Beirut, Nov 6 (IANS): Lebanese and Chinese governments have signed an agreement on a donation granted by Beijing to the social service centres affiliated to Lebanon's ministry of social affairs.

The agreement was signed by Lebanon's Minister for Social Affairs Rashid Derbas and Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon Jiang Jiang.

During a joint press conference, Derbas said "the donation was advantageous to the Syrian refugees and the communities hosting them", pointing that the donation "is comprised of humanitarian aids earmarked to hospitals in addition to tents that should be erected before the advent of winter".

He stressed that the mutual relations between China and Lebanon are "strong and friendly", hoping that "the Chinese grant would be a starting point for developing the relations between the two countries".

The Chinese envoy said the donation was especially for the hosting communities bearing the brunt of the reverberations of the Syrian crisis.

According to the United Nations Higher Commission for Refugees, there are currently more than 1.2 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and the number may reach 1.5 million by the year-end.