Reflection of solidarity, friendship between 2 neighbours: Chinese envoy thanks India for coronavirus relief support

Expressing gratefulness over India's medical assistance to Wuhan, the epicentre of deadly coronavirus outbreak, China's Ambassador to India Sun Weidong on Thursday said that the effort was a reflection of solidarity and friendship between the two neighbours.

"We're grateful for the medical relief provided by India to support our anti-epidemic efforts. A reflection of solidarity and friendship b/t China and India. We're also pleased to render assistance for the safe return of Indian nationals," the Ambassador wrote on Twitter.

The Ministry of External Affairs has said that an Indian Air Force (IAF) special flight carrying around 15 tonnes of medical assistance comprising masks, gloves and other emergency medical equipment, landed in the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan on Wednesday.

"Consignment (15 tonnes) of Indian medical relief for #COVID19 lands in Wuhan. Strong expression of our solidarity with the Chinese people at this difficult time. Thank you @IAF_MCC and @EOIBeijing for your efforts," Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar tweeted.

The medical supplies will help augment China's efforts to control the outbreak of this infection which has claimed more than 2,700 lives in the country and has been declared as a Public Health Emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

"This assistance has been provided in the wake the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak in China and the request by China to provide supplies such as masks and medical equipment," the ministry said in a statement issued earlier.

In addition to the relief efforts, the IAF special flight also brought back Indian and foreign nationals from some of the neighbouring countries, who had sought assistance in travelling to India, in keeping with New Delhi's neighbourhood first policy.

The development comes more than two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to Chinese President Xi Jinping, offering assistance to China amid the outbreak of the disease.