China to provide Tonga with more emergency aid

BEIJING - China has decided to provide three more batches of emergency assistance to Tonga in the wake of the recent volcanic eruptions and tsunami there, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian Monday.

Zhao told a daily press briefing in response to a related query that China has been paying close attention to the situation in Tonga and is providing assistance to the country through multiple channels.

The three batches of emergency aid include emergency supplies worth 20 million yuan ($3.16 million), emergency humanitarian aid in cash, and 1 million yuan worth of aid materials raised through the Chinese Embassy in Fiji, which is close to Tonga.

China will spare no effort and overcome all difficulties to deliver the 20 million yuan worth of supplies to Tonga as soon as possible, said Zhao.

The supplies raised through the Chinese Embassy in Fiji, including drinking water, emergency food, generators, water pumps, and chainsaws, were on their way to Tonga, he added.

The first batch of emergency supplies arrived in Tonga on Jan 19.

"China will continue to provide relief and post-disaster reconstruction assistance to the best of its ability in light of the disaster situation and the needs of Tonga," said the spokesperson.