Chinese fact-finding mission on earthquake to arrive Pakistan Tuesday
PakistanTimes.net Foreign Desk Report

BEIJING (China): A Chinese fact-finding mission will arrive Pakistan Tuesday to assess the reconstruction and rehabilitation requirements in the quake affected areas to extend further assistance.

The mission will be led by an Assistant Minister of the Chinese Commerce Ministry.

China, being a close friend of Pakistan, wished to actively participate in the humanitarian work in the quake-affected areas, said a senior official of the Department of International Cooperation, China Earthquake administration Modern Seismic Centre China would also help Pakistan to set up a modern seismic monitoring centre and provide latest equipments." We also provide technical support for setting up a National Rescue and Disaster Management Authority to cope with such calamities", he added.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pledged that China would provide Pakistan with further relief aid worth $13.8 million during his recent meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Shaukat Aziz in Moscow last week.

China also donated $500,000 to Pakistan at the United Nations donors conference in Geneva. This amount plus the 6.2-million-dollar aid which China had donated in the first week after the devastating earthquake, has made China's relief aid to Pakistan a total of $20.5 million up to now. The total excludes the aid provided by the Chinese military and the Red Cross society.

The Chinese side made prompt decision to provide relief aid at the earliest time immediately after the earthquake," said Pakistan ambassador Salman Bashir. "This shows the deep feelings and emotions of the Chinese people towards their Pakistani brothers and sisters at this difficult time."

Charity Show

Meanwhile, Chinese children held a charity show here Sunday afternoon, generating funds for the thousands of their fellow age-group who became victim of the devastated earthquake. They put on display their precious articles including toys on sale, collecting money to dispatch it to Pakistan through Red Cross Society of China.

They sung solidarity songs, expressing their deep sympathies and love with the affected ones. A number of photos, showing devastating impact on the lives of the children were also exhibited on the occasion. This is yet another manifestation of deep-rooted friendship between China and Pakistan.●