The Chinese Ministry of National Defence handed over 11 highly-developed military automobiles, worth 6.2 million US dollars, to Sri Lanka to be deployed for both internal security and special duties by the Sri Lanka Army.
Acting Defence Minister Premitha Bandara Tennakoon officially accepted the fleet of Emergency Command and Communication System Vehicles from the Chinese Ministry of National Defence, during a ceremony at the Army Headquarters.
These vehicles embedded with ultra-modern communication devices have been originally designed for military purposes.
Following the acceptance of military-to-military donation from the Defence Attaché (DA) of the Embassy of China in Sri Lanka, Senior Colonel Zhou Bo, Minister Tennakoon handed over the vehicles to Defence Secretary, General Kamal Gunaratne, who in turn symbolically presented the keys to Army Commander Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage.
The Sri Lankan defence top brass along with the Chinese Embassy officials inspected the vehicles at the venue and Chief Signal Officer of the Sri Lanka Army Maj. Gen. Sugath Rathnayake and Chinese DA in Sri Lanka Senior Colonel Zhou Bo placed their signatures on an MoU between the two countries during the session.
Additional Secretaries, Senior Officials of the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry, Senior Army Officers and Assistant Defence Attaché of the Embassy of China in Sri Lanka were also present at the event.