China's humanitarian aid arrives in Syria

World
Europe

China said on Tuesday it has delivered all 5,404 tons of rice to Syria under the Belt and Road Initiative food aid plan, as humanitarian situation worsens in Syria.

It is under a broader humanitarian aid plan brought up by Chinese President Xi Jinping in May last year - it vows to provide an emergency food aid project worth two billion yuan (around 301.4 million US dollars) to developing countries along the Belt and Road Forum Initiative.

Speaking at a joint signing ceremony in Damascus, China's ambassador to Syria Qi Qianjin said China hopes to continue to provide relief aid to alleviate the suffering of Syrian people in the war-torn country.

Civil defense help a man from a shelter in the besieged town of Douma in Eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria, Feb.‍ 22, 2018. /Reuters Photo

China wants to play a bigger role in the reconstruction and development process by providing more aid to the Syrian people and the Syrian government, the ambassador said.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad thanked China for the assistance and said Syria will work with China on combating terrorism.

In the past six years, China has been actively engaged in humanitarian efforts in Syria through cooperation with international organizations and the Syrian government, Qi said.

A child and a man are seen in hospital in the besieged town of Douma, Eastern Ghouta, Damascus, Syria, Feb. 25, 2018. /Reuters Photo

In the first half of 2017, the Chinese government signed three assistance gratis agreements, which were worth over 40 million dollars, with the Syrian government to support the sectors of electrical devices, transportation, and other humanitarian aid operations.

It also donated one million US dollars to the World Health Organization (WHO) to improve local health care services.

6939km