China will send additional emergency humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan to help with earthquake relief, a spokesperson said on Friday.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks after the top Taliban leader in Afghanistan appealed to the international community for the victims of the latest earthquake, that has killed more than 1,500 people.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed deep condolences and sincere sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured in a message to the acting Foreign Minister of the Afghan Interim Government Amir Khan Muttaqi, in which Wang promised that China is ready to do its best to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan according to its needs, said the spokesperson.
The spokesperson said the earthquake has touched the hearts of the Chinese people, while noting the saying in both Chinese and Pashto that “A friend in need is a friend indeed”.
“The food aid previously promised by China has already arrived in Afghanistan and is being distributed as quickly as possible to help in disaster relief”, Wang said, adding that China is stepping up efforts to raise various humanitarian assistance through multiple channels including local governments, the Red Cross Society of China and Chinese enterprises to send them to quake-hit areas in Afghanistan.
China is also ready to strengthen cooperation with Afghanistan on disaster prevention and reduction, especially disaster monitoring and forecasting, according to Wang.
“We believe that with the joint efforts of the Afghan interim government and the international community, the people in the quake-hit areas will surely overcome difficulties and return to normal life at an early date,” he added.
(Compiled by Meng Gaohan)