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Saudi ambassador talks of China-Saudi friendship

By Du Wenjuan (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-04-30 14:46

King 'emotionally connected with China'

 
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The ambassador described the donation from the King as something for a true friend, because he was tied "emotionally with China."

"He's emotionally [connected] with China and he loves the Chinese people from his heart …and we stand by our true friends," said the ambassador.

Yahya Al-Zaid, ambassador of Saudi Arabia to China, smiles during an interview with chinadaily.com.cn at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Beijing, April 23, 2009. [chinadaily.com.cn]

The relief goods donated by Saudi Arabia include 14,000 tents and blankets, instant food, milk powder for children and rescue tools. Four batches of materials arrived in Sichuan between May 20 and 24.

Besides over $70 million in cash and materials, Saudi Arabia set up camp sites for quake survivors in Mianzhu, Qingchuan and Guangyuan, along with donating 1,460 prefab houses in Wenxian county and Kangxian county, Gansu province.

The last team from Saudi Arabia supervising the building of a camp area returned four months ago. "They returned after ensuring everything was complete ."

Recently, the management of the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) received a project description from China Youth Development Foundation on details for building a primary school in Qingchuan county, Guangyuan city, one of the most severely hit areas in Sichuan.

The SABIC donated 8 million yuan for rebuilding schools in quake-hit areas, mainly in Sichuan province, last June.

This September, the new Wali Primary School in Qingchuan county, Guangyuan city in Sichuan, will be receiving about 200 students whose school buildings were destroyed in the quakes, an employee of China Youth Development Foundation told chinadaily.com.cn.

The ambassador said he was impressed by China's prompt action following the quake and with help from all frontiers, people in the quake areas will return to a normal life soon.

Use of donated money from Saudi Arabia

The donated $50 million will be used in reconstruction in all quake-affected provinces, namely Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi and Chongqing, covering educational, housing, health and medical projects.

? $31.85 million will be used to build schools and hospitals in Sichuan.

? $8.62 million will be used to build schools and hospitals and Children's centers in Gansu.

? $5.26 million will be used to build schools and old people's homes in Shaanxi.

? Another $5.26 million will be used to build hospitals and subsidiary medical facilities.

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