China lauds Pakistan’s support during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake

Beijing-The government and the people of China still remember and highly value the support that Pakistan had extended in overcoming Sichuan earthquake disaster in 2008.

A report published yesterday by Gwadar Pro, stated, the 12th May was the 12th anniversary of 2008 China Sichuan earthquake which caused a total of 69,227 deaths, 374,643 injuries, 17,923 missing and it is considered as one of the most destructive catastrophe of China.

On that occasion, it is Pakistan that immediately reacted to support China to overcome such a disaster. In the last 12 years, friendship between Pakistan and China has been constantly sublimated.

After the earthquake, the Pakistani government immediately responded and donated several batches of relief supplies, gross worthy over 7 million RMB (over Rs 110 million) to the disaster area.

Within four days after the earthquake, Pakistan mobilized all of the transport aircrafts, invoked funds from national reserves and emptied reserves of disaster supplies to support China.

On May 16th, 2008, two Pakistani air force C-130 transport planes arrived at Sichuan China with rescue team and supplies.

Yao Jing, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, said that the friendship between China and Pakistan has been stabilized by that catastrophe again.

Li Jingfeng, a researcher at the Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences (SASS) who has studied the Pak-China relations for a long term, also said that friendship between Pakistan and China has deeply rooted in the hearts of people, each disaster can be considered as a catalyst to unite two countries.