China offers emergency financial assistance, aid to Nepal

Beijing: China on Saturday offered emergency financial assistance and aid to Nepal, which has been devastated by flash floods that have killed more than 650 people, and nearly 2,400 people remained missing.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday spoke to his Nepalese counterpart Shisir Khanal to convey Beijing's decision to provide the assistance package to Nepal to deal with Wednesday's flash floods at the Tibet-Nepal border.

Wang told Khanal that this was the most serious cross-border disaster in recent years and the complexity and difficulty of the relief work was unprecedented, according to Chinese official media.


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Chinese relief supplies are expected to arrive in Kathmandu shortly, and two teams of China's tunnel rescue experts are headed to the affected areas to help with the operations, he said.

China has shared important information, including imagery of the affected areas, satellite and hydrological data, with Nepal as well as early-warning information on an upstream barrier lake, Wang said.

"For Nepalese citizens stranded on the Chinese side, China has made appropriate arrangements and will assist them in returning to Nepal as soon as possible. We appreciate Nepal's efforts and hope that Nepal will continue to assist in rescuing and evacuating Chinese citizens in Nepal," Wang told Khanal, official media reported.

"In the face of this disaster, the two countries should stand firmly together, work hand in hand to respond, and overcome the difficulties together, demonstrating through concrete actions the traditional friendship that transcends the Himalayas," the minister added.

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Khanal conveyed the condolences of the Nepalese leadership to the Chinese government and people, as well as to the families of the victims on the Chinese border. He also expressed appreciation for the emergency humanitarian assistance provided by the Chinese side.

Khanal said both Nepal and China are disaster-affected countries, yet China overcame its own difficulties to extend condolences and provide assistance to Nepal at the earliest opportunity, state-run Xinhua reported.