What’s new: China will provide 40 million yuan ($5.9 million) in emergency aid to Turkey, after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck near the country’s southern border with Syria, killing at least 7,000 people.
Beijing is also sending a heavy-duty urban rescue team, medical teams, and disaster relief supplies, Deng Boqing, vice chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, said in a Tuesday statement.
He added that China is also coordinating the provision of disaster relief supplies to Syria and speeding up the implementation of ongoing food aid programs.
The Red Cross Society of China has donated $200,000 each to Turkey and Syria, Deng said.
What’s more: President Xi Jinping sent messages of condolence to his counterparts, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, on Monday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang also expressed deep condolences to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Monday, the Chinese embassy in Turkey said in a statement.
As of Tuesday, there were no Chinese casualties reported from the earthquake, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily briefing.
The initial quake was followed by several powerful aftershocks, one with a 7.5 magnitude north of the epicenter, leveling thousands of buildings. Around 35,000 people in Turkey and several thousands in Syria were reported injured as of Tuesday local time.
Contact reporter Kelly Wang (jingzhewang@caixin.com) and editor Jonathan Breen (jonathanbreen@caixin.com)
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