The Government of the People’s Republic of China, through his Ambassador in Timor-Leste, Xiao Jianguo, offered, on August 27th, 2020, 40,000 protective masks to the Ministry of the Interior.
The masks were donated under bilateral cooperation between the two countries, to support the PNTL’s , the Border Patrol Unit (UPF)’s and the Migration Services’ s work in the COVID-19 prevention. The Chinese Government had already donated 30 thousand masks to PNTL, on the June 26th.
Vice Minister of Interior, António Armindo, thanked the Chinese Government’s donating, through his Ambassador, “which will allow supporting the country in the fight against this global pandemic” and said that “it is a great privilege to represent the Prime Minister, as Minister of the Interior, in this ceremony to deliver medical equipment from the Government of the People’s Republic of China to the Ministry of the Interior ”.
Vice Minister informed that “these 40 thousand masks will be distributed among the UPF’s , Migration Service’s and PNTL’s members, who work at the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport, the land border control posts and the integrated UPF’s posts.
Ambassador Xiao Jianguo stressed, “the important mission of the Ministry of Interior and the great work carried out by the Migration Service and the UPF, in preventing COVID-19”.
Xiao Jianguo stated that “as the biggest risk in Timor-Leste are imported cases, immigration officials and the border police have been working hard to prevent the importation of an epidemic at land borders” and added that “this donation is made so that frontline personnel can protect themselves better”.
The Diplomat reiterated China’s willingness to intensify exchanges and cooperation between the Embassy, the Ministry of Interior and the Department of Immigration, as well as in supporting the implementation of the Government’s economic recovery plan and in responding to the effects of COVID-19 in the national economy”.
Also participated in the ceremony the General Director of the Migration Service, Agostinho Gomes and the Head of the PNTL’s National Administration, Chief Superintendent José Soares.