China to provide further quake relief assistance to Myanmar

With the post-earthquake focus in Myanmar shifting to epidemic prevention and control and post-disaster reconstruction, China has decided to provide an additional one billion yuan ($136.6 million) worth of emergency humanitarian relief assistance at Myanmar's request, according to Li Ming, spokesperson of the China International Development Cooperation Agency.

The provisions will include refined oil products, prefabricated houses, surgery rooms, medicines, vaccines and other urgently needed supplies. Chinese medical and epidemic prevention experts, disaster assessment teams and cultural relic protection teams will also be dispatched to provide onsite assessment and assistance.  

After the major earthquake hit Myanmar on March 28, the Chinese government immediately supported relief and rescue efforts through the swift dispatch of rescue teams and provision of 100 million yuan worth of emergency relief supplies.

China was the first country to announce assistance measures, the first to send rescue teams, the first to rescue earthquake survivors, and also the country that sent the largest number of rescue teams. Various sectors of society in Myanmar and the international community have lauded China for these efforts. 

The China Search and Rescue Team, the China International Search and Rescue Team, and the search and rescue team from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region all returned from Myanmar on April 9. During the mission, Chinese teams helped rescue nine survivors, including a pregnant woman. They also recovered the bodies of 59 victims, searched and inspected 287,000 square meters of residential and other types of buildings, and provided medical consultations for more than 2,000 affected people.

Supplies delivered by China to Myanmar, via chartered flights, also included 4,000 tents, 10,000 blankets, over 55,000 first-aid kits, 40,000 mosquito nets, 18,000 waterproof sheets, 4,000 sleeping bags, 10,000 solar lamps, 2,000 sets of cooking utensils, over 38,000 first-aid hygiene kits, and 2,000 boxes of instant noodles.

China will always uphold the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness in its neighborhood diplomacy, promote the profound friendship between the Chinese and Myanmar people, and jointly build the China-Myanmar community with a shared future with real actions.