The Chinese government has provided 60 million yuan (about US$7.5 million) to build 700 houses for tsunami survivors in Indonesia's Aceh Province under a friendship village program, Chinese diplomats in Jakarta said on Thursday.

 

The houses are scheduled for completion this year, according to Tan Weiwen, a Chinese attaché in charge of trade and economic affairs of the Chinese embassy in Jakarta.

 

Tan, who handed over 863,000 school packages to local schools in Aceh Wednesday, said the houses will be built in Neuheun Village, Aceh Besar District and the project is currently in the mapping stage.

 

He hoped the project would be completed before the commemoration of the second anniversary of the tsunami, adding other facilities will include a house for worship, schools and children's playgrounds.

 

Aceh and Nias in North Sumatara were devastated by a tsunami in December 2004, in which more than 160,000 people perished and around 500,000 others were left homeless.

 

The Chinese government and companies have assisted about 400 million yuan (more than US$50 million) to Indonesia since the tsunami struck.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2006)