Update: China to offer $7.5 million in emergency humanitarian aid to quake-hit Afghanistan
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin Photo: fmprc.gov.cn
The Chinese government decided to provide 50 million yuan ($ 7.5 million) in emergency humanitarian aid including tents, sheets, convertible beds to quake-hit Afghanistan for those affected by the disaster, with the first shipment of aid to be transported to the country on Monday by charter flight, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin confirmed on Saturday.
China will also work closely with the Afghan interim government to ensure that aid reaches those affected in time and helps local people overcome their current difficulties, Wang said.
Wang noted with the concerted efforts of the Afghan interim government and all walks of life, with the help from the international community, we have faith that local victims will soon overcome these difficulties, rebuild their homes and return to their normal lives.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry already said on Friday that China will send additional emergency humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan with cash, tents, quilts and other supplies being prepared, after the 5.9-magnitude earthquake that jolted parts of Afghanistan including the capital city Kabul early Wednesday and resulted in at least 1,500 deaths.
On top of the previous assistance, China will send an additional amount of emergency humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan as earthquake relief efforts. China is stepping up efforts to prepare cash, tents, quilts and other supplies through local governments, the Red Cross Society of China, enterprises and other channels to send them to disaster-hit areas in Afghanistan as soon as possible, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at Friday's press briefing.
China expressed sympathy to Afghanistan immediately after the earthquake and expressed readiness to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
The food support promised by China has arrived in Afghanistan and is being distributed quickly, and China is also ready to strengthen cooperation with Afghanistan on disaster prevention and reduction, especially disaster monitoring and forecasting, Wang said.
Photo taken on Oct 8, 2020 shows anti-epidemic supplies from China during the handover ceremony at Hamid Karzia International Airport in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. Photo:Xinhua
Haibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Taliban-run administration, has sought assistance from the international community, Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.
Countries like China, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey have pledged humanitarian assistance to quake-affected areas, according to Xinhua.
We believe that with the concerted efforts of the Afghan interim government and all sectors of society and the help of the international community, the people in the quake-hit areas will overcome difficulties and return to normal life and work at an early date, Wang said.
The island of Taiwan announced on Thursday that it will donate $1 million to Afghanistan for disaster relief, and in response to questions on the Chinese mainland's comments, Wang said Taiwan is part of China, and the one-China principle is a universally recognized basic norm governing international relations. He noted that the political attempt by the Taiwan authorities to expand its so-called "international space" under the guise of aid will never succeed.
Global Times
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