China has provided cash and material assistance to Tonga Vice Prime Minister Tong: This is the first batch of emergency relief materials received after the disaster

Beijing, 20 Jan (Xinhua) -- A large-scale eruption of a volcano in Tonga on January 15 triggered a tsunami, volcanic ash and other disasters, making it the most serious natural disaster in Tonga's history. The reporter learned from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 20th that the Chinese side has provided 100,000 US dollars of emergency humanitarian spot assistance to Tonga and delivered a batch of drinking water, food and other emergency supplies worth 280,000 yuan.

The volcanic eruption in Tonga caused serious disasters, many places in Tonga were affected, electricity, communications, and shipping routes were interrupted for a time, many houses, facilities, and crops were destroyed, water sources were polluted, and materials were extremely scarce. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council have sent condolence messages to King Tupou VI of Tonga and Prime Minister Sovalerini of Tonga on the 19th. The Chinese government is highly concerned, rushes to the rescue, actively provides emergency humanitarian assistance to Tonga, and interprets the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind with practical actions.

At the Foreign Ministry's regular press conference held on 20 July, spokesman Zhao Lijian briefed on the specific situation of China's disaster relief assistance to Tonga.

Zhao Lijian said that the Chinese side has always paid close attention to the disaster situation in Tonga and has taken urgent action to do its best to help Tonga provide disaster relief. The Red Cross Society of China has provided $100,000 in emergency humanitarian spot assistance to Tonga. The Chinese government, through the Embassy in Tonga, raised a batch of emergency supplies worth 280,000 yuan worth of drinking water, food and other emergency supplies as quickly as possible, and delivered them to Tonga on the 19th.

King Tupou VI of Tonga said that at the time of the national crisis in Tonga, President Xi Jinping sent me a message of condolence, and the Chinese government reached out to help at the first time, and the Government and people of Tonga were deeply touched by China's righteous deeds and expressed their deep gratitude for this. Some of Tonga's islands have been seriously affected, and I thank the Chinese side for expressing its willingness to continue to help The Tang side carry out rescue and post-disaster reconstruction.

Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga and Chairman of the National Emergency Response Committee, Tayy, expressed his heartfelt thanks to the Chinese government for donating the above-mentioned materials, which are the first batch of emergency relief materials received by the Tongan government after the disaster, carrying the special friendship between Tang and China. After hearing the news, the local people thanked the Chinese embassy one after another, emotionally saying that China is a true friend of Tonga.

It is understood that the Chinese government is continuing to track the disaster in Tonga and find ways to arrive follow-up aid as soon as possible to help the Government and people of Tonga overcome the disaster and rebuild a better home at an early date.

According to reports, the Chinese government will, at the request of the Tang side, provide assistance to a batch of emergency supplies such as drinking water, food, personal protective equipment, and disaster relief equipment, and will arrive as soon as the airport resumes operation and the flight conditions permit. The China-Pacific Islands Emergency Materials Reserve In Guangdong has urgently started the allocation of materials, including bottled water, canned meat, medical and health kits, generators, high-pressure pumps, tents, etc., and is ready to be shipped as soon as possible.

"The Chinese side will continue to provide cash and material assistance to Tonga in accordance with the disaster situation and the needs of the Tang side, and do its best to overcome the influence of adverse meteorological conditions such as volcanic ash and transport the materials as soon as possible." Zhao Lijian said.

It is understood that the Tonga government has made all-out efforts to provide disaster relief, and electricity, communications, and shipping routes are gradually recovering. Up to now, Chinese citizens and enterprises in Tang are safe, and no casualties have been reported. The Chinese Embassy in Tonga is functioning normally and will continue to provide consular protection services to Chinese citizens in need.