SERDANG, May 29 (Sin Chew Daily) – China has donated a total of 300,000 face masks to support the Malaysian Chinese community in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, says Liu Dongyuan, the counselor for consular affairs at the Embassy of China in Malaysia.

The China Overseas Friendship Association and the Embassy of China in Malaysia handed over the face masks to the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Hua Zong).

After attending the ceremony at Hua Zong headquarters to handover the face masks, Liu said 50,000 face masks were meant for Hua Zong and 250,000 for a total of 12 Chinese organizations.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Liu said both Malaysia and China had been working together very closely. The Malaysian government, local Chinese community and others have donated many relief items to China previously.

"We are grateful to Malaysia and the donation this round is to give back to Malaysia. Earlier the Chinese ambassador Bai Tian also contributed to the Government of Malaysia, local society and its people," she said.

Liu said the contribution for the Chinese community was a means to express gratitude for the generous donations made by local Chinese organizations to the people of China earlier.

As the pandemic is not over, Liu said Malaysia and China were sticking to each other to ride through the hard time together.

Liu said after going through the pandemic together, the bilateral relationship would be even closer. Both countries have pledged to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak together and would be working together again on post-pandemic economic recovery.

Liu also said the face masks contributed this time were only part of the contributions from by the government of China.

"We are looking into the need based on the pandemic. China is an eternal friend for Malaysians," she added.

Ong Seng Khek, deputy president of Hua Zong, said the donation by the Embassy of China to local Chinese organizations in Malaysia showed that the embassy was concerned about the Chinese community here. The pandemic in Malaysia had also caught the attention of China. Both Malaysia and China were supporting each other.

"When the COVID-19 outbreak started in Wuhan, Chinese organizations in Malaysia donated medical supplies and other items to support China. This time, China is paying back the goodwill. We thank China for not only making a one-time contribution but it has earlier donated thermometers in bulk and other medical supplies. Hua Zong would like to express its utmost gratitude to the Embassy of China," said Ong.

Those present at the ceremony included Tan Kai Hee, director of Tan Kah Kee Foundation Malaysia, president of the Federation of Hainan Association Malaysia Lim Chiew Ah, president of Federation of Hokkien Business Association Khoo Chai Kaa, Hua Zong central committee member Huang Zheng Xin, vice president of Malaysia One Belt One Road Committee Yao Di Cong, vice president of Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce Lu Guo Xiang, etc.