Courtesy CGTN

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday expressed willingness to continue its cooperation with Mongolia and Sri Lanka on COVID-19 during phone calls with his counterparts from the two countries. 

In the face of the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic, governments and peoples of China and Mongolia have shared the weal and woe, and reached out to each other with assistance and support, lifting the bilateral ties to a new level, Wang told the newly-appointed Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg. 

Noting that the touching story of Mongolia donating 30,000 sheep to China is widely known in both countries and the vaccines sent by China have arrived recently in Mongolia, Wang said he expects the two sides can further strengthen anti-pandemic cooperation until the pandemic is completely defeated. 

For her part, Battsetseg thanked China for its selfless help to her country in fighting the pandemic, saying that the two countries have maintained the development momentum of bilateral ties and have continuously strengthened practical cooperation amid the pandemic, setting a good example of how countries support each other in response to adversities. 

During the phone conversation with Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Wang said China is ready to enhance anti-pandemic cooperation with Sri Lanka, continue to provide vaccine assistance to the country and take concrete actions to help Sri Lanka defeat the pandemic at an early date. 

Wang called on the two sides to make solid progress in cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, turning the Colombo Port City and the Hambantota Port into two major engines to boost Sri Lanka’s economic development, pushing for Sri Lanka’s industrialization, and enhancing the country’s capacity for independent development. 

Gunawardena, for his part, said Sri Lanka regards China as its closest friend and sincerely thanks China for its long-term, selfless help in Sri Lanka’s economic development, improvement of people’s livelihood, and coping with internal and external challenges. 

Sri Lanka appreciates China’s fair stance on human rights issues and is willing to join hands with China to safeguard fairness and justice in regional and international affairs, he added.   

(With inputs from Xinhua)