Foreign and Military Affairs
Pakistanis appreciate China's timely assistance
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-25 17:52
 |
Large Medium Small |
BEIJING - Pakistanis from all walks of life have expressed their appreciation for China's timely aid to their country's flood-hit areas while rejecting criticism that downplays China's contribution.
Chinese aid was the earliest to arrive in the southern Asian country, with its first batch of aid, worth $10 million yuan ($1.5 million), having being delivered on August 4. The second batch arrived near Islamabad on August 19.
|
 Chinese customs officers check aid materials about to be sent from Beijing to Islamabad, Aug 19, 2010. [Photo/Asianewsphoto] |
Now China has increased its aid to about $10 million, including tents, sludge cleaning and water purifying equipment, generators, blankets, food, bottled water, and medicines to the neighboring south Asian state.
| ||||
Pakistani government officials, the media and the public have all expressed their gratitude for the assistance from their "all-weather friend."
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani recently told Chinese ambassador Liu Jian that China's generous and selfless aid displays the Chinese people's deep friendship towards the Pakistani people.
China has always been the first to provide aid whenever Pakistan meets with any challenging situation, he stressed.
"Misfortune tests the sincerity of a friendship. China was the first to provide aid when Pakistan was hit by the floods. We were especially moved because China itself was suffering from natural disasters," Niamatula Khan, an official of the National Disaster Management Authority, said.
Chinese people cherish a special friendship for Pakistanis, and China never attaches any auxiliary preconditions to its aid to Pakistan, Permanent Secretary of the Economic Affairs and Statistics Ministry Fazal Halim said.
Chaudhry Shujat Hussain, president of Pakistan Muslim League and former prime minister of Pakistan, said the two countries' brotherly friendship has been fully displayed. China's generous aid should be treasured even more considering that the country was suffering disastrous mudslides and floods itself.
The Dawn newspaper, Pakistan's oldest and most widely-read English newspaper, also praised China's help. China has provided up to 60 million yuan ($9 million) worth of humanitarian aid to Pakistan while itself coping with the worst flood in ten years, the newspaper said in a report.
The Chinese Defense Ministry has also announced the arrival of a large amount of relief materials, which are expected to arrive on August 25, the report added.
In regard to a US official's claim that Chinese assistance was insufficient and that China should step up its aid, the Pakistani side has flatly rejected remarks of that kind and defended China's contribution.
"China lost no time in delivering badly needed relief items to Pakistan ... China moved with speed," Pakistani Ambassador to Beijing Masood Khan said during a recent interview with Xinhua.
"It is not fair for any country or any person to make oblique references to China's relief assistance to Pakistan or to urge China to do more," he said.
"China and Pakistan have the strongest of relations, and we can get in touch with each other in an instant. No intercession is needed," Khan said.
The United States increased its flood aid to Pakistan to $150 million last week and also called on China to do more.
"I think the Chinese should step up to the plate," US Special Representative to Afghanistan-Pakistan Richard Holbrooke said.
Khan said asking China to do more is like "pushing at an open door."
He said Pakistan was briefing the Chinese government on the flood situation at all levels, and "China keeps responding."
His country had requested equipment and prefabricated bridges, and China was preparing a fresh consignment to be sent, Khan said.
China had helped the Pakistanis navigate some of the most daunting strategic challenges, he said, naming the 2005 earthquake.
The ambassador said the post-floods phase in Pakistan was "most important for China's involvement," as floods had swept away roads, bridges, crops, houses, livestock, and communication systems.
"China knows Pakistan's economic, agricultural and infrastructure landscape. We would need China's industrial, agricultural and corporate expertise in the next phases of early recovery and rehabilitation, and especially during reconstruction, " the ambassador said.
