Local three-wheel drivers pose with face masks during a donation ceremony in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Tang Lu)
The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka on Wednesday donated a large number of face masks and posters raising the awareness about the COVID-19 pandemic to a leading union of local three-wheel drivers.
In an event held at the Chinese Embassy in Colombo, Charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy Hu Wei handed over 50,000 face masks and 35,000 posters to Vice President of the All Island Three-Wheeler Driver's Union M. J. M Hameed.
Hameed said that his union was happy to join with the Chinese Embassy and Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health to promote health and safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic and promised to distribute the face masks to union members in order to protect themselves, passengers and the general public.
A press release from the Chinese Embassy said that the donations "represent the sincere friendship and best wishes from the Chinese people," and that the joint fight of the two countries against COVID-19 would strengthen the "friendship and mutual trust between China and Sri Lanka."
Director General of Health Services in Sri Lanka Anil Jasinghe, who attended the event, thanked the Chinese Embassy, saying that the donations would be useful given the popularity of three-wheelers as a mode of transportation, and the close proximity between drivers and passengers.
Rizwan Jamaldeen, a three-wheel driver and a union member from the country's Slave Island, said that face masks are a thoughtful and practical donation that would go a long way to protect the health of both drivers and passengers.
Three-wheelers, popularly known as tuk-tuks, are a popular mode of transportation and source of self-employment to many Sri Lankans.
