China pledges its biggest-ever aid to Pakistan
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China has pledged to give an additional assistance of 200 million U.S. dollars to flooded Pakistan, totaling China's aid to 250 million dollars, its largest- ever humanitarian aid to a foreign country, the Chinese embassy in Islamabad said Thursday.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao announced the aid at a UN summit in New York on Wednesday, said Huang Xilian, the embassy spokesman.
He said China will provide the unconditional aid in accordance to the need of Pakistan to help in the efforts of flood rescue, relief and reconstruction.
China is one of the first countries providing aid to Pakistan in the immediate aftermath of the historic floods hitting a major part of the country since late July. The first batch of aid from the Chinese government, decided on Aug. 1, was handed over to Pakistan on Aug. 4.
Social organizations, enterprises, individuals from China and the Chinese people in Pakistan have been voluntarily lending a helping hand to the Pakistani people by making donations in cash or in kind.
China sent two international search and rescue teams to the worst-hit Thatta district in southern Sindh, and the Chinese army sent a 68-member medical team to Sehwan of Sindh and a 64-member rescue team with four helicopters to Hyderabad.
Huang said it is the first time that China sent out overseas so many rescue and medical teams in its history and it is the first time that Chinese military helicopters carry out an overseas humanitarian rescue and relief mission.
It is also the first time that China sent a large amount of aid to the neighbor via land route as 101 Chinese trucks reached Sust Dry Port via Khunjerab Pass by land on Sept. 1, loaded with daily necessities including flour and oil for the stranded people in Hunza area, north Pakistan.
The two-month flooding along the Indus River in Pakistan has left 1,800 people killed, over 20 million affected and millions homeless. China will continue to closely follow the flood situation and provide further support to Pakistan, the embassy said.
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