Myanmar's Ambassador to China Tin Maung Swe commended Beijing's swift humanitarian efforts after a devastating 7.9-magnitude earthquake jolted the Southeast Asian country, while emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in ongoing relief operations.
Chinese rescuers, racing against time to locate survivors, have successfully saved six people in quake-stricken Myanmar so far. Several teams from China remain on the ground, continuing to deliver emergency humanitarian aid to those affected by the disaster.
Amid these rescue efforts, China has also dispatched disaster-relief supplies to Myanmar to bolster ongoing humanitarian assistance. The first batch of disaster-relief supplies from the Chinese government arrived in Myanmar on Monday. The supplies, which include 1,200 tents, 8,000 blankets, and over 40,000 first aid kits, are part of China's 100-million-yuan (13.9 million U.S. dollars) emergency aid package to support earthquake relief efforts.
The ambassador characterized China's deployment of rescue teams and supplies as embodying a "brotherly spirit".
"Both governments have engaged closely through the diplomatic channels and took immediate response to ensure emergency rescue and search operations reach to the most needed areas in time. Moreover, China's prompt dispatch of a national rescue team and delivery of essential supplies, including tents, generators, and medical equipment, reflects brotherly spirit of a neighboring country at the time of hardship and need. The timely arrival of these resources has been crucial in addressing immediate humanitarian needs to the affected areas," he said.
He added that Myanmar's authorities are coordinating and distributing aid from international partners, with a focus on addressing urgent needs in the most severely impacted areas.
"Myanmar government has been working round the clock to coordinate rescue and relief operations, ensuring that aid reaches those in need as fast as possible. We are also deeply grateful for the support from the international community, especially China, for being among the first to provide emergency humanitarian assistance," Tim Maung Swe said.
"Myanmar government has been systematically organizing and coordinating all the resources received from the international community and distributing to the level of emergency, including the remote areas where most of the roads have been destroyed. Authorities are ensuring that food, clean water, medical aid, and temporary shelters are prioritized for the hardest-hit regions. Moreover, while immediate relief is the priority, the concerned authorities are trying to rebuild roads and bridges, accessibility to remote villages," the ambassador said.
The death toll from last Friday's powerful earthquake in Myanmar has risen to 2,886, with 4,639 injured and 373 still missing, according to the State Administration Council information team on Wednesday.
Myanmar ambassador commends China’s timely quake assistance, calls for global support
