China donates another consignment of medical supplies to Sri Lanka

COLOMBO, (PTI): China has donated another consignment of medical supplies worth USD 54,19,100 to Sri Lanka as the island nation continues to overcome its worst hit economic crisis, the Chinese Embassy said here on Wednesday.

With the latest consignment, which arrived in Sri Lanka on Tuesday, China has donated 5 billion rupees worth of medical supplies to Sri Lanka since the economic crisis the island nation in June.

”The medicine worth 2 billion rupees arrived on Tuesday. China has donated 5 billion rupees worth of medicine to Sri Lanka since the economic crisis came to hit in June,” the embassy said.

The shipment of medical supplies was after this week’s donation of 1000 metric tons of rice meant for students, the Embassy said.

Sri Lanka and China are talking currently on debt restructuring. President Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Monday that talks were continuing with the Exim Bank of China on restructuring debt.

Sri Lanka is nearly bankrupt and has suspended repaying its USD 51 billion foreign debt, of which it must repay USD 28 billion by 2027.

Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, plunged into financial and political turmoil earlier this year as it faced a shortage of foreign currencies.

Due to this, the island nation has been unable to afford key imports, including fuel, fertilisers and medicines, leading to serpentine queues. (PTI)