China provides additional emergency assistance to help Pakistan fight floods

Luo Zhaohui, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), met with Akhtar Nawaz, chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority of Pakistan, via video link on Sept 3.

Luo said that Pakistan has recently suffered from rare floods unseen for years, causing heavy casualties and property damage, and that China shares in Pakistan's concern. The Chinese government has decided to provide additional relief supplies worth 300 million yuan ($43.27 million) to help Pakistan against the floods, on top of the original 100 million yuan worth of aid. He requested that Pakistan provide a list of items and means of transportation for the emergency aid as soon as possible, so that China's aid can arrive at flood-stricken areas and help the people at an earlier stage.

Luo said that China and Pakistan enjoy a profound all-weather friendship and have a tradition of looking out for and supporting one another. The Chinese people haven't forgotten that Pakistan sent the last tent from its inventory to the disaster-hit area when an earthquake struck Wenchuan, Southwest China's Sichuan province, in 2008. Upon the outbreak of the floods in Pakistan, China sent 3,000 tents as part of the first shipment in aid at the first given opportunity. And based on Pakistan's requests, China has collected 200 tons of onions and will deliver them to Pakistan within a week via the Karakoram Highway. The China Meteorological Administration is providing real-time weather forecasts to Pakistan, and the Chinese public, as well as some enterprises and local governments, are donating enthusiastically as a demonstration of their friendship with their "iron-clad brothers". Next, China is willing to provide support to Pakistan in areas such as disaster relief as well as experience sharing and planning for post-disaster reconstruction, said Luo, believing that Pakistan will win the final battle against the floods and be able to rebuild a beautiful home of their own.

A friend in need is a friend indeed, said Akhtar. On behalf of the Pakistani government and people, he thanked China for its additional assistance and the friendship from its leaders and people to Pakistan. China's first shipment of tents has already reached the people in the disaster-hit area. Despite the relentlessness of the floods, the friendship between the two countries will be elevated further, he said. He provided updates on Pakistan's anti-flood work and gave a detailed request for further assistance, pledging to fully cooperate with China on the distribution of supplies.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong, Chinese Consul General in Karachi Li Bijian, and Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque attended the video meeting.