China Says It Is Ready to Provide Emergency Assistance to Nepal Based on Its Needs

Dragon Media Correspondent

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China and Nepal are maintaining close communication and coordination in ongoing search and rescue operations.

Speaking to Chinese state media, Lin said the mudslide and flooding had caused major human and material losses on both sides of the border, with a large number of people still missing. He expressed sympathy on behalf of the Chinese side to the Government of Nepal and all those affected by the disaster.

“The two sides are maintaining close communication and coordination on search and rescue. The Chinese side stands ready to provide emergency assistance in accordance with Nepal’s needs,” Lin said.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, President Xi Jinping has attached high importance to the disaster response and instructed authorities to make every effort to search for and rescue people facing danger, evacuate and accommodate affected residents, provide immediate medical treatment to the injured and minimize casualties.

Xi also called for stronger monitoring and early-warning measures, scientifically organized rescue operations and greater vigilance against secondary disasters.

Premier Li Qiang has instructed relevant authorities to rapidly verify the number of missing and affected people and ensure the prompt and orderly evacuation of those remaining in dangerous areas.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has travelled to the disaster zone with officials from relevant departments to oversee rescue and emergency-response operations.

China has activated a Level-II national disaster relief response, while the Xizang Autonomous Region has activated its highest-level, Level-I emergency response for natural disasters. Rescue personnel from the military, armed police, border inspection, fire and rescue services and other government agencies have been deployed to the affected area.

According to preliminary information released by Chinese authorities, 260 foreign nationals remain unaccounted for in the disaster-hit area on the Chinese side. Their identities and current status are still being verified because of difficult conditions on the ground.

Lin said nationality is not a consideration for Chinese rescuers when lives are at risk, emphasizing that every life is equally valuable. China is also maintaining communication with relevant foreign embassies regarding their citizens.

On the Nepali side, preliminary information indicates that nearly 100 Chinese nationals remain missing. The Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu is working with Nepali authorities to verify their whereabouts and has issued safety alerts to Chinese citizens in the affected areas.

Chinese nationals have been advised to move to safer locations and remain alert to the possibility of secondary disasters.

With a landslide-dammed lake and the risk of further slope failures being closely monitored in the border region, China has placed increased emphasis on monitoring and early warning. Nepal has likewise issued alerts for downstream communities along the Bhote Koshi.

China’s formal declaration that it is prepared to provide additional emergency assistance according to Nepal’s needs could provide a basis for expanded humanitarian and technical cooperation between the two countries as rescue and disaster-response operations continue.