Maritime Silk Road combats hunger

The United Nations World Food Programme was sending several thousand tons of donated Chinese rice along the route of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to support people in need of food assistance in drought-stricken Somalia, the agency reported on Friday.

The contribution of more than 2,822 metric tons of rice from China was being loaded on a ship in Shanghai on Friday. The agency said it shows China is honoring the food assistance commitment it made at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in May in Beijing.

Distribution of the rice will begin as soon as it arrives in Somalia and will provide critical food assistance to drought-affected people in 18 regions of Somalia. Together with China's recent contributions of sorghum and Plumpy'Sup - a ready-to-use food supplement for children with moderate acute malnutrition - there is enough food to feed approximately 223,500 people for four months, the agency said.