China to help Vanuatu's relief, reconstruction efforts continuously: FM spokesperson

BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China will do what it can to help Vanuatu's relief and reconstruction efforts in light of the severity of the aftermath and Vanuatu's need, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Spokesperson Mao Ning told a press briefing in response to a query on the disaster assistance that China will provide for Vanuatu, which had declared a state of emergency after being hit back-to-back by strong tropical cyclones.

Mao said that China has expressed sincere sympathies to Vanuatu for cyclones and other disasters that have hammered the nation over the past few days and the serious financial loss it has endured, adding that Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang has sent a message of sympathies to Vanuatu's Foreign Minister Jotham Napat soon after the disasters had struck, and the Red Cross Society of China has provided 100,000 U.S. dollars of emergency humanitarian cash assistance for Vanuatu.

Noting China and Vanuatu are good friends, good brothers and good partners supporting each other and sharing weal and woe, Mao said,"China will continue to do what we can to help Vanuatu's relief and reconstruction efforts in light of the severity of the aftermath and Vanuatu's need."

"We believe that the people of Vanuatu will pull through the difficulties and rebuild their home soon," she said.