Minister of National Defence Tea Banh said on Tuesday that his ministry would donate 300,000 masks and protective medical clothing to China’s Ministry of National Defence to aid the fight against Covid-19.

A post on the defence ministry’s Facebook page said Banh made the announcement at the closing of a training ceremony and opening of a school building at the National Defence University in Phnom Penh.

“Because we see a lot of difficulties faced by our friend China, our Ministry of National Defence today informed the Chinese embassy here that we decided to collect some masks even though the amount is not a lot . . . 300,000 masks, but it is our way of participating to help our friend China,” he said.

Meanwhile, Banh also called on soldiers and people to be cautious of Covid-19 and follow the Ministry of Health’s advice.

He said people spreading fake news that Cambodia is facing an epidemic over the virus are traitors.

Banh and ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

According to the BBC, earlier this month Hua Chunying, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defence, said what the country urgently needed were medical masks, protective medical clothing and glasses.

On Tuesday, China announced that the death toll from Covid-19 rose to 2,663. More than 30 countries have reported the disease, which broke out in December in Wuhan, Hubei province, China.

Only a single case of Covid-19 has been found in Cambodia, in Preah Sihanouk province late last month, but the Chinese patient has since recovered and left the country.