BEIJING: China will continue to enhance cooperation with Pakistan in disaster prevention and mitigation as well as global climate response and provide more assistance to Pakistan in its flood relief efforts and post disaster reconstruction, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Zhao Lijian said on Monday.
“Recently, on television, through newspapers and online, we have seen a lot of information on the ravaging floods in Pakistan, which are heart wrenching,” he said during his regular briefing in response to a question asked by APP regarding devastated floods caused by heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan.
Over 1000 people have died from floods and around 40 million have been displaced as results of floods in different parts and region of the country.
The spokesperson said, “China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and true friends and good brothers sharing weal and woe. Since, Pakistan was hit by the floods, our thoughts have been with the people in the affected areas. We feel deeply for the Pakistani side in this difficult time.”
He informed that China’s State Councilor and a Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed sympathy to his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari upon learning the news of the floods.
Zhao Lijian said, under the social and Livelihood Cooperation Framework of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), China has provided 4000 tents 50,000 blankets and 50,000 pieces of tarpaulins to Pakistan. They have been delivered to the frontline of disaster relief.
In light of the situation on the ground, and based on Pakistan’s needs, China has decided to provide an additional batch of emergency humanitarian supplies including 25,000 tents and other supplies in dire need.
The Red Cross Society of China will provide US$300,000 emergency cash assistance to the Pakistan Red Crescent Society while the all Pakistani-Chinese Enterprises Association has donated Rs15 million to the Prime Minister’s flood relief fund.
He remarked a ruthless disaster can bring out the best of humanity, adding, “We will not forget that in the wake of the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008, the brotherly Pakistani people rushed to our assistance and sent all their tents in reserve to the earthquake-stricken area in China. The Chinese people were deeply moved.”
Now as the Pakistani people grapple with the floods, the Chinese side is standing with them. Going forward, China will continue to enhance cooperation with Pakistan in disaster prevention and mitigation and global climate response and provide more assistance to Pakistan in its flood relief efforts and post disaster reconstruction.
He said, the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan and the Pakistani embassy in China are contacting enterprises and other sectors for fundraising efforts.
“We believe the Pakistani people will surely overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes soon,” he added.
