Chinese rescuers arrive at the Yangon International Airport in Yangon, Myanmar, March 29, 2025. A rescue team from southwest China's Yunnan Province arrived in Yangon, Myanmar, early Saturday after a massive earthquake jolted the Southeast Asian country on Friday. At least 144 people were killed and 732 injured in Myanmar after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake jolted the country on Friday. (Photo: Xinhua)
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday extended condolences to Myanmar's leader Min Aung Hlaing over the massive earthquake that hit the country on Friday, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
In a message, Xi said he was shocked to learn of the strong earthquake in Myanmar, which caused heavy casualties and property losses.
On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi mourned the deaths and extended sincere condolences to the bereaved families, the injured and the people affected by the disaster.
China and Myanmar are a community of shared future sharing weal and woe, and the two peoples enjoy a profound fraternal friendship, said Xi.
China is ready to provide assistance, and support efforts to overcome the disaster and rebuild homes at an early date, he said.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday also extended condolences to Min Aung Hlaing over the earthquake.
Chinese rescue teams arrive
At the request of the Myanmar government, the Chinese government has decided to provide 100 million yuan in emergency humanitarian assistance for earthquake relief. China has dispatched two rescue teams and supplied urgently needed relief materials to the disaster-stricken areas, including tents, blankets, first-aid kits, food and drinking water, Li Ming, spokesperson for the China International Development Cooperation Agency, said on Saturday.
A 37-member emergency medical rescue team from Southwest China's Yunnan Province arrived in Yangon, Myanmar on Saturday morning. They brought with them a total of 112 sets of emergency rescue equipment, including full-function life detection devices, an earthquake early warning system, portable satellites and drones.
The Global Times reporter saw on Saturday morning that Cao Jing, chargé d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar, and Myanmar officials welcomed the rescue team at the Yangon International Airport.
According to the Chinese Embassy, the rescue team travelled directly by vehicle to Nay Pyi Taw, the capital of Myanmar to take part in the rescue efforts after arriving in Yangon.
This rescue team is the officially organized Chinese rescue team and the first international rescue team to arrive in Myanmar, the Global Times learned.
China Eastern Airlines flight MU9003, which carried the Chinese rescue team, also brought 5 tons of medical supplies, tents, blankets and other relief materials. It was the first international rescue flight from China's civil aviation to reach Myanmar. The team has headed to the quake-hit areas to begin rescue operations, according to China Eastern Airlines.
On Saturday morning, another rescue team dispatched by China's Ministry of Emergency Management departed from the Capital Airport in Beijing aboard a chartered Air China flight bound for the disaster-affected areas.
The team consists of 82 Chinese rescue personnel, including firefighters, members of the China Earthquake Emergency Search and Rescue Center, and experts from the China Earthquake Administration. They are traveling to the disaster zone along with rescue equipment and supplies to fully assist Myanmar in its emergency response efforts, according to the ministry.
According to the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar, the team will proceed directly to the Mandalay region for rescue operations upon arriving in Yangon, the Global Times has learned.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government also sent a 51-strong team to Myanmar to assist in the search and rescue work in the earthquake-stricken areas on Saturday. Chief Executive John Lee saw the search and rescue team off at Hong Kong International Airport, according to a release from the government website.
Led by Fire Services Department (FSD) Deputy Chief Fire Officer Cheu Yu-kok, the team comprises 40 FSD staff members, and officers from the Security Bureau, the Immigration Department and the Hospital Authority. Apart from two search and rescue dogs, the team is also taking around nine tons of equipment, including life detectors and masonry cutting machines, an automatic satellite tracking antenna system for network connection, and team members' daily necessities.
Also, a group of 16 Chinese volunteers set off for the quake-hit Myanmar on Saturday morning to provide assistance in disaster relief and rescue efforts. The volunteers, all experienced members of the Blue Sky Rescue (BSR) team - a Chinese civil relief squad - departed from Ruili, at around 9:30 am, according to a Xinhua report.
Equipped with emergency relief supplies, including first aid kits, power generation and lighting facilities, and demolition tools, they traveled in a convoy of five vehicles.
China is closely following the situation after the earthquake and extends our sincere sympathies to Myanmar. We hope and believe that the government and people of Myanmar will overcome difficulties and rebuild their home at an early date, Chinese Foreign Ministry said on early Saturday in response to a 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar a day ago.
After the earthquake, the Chinese Embassy and Consulate-General in Myanmar immediately activated the emergency response mechanism and released relevant consular notices. They fully gathered and verified information to find out if any Chinese institutions, companies or nationals have been affected. So far, no deaths have been reported among Chinese nationals there, the ministry said in a statement published on its website.
The people of China and Myanmar enjoy a profound "pauk-phaw" friendship. We feel for the people of Myanmar over the disaster, the ministry said.
China stands ready to do its best to provide emergency humanitarian assistance and support to the affected area in Myanmar in light of their needs so as to help people there carry out disaster relief and rescue and pull through this trying time, according to the ministry.
The earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday afternoon, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. Tremors were felt in Thailand and Laos as well as some places in Southwest China's Yunnan Province bordering Myanmar, according to media reports.
Devastating quake
The devastating quake in Myanmar has killed 1,644, with 3,408 injured, 139 missing as of Saturday night, according to the Information Team of Myanmar's State Administration Council, Xinhua reported.
In the Mandalay region, which is close to the earthquake's epicenter, many buildings suffered structural damage, with some collapsing and others left severely tilted, according to Cheng Wei, a Chinese businessman currently working in the area.
Cheng told the Global Times on Saturday that the hotel where he is staying was largely unaffected by the quake. However, one of his friend's houses completely collapsed, resulting in the loss of family members.
He said that local residents whose homes were badly damaged may also face shortages of daily necessities, and that the lack of advanced machinery and limited rescue equipment in the region has further complicated relief efforts.
On Saturday, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said on Saturday it stands ready to support relief and recovery efforts following the powerful earthquake. "ASEAN reaffirms its solidarity with the families and communities affected by the earthquake and its impact," ASEAN said in a statement, extending its deepest sympathies and condolences to the people of Myanmar and Thailand.
Recognizing the urgent need for humanitarian assistance, ASEAN said its relief and recovery efforts include deploying the ASEAN-Emergency Response and Assessment Team, utilizing the Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN, and providing Urban Search and Rescue support, based on the priorities identified by Myanmar and Thailand.
