Colombo, January 26 (newsin.asia): On the instructions of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa the Sri Lanka Embassy in Beijing on Sunday submitted an application to land a Sri Lankan Airlines aircraft in Wuhan city airport to airlift 32 Sri Lankan students, the Ministry of Foreign Relations said in a release.
The Embassy is closely following up with the Foreign Ministry of China and Foreign Affairs Office of the Wuhan Province to expedite the process of obtaining clearance for the landing of the aircraft, as soon as they are allowed to travel out of their present locations.
Meanwhile, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has set up a 22-member committee under the Health Ministry, to control the spread of the coronavirus in Sri Lanka.
The Ministry, Embassy and Consulate Generals are also working with the Sri Lankan Airlines in seeking to operationalize instructions to bring back all other Sri Lankan students presently in China.
It is estimated that presently approximately 860 students remain in China, spread in various cities throughout the country.
Meanwhile, the Lankan Embassy in Beijing, Consulates General in Guangzhou and Shanghai are in constant touch with Sri Lankan students in Wuhan and other parts of China to provide information with regard to the precautionary measures to be taken to prevent any infection.
The Mission and posts have not received any information on any Sri Lankans infected by the Coronavirus. In order to provide assistance to the Sri Lankan students and professionals living in China who wish to return to Sri Lanka, the Foreign Relations Ministry in collaboration with its Mission in Beijing and Posts in Shanghai and Guangzhou, has secured the immediate application of 50% discount on the airfare of Sri Lankan Airlines on its regular flights operating to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. All Sri Lankan citizens who would like to travel to Sri Lanka from China will be able to obtain 50% discount of the marked fare by calling the Sri Lankan Airlines call- center on 0094-777771979.
The Mission and the Posts are on a 24-hour operation to provide any assistance to Sri Lankans living in China, their parents and relatives.
Information can be received from the Mission in Beijing by calling the hotline on 0086-10-65321861/2.
The following officers can also be contacted for queries about the Sri Lankans living in China and their relatives. The officers can be reached on a 24-hour basis on the following numbers:
Mr. Alexi Gunasekera, Minister (Commercial) Mob. 0086 13070138025 Brig. Kalpa Sanjeewa, Minister Counsellor (Defence) Mob. 0086 13051733302
Mrs. Inoka Weerasinghe, Second Secretary Mob. 0086 15116905523 Mrs. Thilini Gunaratne, Second Secretary Mob. 0086 13121722296.
Mrs. Manorie Mallikaratchy, the Consul General of Shanghai can be contacted on 008613472771702
Mrs. Geetha Perera, Attaché on 0086 159 0094 6639 to obtain information regarding Sri Lankans living in Shanghai, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Hunan.
Mrs. Priyangika Dharmasena, the Consul General of Guangzhou can be contacted on 008618814134670
or Mrs. U.K.G.Roshini, Attaché on 0086 13902301874 for information regarding the Sri Lankans living in Guangdong, Fujian, Hainan, Guangxi, Jiangxi.
22-Member Panel to Control Coronavirus
Meanwhile, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has set up a 22-member committee under the Health Ministry, to control the spread of the coronavirus in Sri Lanka.
