China gifts explosives disposal equipment to Sri Lanka

Colombo: Sri Lanka has received special explosives disposal equipment from China under a military grant scheme, which the island nation said would be of much use to its armed forces.

The equipment was gifted to Sri Lanka under the Chinese Military Grant scheme during a formal ceremony at the Army Headquarters on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence said in a press release.

The ceremony was headed by the People’s Republic of China Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong, Defence Secretary, General Kamal Gunaratne and Army Commander Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanag.

The formal signing of documents related to the equipment grant took place between Qi Zhenhong and Kamal Gunaratne, the ministry said on Wednesday.

“Eighteen REOD 4000 explosive ordinance disposal medium robots, eighteen REOD 400 explosive ordinance disposal robots, ten anti-explosive blankets and ten protection tanks and vehicles were symbolically handed over,” the release said.

The ministry said the equipment would be of much use to the armed forces of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka and China share close ties with Beijing being one of the top lenders to the cash-strapped island nation.