China sends emergency aid to Nepal for quake-hit areas

POKHARA, Nepal -- A batch of Chinese emergency relief materials for earthquake-hit areas in western Nepal was transported to Pokhara International Airport on Wednesday.

Two Chinese cargo planes landed at the airport with 600 cotton tents and 4,600 blankets worth 5 million RMB yuan (690,000 U.S. dollars).

Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song attended the handover ceremony.

Addressing the handover ceremony, Shrestha noted that China has always supported Nepal in its economic development, and offered help in the time of crisis and need, such as during the 2015 earthquakes and the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are pleased to say that we have friends like China," he said, adding that Nepal is sending China's relief materials to Jajarkot and Rukum West districts which were hit by a 6.4-magnitude quake on the night of Nov. 3.

The relief materials epitomize China-Nepal's connection by mountains and rivers and bond of mutual assistance and symbolizes China's commitment to building a community with a shared future for mankind, Chen said at the handover ceremony.

"It builds a life-saving bridge of people-to-people exchanges under the Belt and Road Initiative, and fully shows how China values the China-Nepal strategic partnership of cooperation featuring ever-lasting friendship for development and prosperity," Chen added.

In the aftermath of the 6.4-magnitude quake, the Chinese government immediately provided Nepal with relief materials worth 5 million yuan from the China-South Asian Countries Emergency Supplies Reserve. This batch of supplies has been entering the Kerung-Rasuwagadhi border point since Monday, according to the Chinese Embassy in Nepal.

China International Development Cooperation Agency announced an additional batch of emergency humanitarian assistance worth 15 million RMB yuan (2.07 million dollars) to Nepal, among which 600 cotton tents and 4,600 blankets were transported to Pokhara on Wednesday.

And China will spend the remaining 10 million RMB yuan (1.37 million dollars) on post-quake reconstruction over Nepal's needs, while the Red Cross Society of China will provide 100,000 U.S. dollars to Nepal in emergency cash assistance for rescue and relief efforts in the quake-hit areas.