Medical supplies including oxygen cylinders ready to be delivered to Nepal: China

Kathmandu / May 8: China has said that medical supplies including oxygen cylinders that Beijing is providing to Nepal in grants are ready to be delivered to Nepal.

Responding to a query of journalists during a regular press briefing in Beijing on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the supplies are basically ready to go and “will be delivered to our friends in Nepal” as soon as possible. “In addition, sub-national governments and various sectors in China are also donating much-needed medical materials for Nepal,” he said.

Spokesperson Wang said that they have taken note of the grave situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal lately and will continue to do their best to offer support as they feel for Nepal in meeting the challenge posed by the coronavirus. “In the recently concluded video conference where foreign ministers of China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh discussed cooperation on fighting COVID-19, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced that China will provide a new batch of anti-epidemic supplies to Nepal,” he said. “As we speak, the supplies are basically ready to go and will be delivered to our friends in Nepal as soon as possible.”

Spokesperson Wang said that sub-national governments and various sectors in China are also donating much-needed medical materials for Nepal. “Nepal is China’s friendly neighbor and strategic cooperative partner. Since the onset of COVID-19, the two countries have stood together with mutual assistance, adding a new chapter to China-Nepal friendship,” he said when asked if China will offer assistance to Nepal to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 27, China had announced to provide Nepal with an additional grant of medical equipment and materials equivalent to RMB 5 million (approximately Rs 92 million) to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Addressing a video conference of foreign ministers of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi had made the announcement to complement Nepal’s national efforts to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials at the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) of Nepal said China has agreed to provide 20,000 oxygen cylinders and 100 ventilators to Nepal as a part of its announcement to provide medical equipment and materials to Nepal. China has also agreed to provide an additional grant of medical equipment and materials as requested by Nepal to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.