China pledges $43.5m in aid to Pakistan

China will provide another 300 million yuan ($43.5 million) of emergency supplies to Pakistan to help the latter tackle devastating floods.

Luo Zhaohui, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, made the announcement during a meeting with Lieutenant-General Akhtar Nawaz, chairman of Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority, via video link on Saturday.

The announcement came after China said less than a week earlier that it would donate 100 million yuan of emergency supplies to Pakistan.

Luo invited Pakistan to inform China about the kinds of supplies it needs and the means of transportation as soon as possible so that the aid can reach Pakistanis as soon as possible.

China relates deeply to the flooding that Pakistan is going through and the casualties and loss of property caused by the natural disaster, Luo said, adding that China will share with Pakistan its expertise in disaster relief and support the country in making reconstruction plans.

Expressing appreciation

On Saturday Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif expressed his appreciation for China's aid.

The flooding that started in mid-June as a result of monsoon rains has claimed more than 1,200 lives in Pakistan, injuring about 12,600 people.

China dispatched Y-20 transport aircraft to Pakistan on Tuesday carrying the first 3,000 of 25,000 tents it has pledged to provide to the country.

The Red Cross Society of China has made an emergency cash donation to Pakistan, and the China Meteorological Administration is providing real-time weather forecasts to the country.

China has also collected 200 metric tons of onions that will be delivered to Pakistan within a week through the Karakoram Highway, Luo said.

The first 3,000 tents have already been delivered to disaster-hit people, Nawaz said on Saturday, expressing the appreciation of the Pakistani government and the country's people for China's aid.

Nawaz detailed his country's needs and said Pakistan will work with China to distribute the emergency supplies.