China gifts security equipment to Sri Lankan Parliament

China Wednesday gifted security equipment worth about USD 1,87,000 to Sri Lanka to better secure its Parliament building following the Easter Sunday terror attacks in the country. The security equipment, including three state-of-the-art portable X-Ray machines and five walk-through metal detectors, were handed over to Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya by Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Cheng Xueyuan.

Jayasuriya, thanking the Chinese government, said the donation of the security equipment to the Sri Lankan Parliament was "very valuable" following the April 21 suicide bombings on three hotels and three churches in Colombo that claimed nearly 260 lives. Sri Lankan Parliament is regarded as one of the highly-guarded legislatures in South Asia as it was one of the prime targets when the LTTE was active until it was decimated by the Sri Lankan security forces in 2009.

Four oceanic scientists were among six Chinese nationals killed during the Easter bomb blasts that also claimed the lives of 11 Indians. Receiving the Chinese equipment, Jayasuriya said "during the time of any natural or tragic calamity, China has been one of the first countries who has always stood ready to help Sri Lanka. We are grateful to the Chinese government and its people."

Ambassador Cheng said after the deadly terrorist attacks, the Chinese government has firmly supported Sri Lanka to safeguard its national security and stability. The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka also issued a statement on Wednesday, saying the security equipment provided by China will better secure the safety of the Parliament building and the occupants.

"Currently, the Chinese government is studying implementing the requests raised by the Sri Lankan government case-by-case according to the priority," the statement added. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through St Anthony's Church in Colombo, St Sebastian's Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and another church in the eastern town of Batticaloa, and three high-end hotels frequented by tourists in the country's deadliest violence since the devastating civil war with the LTTE ended in 2009.

The Islamic State claimed the attacks, but the government blamed local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaath for the attacks.