Tag: Vanuatu

China sends help to quake-hit Vanuatu as it expands Pacific island ties

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Monday that the team would conduct scientific surveys on structures in the hardest-hit areas, as well as safety assessments and studies on secondary disaster risks.

A 7.3-magnitude earthquake hit the Pacific island nation in mid-December, killing at least 14 people, injuring more than 200 others, and causing major damage to infrastructure. A 6.1-magnitude quake followed on December 22.

It is the first time Beijing has sent a technical team to a country in the Pacific islands, an area where China is looking to develop closer relations.

Ian Chong, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, said the assistance was part of Beijing’s diplomatic playbook.

“Assistance and aid are among the tools that China uses to build ties. [The recovery support from Beijing is] consistent with its efforts elsewhere around the world. This is especially apparent in places that are less developed and poorer,” Chong said.

China Sends Help to Quake-Hit Vanuatu as it Expands Pacific Island Ties

In the wake of a devastating earthquake that struck Vanuatu, China has stepped up to offer assistance to the Pacific island nation. The 6.1-magnitude quake, which hit on Monday, has caused widespread damage and left many residents in need of aid.

China has pledged to provide emergency relief supplies, including food, water, and medical supplies, to help those affected by the disaster. The Chinese government has also offered to send a team of experts to assist with rescue and recovery efforts.

This assistance comes as China continues to expand its ties with Pacific island nations, including Vanuatu. In recent years, China has increased its investment in the region, funding infrastructure projects and providing aid to support economic development.

The earthquake in Vanuatu serves as a reminder of the importance of international cooperation in times of crisis. China’s swift response to offer assistance to the people of Vanuatu demonstrates its commitment to supporting its Pacific island partners in times of need.

As the recovery efforts in Vanuatu continue, China’s support will be crucial in helping the country rebuild and recover from the devastation caused by the earthquake. This gesture of solidarity further strengthens the growing ties between China and the Pacific island nations, paving the way for continued collaboration and cooperation in the future.

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China, Vanuatu, earthquake, relief efforts, Pacific islands, international aid, natural disaster, humanitarian assistance, diplomatic relations

#China #sends #quakehit #Vanuatu #expands #Pacific #island #ties

January 3, 2025
India offers $500,000 in relief to quake-hit Vanuatu. China sends supplies, engineering team

New Delhi: India Thursday offered $500,000 (Rs 4.3 crore) in rehabilitation assistance to Vanuatu, following the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of its capital city Port Vila on 17 December.

“As a close friend and partner under the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) and as a gesture of solidarity with the friendly people of Vanuatu, Government of India extends a relief assistance of USD 500,000 to support relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

At least 14 people are reported to have been killed in the earthquake and 250 others injured. Multiple landslides were triggered across the island nation, damaging its international shipping terminal in Port Vila, as well as its international airport. A tsunami damaged submarine cables providing internet connectivity to the island nation.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), around 2,435 individuals remained displaced a week after the earthquake, while close to 300 aftershocks were felt.

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“India has firmly stood by Vanuatu during times of difficulty and devastation caused by natural disasters. An important pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI)… is disaster risk reduction and management. India is committed to Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and continues to be a responsible and steadfast responder in the region,” added the MEA statement.

In recent years, India has looked to the Pacific Island countries, offering aid for quick impact projects and attempting to be a first responder to natural disasters in the region.

In 2014, the Indian government along with 14 Pacific Island nations—Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Palau, Tonga, Cook Islands and Federated States of Micronesia—announced the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC), as a framework for ties.

Since its inception, there have been three summits of the forum, with the last one in May 2023, hosted by Papua New Guinea, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended.

At the summit, Modi announced a number of projects across the 14 countries, including a super-speciality cardiology hospital in Fiji and sea ambulances to all the countries part of FIPIC.

China has also been very active in the region, with Beijing sending at least 35 tonnes of emergency relief supplies to Vanuatu, which arrived Thursday. The aid includes tents, folding beds, water purifiers and medical equipment.

Beijing has also sent a “post-disaster assessment engineering team” to Vanuatu to assist in disaster relief efforts, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a press briefing Thursday.

India along with its partners in the Quad—Australia, Japan and the US—has been looking to coordinate in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts in the region, especially since China’s outreach to the Pacific Island nations.

In 2022, the foreign ministers of the Quad countries had agreed to guidelines for HADR activities in the Indo-Pacific region, highlighting its intent to coordinate relief efforts.

(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)

Also Read: Scramble for Pacific Islands: China, US, India & now South Korea vie for influence in remote nations

India has extended a helping hand to the earthquake-stricken island nation of Vanuatu by offering $500,000 in relief aid. The Indian government has pledged this sum to assist with the recovery efforts in Vanuatu, which was recently hit by a devastating earthquake.

In addition to India’s generous donation, China has also joined in the relief efforts by sending supplies and an engineering team to assist with rebuilding efforts in Vanuatu. The Chinese government has dispatched a team of experts to provide technical assistance and support for the reconstruction efforts in the aftermath of the earthquake.

The international community has come together to support Vanuatu during this difficult time, demonstrating solidarity and compassion in the face of natural disasters. As the island nation works towards recovery and rebuilding, the assistance from both India and China will undoubtedly make a positive impact on the lives of those affected by the earthquake.

Tags:

India relief, Vanuatu earthquake, $500,000 aid, China supplies, engineering team, natural disaster relief efforts

#India #offers #relief #quakehit #Vanuatu #China #sends #supplies #engineering #team

January 3, 2025

Tag: Vanuatu

China sends help to quake-hit Vanuatu as it expands Pacific island ties

India offers $500,000 in relief to quake-hit Vanuatu. China sends supplies, engineering team