Comprehensive news: Tonga's partial power supply communications resumed China took the lead in providing the first batch of material assistance

Beijing, 20 Jan (Xinhua) -- A comprehensive Xinhua news agency foreign correspondent reported: On 19 January, the capital of Tonga, Nuku'alofa, began to restore some of its power supply and communications. The Chinese government rushed to the rescue and has taken the lead in providing the first batch of emergency relief materials to Tonga.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council 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.

The Red Cross Society of China has provided $100,000 in emergency humanitarian spot assistance to The Tang side. At the request of the Tang side, the Chinese government will provide assistance to a batch of emergency supplies such as drinking water, food, personal protective equipment, and disaster relief equipment. The China-Pacific Islands Emergency Materials Reserve Bank 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 for shipment as soon as possible.

Through the Embassy in Tonga, the Chinese government urgently raised a batch of drinking water, food and other emergency supplies worth 280,000 yuan, and donated them to the Tonga government 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 Tong 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 Tonga government after the disaster, and carry the special friendship between Tang and China.

It is reported that as of now, Chinese citizens and enterprises in Tang are safe, and no reports of casualties have been received. The Government of Tonga is making every effort to provide disaster relief, and electricity, communications and shipping routes are gradually being restored. The Chinese Embassy in Tonga is functioning normally and will continue to provide consular protection services to Chinese citizens in need.

According to Tongan media reports, from the 19th, the capital of Tonga partially restored power supply, but there are still power outages from time to time, and it is still very difficult to communicate with the outside world. Some contacts are via Inmarsat.

The United Nations, New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore and other parties have also provided assistance to Tonga.

Jonathan Vecchio, acting permanent coordinator of the United Nations in charge of Tonga affairs, said in an email interview with Xinhua News Agency in Suva, fiji capital, on the 20th that 84,000 people in Tonga were affected by the disaster. Volcanic ash has affected the entire territory of Tonga. The Government of Tonga has requested the International Telecommunication Union to provide satellite broadband services. UNICEF and others will also provide relief supplies.

The New Zealand Ministry of Defense said on the 20th that a New Zealand Air Force C-130 transport aircraft full of relief supplies arrived in Tonga in the afternoon of local time. Judging from the image information, the disaster situation in Tonga is more worrying. New Zealand also plans to send a third rescue ship to Tonga on the 22nd.

According to the Australian Associated Press reported on the 20th, a transport plane has taken off from Australia to Tonga, and another is about to take off. The aircraft was loaded with equipment to help Tonga rebuild its communications network and restore the runway of the airport.

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Malapé said the PNG government was closely monitoring the disaster in Tonga. At present, submarine cable repair company vessels are docked in Papua New Guinea to prepare for the approval of the Tongan government to go to the disaster area to repair the cables.

The Singapore Red Cross Society said on the 18th that it would provide the Tonga Red Cross with humanitarian relief supplies worth a total of 50,000 Singapore dollars (about 235,000 yuan). (Participating reporters: Guo Lei, Lu Huaiqian, Bai Xu, Hao Yalin, Wang Lili) (End)