Foreign and Military Affairs

Second batch of Chinese aid arrives in Pakistan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-20 03:57

ISLAMABAD - The second batch of humanitarian aid from China began to arrive in the Chaklala Airbase near Islamabad on Thursday, bringing relief materials to flood-ravaged Pakistan.

The shipment mainly consisted of daily necessities, including 1, 200 tents, 30 tonnes of compacted rations, 23,800 blankets, 1,000 generators, as well as medicine, bottled water and water purification equipment.

The second batch of the relief goods worth 50 million yuan (7.4 million U.S. dollars) will be completely delivered by Friday, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

Accepting the help from China, Sibtain Fazal Haleem, the Secretary of Economic Affairs Department, said that China was the first country to deliver relief goods to Pakistan in this time of need, reflecting the special friendly relations between the two neighboring nations.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Liu Jian said that China is willing to help the flood-hit Pakistanis to weather the unprecedented disaster, and that China hopes the Pakistani government can make smooth advance in rescue, relief and reconstruction.

On August 4, the first batch of humanitarian aid from China worth 10 million yuan was delivered to Pakistan.

Pakistan kicked off an emergency rescue and relief operation on July 30 after declaring an emergency in the flood-struck northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

So far, the country's worst floods in 80 years have killed 1, 556 people and left 20 million homeless, according to a government report released on Thursday.