China ready to help Pacific island states in their hour of need”
Relief supplies worth nearly FJD$350,000 including food, water, generators, water pumps, medical kits and personal protective equipment were shipped to Tonga after the impacts of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haapai volcanic eruption.
The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Fiji, Qian Bo with the fishing boat Zhong Shui and relief supplies at Muaiwalu Port in Suva on January 24, 2022. Photo: Leon Lord
The Chinese government is ready to help Pacific island states if needed.
China’s Ambassador to Fiji, Qian Bo, gave the assurance while officiating yesterday in sending emergency supplies to Tonga from Mua-i-Walu port in Suva.
The Chinese Embassy in Fiji coordinated the expedition to help with rehabilitation works in Tonga after the impacts of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption on Jan. 15.
Qian said the relief supplies were worth nearly FJD$350,000 and included food, water, generators, water pumps, food and medical kits and personal protective equipment.
Two Chinese fishing vessels left Fiji yesterday to deliver supplies and will arrive in Tonga tomorrow, Wednesday January 26.
“For the crisis in Tonga, the Chinese Red Cross has donated $100,000 and the Chinese government has also announced additional aid to Tonga, approximately $3.15 million worth of relief goods and supplies from of China,” Qian said.
“It will be delivered this week and at the same time we believe that Fiji is the central country in the region and Tonga is very close to Fiji, so we thought of delivering goods just to offer help,” did he declare.
“That’s why we decided to mobilize emergency supplies.”
He said it was a move by the Chinese Embassy in Fiji while the Chinese government would hand over more from Beijing to Tonga.
He said there was a characteristic of Chinese diplomacy and that was: we say what we mean, we do what we promise.
“We always say that when there is a need, China will be there.”
Assistance to Fiji
Qian said the Chinese government also donated a batch of emergency supplies to the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) last week to help Fijians who were also affected by the volcanic eruption.
He said the Fijian government was also coordinating some meetings which he hoped would take place today.
“The Fijian government has also sent two teams to the Lau group of islands and we will act accordingly based on the damage assessment on the Lau islands.”
Edited by Losirene Lacanivalu
Return: inoke.rabonu@fijisun.com.fj
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