2nd shipment of Chinese aid arrives in disaster-hit Tonga

A Chinese naval fleet tasked with the second shipment of China-donated disaster relief supplies arrived in tsunami-hit Tonga to help the South Pacific island country out of crisis caused by volcanic eruptions, according to the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) on Feb 15.

The Chinese naval vessels also carried with them some emergency supplies raised by South China's Guangdong province and the Red Cross Society of China to Tonga.

The latest shipment of Chinese emergency assistance included portable houses, agricultural tractors, student desks and chairs, lawnmowers, walkie-talkies, portable electric generators and high-pressure pumps.

Tongan Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni welcomed the shipment of supplies at the port. 

Since the volcano erupted in Tonga on Jan 15, the CIDCA worked together with other Chinese government agencies and its partner organizations to finalize all specific matters, including making the list of emergency assistance items to their procurement and delivery, as well as pandemic response measures, and transporting relief supplies to Tonga. 

The Chinese embassy in Tonga managed to put together in the shortest time possible some emergency supplies such as drinking water and food and delivered them to the Tongan government, making China one of the first countries to provide emergency assistance and disaster relief supplies for Tonga.after the volcano erupted. 

Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Fiji has raised a large number of emergency supplies, which included 50 tons of drinking water, canned food and biscuits, and delivered them to Tonga via vessels from the CNFC Overseas Fisheries Corporation on Jan 27.

At the request of Tonga, the Chinese government purchased emergency relief supplies worth 20 million yuan (about $3.16 million) and delivered them to the island state through its military aircrafts and vessels. Two Chinese military aircrafts loaded with the first shipment of China-donated relief supplies, including tents, folding beds, electric generators, walkie-talkies, water pumps and personal protective equipment, arrived in Tonga on Jan 28.

In addition, Tonga on Feb 4 received another shipment of China-donated disaster relief goods, which included land graders, road rollers, loading machines and excavators that were transported via sea route in a drive to facilitate the rebuilding of Tonga’s roads, bridges, airport and port.

As of Feb 15, the Chinese government and the Red Cross Society of China had provided Tonga with emergency humanitarian cash assistance of $800,000 and $ 100,000 respectively.

The CIDCA said it will continue to provide relief and post-disaster reconstruction assistance to the best of its ability in accordance with the evolving disaster situation and the needs of Tonga.

The central work of its future assistance to Tonga is to arrange for Chinese experts working and living there to take part in the resumption of business production and the reconstruction of the country, carry out a number of foreign assistance projects designed to help people bring their lives and work back to normal at an early date, encourage Chinese enterprises and people there to fully get involved in rescue efforts and assist the Tongan side in the redistribution of relief supplies among its people in a move to help Tongan people from all walks of life return to normalcy as soon as possible.