Asia-Pacific

China's aid is sincere: Pakistani envoy

By Ai Yang (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-25 08:01

Beijing - China's aid to flood victims in Pakistan is sincere, as shown by the assitance from Chinese individuals, commercial companies and government, a Pakistani official said on Monday.

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"It is not fair for any country or person to make oblique references to China's relief assistance to Pakistan or to urge it to do more," Masood Khan, Pakistan's ambassador to China was quoted as saying on Monday by Xinhua. "China was one of the first countries to respond to our relief needs when the worst floods in 81 years came. China moved with speed," he said.

More than $800 million has now been donated or pledged to help Pakistan's flood victims.

The floods, which were triggered a month ago by unprecedented rains, washing away Pakistan's people, livestock and property, have killed 1,500 people and affected up to 20 million nationwide. In the meantime, Pakistan helped over 200 local Chinese workers reunite with their families in their motherland.

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari recently told reporters that his country needs a minimum of three years to recover from the catastrophe, while other UN officials have suggested even more time is needed.

China's government has increased its aid from $1.5 million to $10 million, including tents, sludge cleaning and water purifying equipment, generators, blankets, food, bottled water, and medicines to the neighboring South Asian state, Xinhua reported.

"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 in response to some recent finger-pointing at the donation chart race.

"Our aid should not be weighed by how much we have given, but by the capacity we are capable of offering," said Rong Ying, deputy director of China Institute of International Studies. "After all, a lot of Chinese ourselves are still living under the standard of a developing country."

China's determination to help its neighbor is not only expressed by the government alone but also by Chinese individuals and companies, who have opened their wallets with generosity. According to the embassy, those donors have given millions of dollars, rice and essential medical equipment to Pakistan.

Many of these genuine offers have come from companies such as the China National Nuclear Cooperation, the China Asia International Finance Limited, Xinjiang Beixin Road and Bridge Construction Co Ltd, Beijing Kangjiantong Technology Development Company and China International Water and Electric. Some of the enterprises have operated in Pakistan.

"China right now is still facing many problems back home, and have gone through many natural disasters itself over recent years. Just domestically, besides rescue and relief work, the government still has much to give for reconstruction work, and that alone is a big pressure. We cannot afford to compare bare figures, let alone that we also need to maintain our economy growth," said Fu Xiaoqiang, a scholar of South Asia studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

The year 2010 has been no less eventful for China and tested once again the strength of its people with more than a handful of natural disasters. There have been droughts in the southwest, earthquakes and mudslides in the northwest, floods in the center and with the latest wave now hitting northeast.

A mere 10 days ago China hosted a national mourning service for the tragedy in Zhouqu of China's northwest Gansu province, where nearly 1,500 lives were lost to rain-triggered mudslide starting on Aug 8.

The international community has expressed deep concern for the victims, and the US government has donated $50,000 to the victims.

Wang Haishan and Yang Jing contributed to the story.