Swift Chinese aid praised amid Afghan earthquake

China's humanitarian relief effort was hailed after the devastating earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on Aug 31, killing over 2,200 people and injuring thousands more.

China decided to provide Afghanistan with 50 million yuan ($7.04 million) in emergency humanitarian aid for earthquake relief, said Li Ming, spokesman for the China International Development Cooperation Agency, on Thursday.

At the request of the Afghan government, China will provide tents, blankets, and food that are urgently needed in the earthquake-affected areas, Li said.

Rescue operations remain underway amid reports that many people are still trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed homes. Casualty figures are based on preliminary information and were expected to rise further, according to the latest report from the Afghan Red Crescent Society.

Rugged terrain is hampering rescue operations and aid delivery, leaving survivors to plead for urgent assistance.

Earlier this week, China also became one of the first countries to donate relief funds to Afghanistan for earthquake relief efforts. Bao Xuhui, charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy in Afghanistan, handed over earthquake relief donations from the embassy, Chinese institutions and the overseas Chinese.

Bao said at the event on Tuesday that the strong earthquake that struck Kunar and other Afghan provinces has caused significant casualties and property damage, which has deeply touched the hearts of the Chinese people.

The Chinese embassy, Chinese institutions and the Overseas Chinese Association in Afghanistan quickly raised the funds and relief supplies, hoping to help the people in the affected areas overcome their difficulties, he said.

Muhammad Alam Alamyar, general-director of administration of the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority, thanked China for the kind gesture and briefed on Afghanistan's earthquake disaster and relief efforts, noting that a friend in need is a friend indeed.

Afghanistan cherishes the friendship of the Chinese people toward the Afghan people and will properly utilize the donations and relief supplies, dedicating them entirely to disaster relief and reconstruction, he said.

Pakistan on Wednesday also dispatched 105 metric tons of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar said.

Whenever such tragedies occur, China is always among the first to step forward, standing with nations and supporting them in recovery, said Khalid Taimur Akram, executive director of the Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future in Islamabad.

"In recent years, China has emerged as one of the largest and most reliable sources of humanitarian aid for countries facing disasters, with a timely donation of 50 million yuan being a prime example," said Shakeel Ahmad Ramay, chief executive officer of the Asian Institute of Eco-civilization Research and Development in Pakistan.

It is pertinent to highlight here that, following the withdrawal of US forces, China has continued to provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, meeting their basic needs, including food, shelter and medical care, the expert added.

In the recent disaster, the efforts have been accelerated. "But the most prominent feature of Chinese aid is that China provides humanitarian assistance without conditionalities," Ahmad said.

vivienxu@chinadailyapac.com