Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong wraps up successful visit to Northern Province

Jaffna Public Library

NP Governor's Secretariat

Fishermen Donation

Sea Cucumber Farm

Fish Can Factory

Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil

Ambassador of China to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong had a successful visit for the first time to Northern Province from 15 to 17 December. 

Chinese Embassy in a statement said ever since Ambassador Qi presented the credentials one year ago, a familiarisation visit and a study tour to the north has been planned for long but couldn’t be realised due to the disadvantageous situation of COVID-19 and other busy schedule.

Ambassador Qi Zhenhong started his official visit from the Jaffna Public Library on the afternoon of 15th December. Received by Jaffna Mayor Viswalingam Manivannan with a traditional Tamil welcome ceremony, the Chines Envoy had a comprehensive tour in the library and donated five laptops and plenty of books in different languages, to enhance the capacity building and enlarge the collection of this well-known library in Asia.

A fruitful meeting with the Governor of Northern Province Jeewan Thiagarajah was made at the Governor’s Residence on the evening of 15 December. A wide range of topics have been discussed on how to enhance cooperation between China and the NP and improve local Tamil community livelihoods. Governor Thiagarajah invited more Chinese investment and assistance on marine aquaculture, fishing equipment, industries, and IT, etc. in the Northern Province, which had received positive response by the Chinese delegation.

Upon the request of the Governor’s Secretariat, the Ambassador donated five sets of ROI (water purification) mobile plants to the province, one unit for each district. The ROI mobile plants with high quality, to be purchased from local market and assembled/serviced by SL Navy, will provide fresh water to thousands of needy people in various areas.

On the early morning of 16 December, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong and Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda inspected the Guilan Sea Cucumber Hatchery and Farm at east Ariyalai, Jaffna. They were impressed to learn that the Chinese company has created thousands of jobs for local fishermen, brought millions of USD income and transferred technology to Sri Lanka. 

The Farm has also been an important studying and practicing base for government officials, local fishermen and students from University of Jaffna etc. The company also raised request to the Ministry of Fisheries and other relevant Government authorities for permit to expand the farming to attract more FDI.

Ambassador Qi Zhenhong also led a team of officials and reporters from Sri Lanka and China for a study tour to the New Silkroad Foodstuff factory at Thoddaveli, Mannar on 17 December. The factory invested by Chinese entrepreneurs employs more than 100 workers from nearby villages, and 85 percent among them are female. It also brings stable income to thousands of fishermen in Sri Lanka and provides around 300,000 cans of fish monthly to the nation. The factory is applying to get its new equipment registered for fish meal production, and willing to increase investment to import more raw materials and equipment if the restriction of US Dollar remittance could be relaxed.

To extend strong solidarity to local communities to fight current COVID-19 difficulties together, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong has donated piles of food parcels (Rs. 5,500 each), fishing gears and facial masks purchased from local supplies with a total value of Rs. 20 million to 2,500 fisher families in the Northern Province to meet their urgent demand at the end of the year 2021. 

Handing-over ceremonies were organised by local fishermen societies in Jaffna and Mannar on 16 December. 

The timely assistance received warmest applause from Minister Douglas Devananda and local Tamil fishermen presented at the ceremonies. They also expressed their highest appreciation to the Chinese Ambassador for the 1.6 million doses of Sinopharm vaccines specially donated by China to the Northern and Eastern Provinces, and sincerely requested China to extend more support to the socio-economic development in the area.

On 16 December, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong paid homage to the historic Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil at the centre of Jaffna with full respect to the religious and cultural tradition. The Chinese delegation made a donation to the Kovil and shared pooja with the needy citizens outside after the worship.

During the three-day visit of friendship and cooperation, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong and his delegation has received greatest hospitality and support from the Northern Provincial Government, Ministry of Fisheries, Ministry of Defence and local tourism sector, etc. 

When concluding the visit, Ambassador Qi would like to convey his sincerest thanks and best wishes to them as well as to the friendship between the two countries on the upcoming 65th anniversary of China-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations.