A haul of up to 135,000 face masks were presented to representatives from Wales and London on July 2 as a gift from Vietnam to help both the principality and the UK capital to effectively respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The donation is the first batch of 500,000 antibacterial face masks that were offered by budget carrier Vietjet Air, with the supply being sent to more than 30 localities, in addition to organisations around the UK and Ireland through the Vietnamese Embassy.

Upon speaking during the handover ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Tran Ngoc An highlighted the fruitful relationship and close co-operation between the two nations, with both recently celebrating the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership.

The donation comes after London became the first city in the UK to ask local people to wear face masks when using public transport as a means of stopping the spread of the COVID-19.

The offering is made possible thanks to the active participation of businesses, organisations, and people, and ultimately shows close-knit relations between the two countries.

The handing over ceremony saw 100,000 face masks given to London through the London Resilience Forum, an organisation that co-ordinates activities and resources within the city when dealing with disasters and the threat of epidemics.

During his speech, Darren Tulley, an officer from London Fire Brigade, stated the gift will be immediately transferred to London Strategic Health Authority where they will be distributed to hospitals and local residents throughout the city.

Cheryl Dennis, a representative from Wales, expressed her gratitude to the Vietnamese Government and people, pledging to transfer the face masks to families and people in need in a rapid manner.