KHARTOUM, June 18 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government on Thursday provided a new batch of medical supplies to Sudan to boost its efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In continuing the cooperation between the Republic of Sudan and the People's Republic of China, today we received a new batch of medicines and health equipment related to confronting the coronavirus," Omer Gamar-Eddin, Sudan's state minister for foreign affairs, told reporters at the Khartoum airport.

"We in the government are grateful for the people and government of China over this cooperation, and we hope it will continue in all other fields," said Gamar-Eddin.

Chinese Ambassador to Sudan Ma Xinmin, for his part, told reporters that "China and Sudan are close friends and strategic partners, who over the years have supported and helped each other."

"We once again stand shoulder to shoulder in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," Ma said.

He said that China is looking forward to working together with Sudan to expand the joint cooperation and exchanges in the field of public health to contribute to the well-being of the two peoples.

The Chinese envoy promised that China would provide more medical supplies to Sudan in the future and strengthen the cooperation for the benefit of the two peoples.

China has been providing help to Sudan in its anti-coronavirus fight.

In late March, the Chinese embassy in Sudan donated over 400,000 surgical masks to the Sudanese government. On April 23, Chinese medical experts held a video conference with Sudanese counterparts to share China's experiences in fighting COVID-19.

On June 11, a Chinese team of medical experts left Sudan after concluding a two-week mission of supporting Sudan's fight against COVID-19 through sharing China's experiences in controlling and treating the infectious disease.

Sudan has so far reported a total of 8,020 COVID-19 cases, including 487 deaths and 2,966 recoveries.