and believed that the cooperation will become even closer.

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Overseas Chinese in Sri Lanka take a group photo with Chinese naval frigates at the port of Colombo on May 31,2017. (JZ.81.cn/Photo by Shi Kuiji)

Rear Admiral Shen Hao, commanding officer of the Chinese naval fleet on outgoing visit mission, said that after hearing about the disaster, the Chinese naval fleet tried its best to raise relief materials and medicine and delivered them to the people of Sri Lanka as soon as possible.

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The picture shows part of the relief materials donated by the Chinese ocean-going naval fleet to the disaster-affected people in Sri Lanka. (JZ.81.cn/Photo by Yan Guiwang)

A Chinese naval medical team with 16 medical staff is preparing to go to the resettlement sites to provide medical patrol, on-site treatment and epidemic prevention and other medical services to the disaster-affecte