China actively supports Turkiye, Syria in overcoming impacts of earthquakes

BEIJING - China will actively support and help Turkiye and Syria to overcome the impacts of the recent devastating earthquakes as soon as possible, an official from the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) said on Monday.

Zheng Yuandong, an official with the CIDCA, said that China has been actively providing support and assistance in the two countries since the massive earthquakes hit in Turkiye and Syria.

The first batches of relief supplies bound for Turkiye and financed by the Chinese government arrived in Istanbul on Feb 11 and 12, including urgently needed blankets and cotton tents, Zheng said.

More supplies provided by China, including electrocardiograph machines, ultrasonic diagnostics equipment, medical transport vehicles and manual hospital beds will be shipped this week. Rescue teams from China, including those dispatched by the Chinese government, have rescued over 10 survivors, he added.

Zheng said the Chinese government is stepping up its humanitarian aid to Syria, and shipments will include 30,000 first-aid kits, 20,000 blankets, 10,000 cotton-padded jackets, 300 cotton tents, ventilators, anesthesia machines, oxygen generators and other materials. These items will be shipped as soon as possible.

"At the same time, the food aid project will be accelerated, with 220 tons of wheat already on its way to Syria and a further 3,000 tons of rice and wheat to be shipped in batches this month," Zheng said.

The first shipment of medical supplies from the Red Cross Society of China to Syria has arrived in Damascus. The second shipment of supplies was dispatched from Beijing on Feb 13 and will help more than 10,000 earthquake victims, he added.

"China will work with the international community to actively support and help the people of Turkiye and Syria to overcome the disaster and rebuild their homelands as soon as possible," Zheng said.