Full Text: The Diversified Employment of China's Armed Forces (13)

International Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Aid

China's armed forces take an active part in international disaster relief and humanitarian aid operations organized by the government. They provide relief supplies and medical aid, dispatch specialized rescue teams to disaster-stricken countries, provide mine-sweeping assistance and carry out international exchanges of rescue and disaster reduction.

Since 2002 the PLA has undertaken 36 urgent international humanitarian aid missions, and transported relief materials worth more than RMB1.25 billion to 27 disaster-stricken countries. Since 2001, the Chinese International Search and Rescue (CISAR) Team, composed of officers and men from the engineering regiment of the Beijing Military Area Command, medical personnel from the PAPF General Hospital and experts from the China Earthquake Administration, has participated in eight international rescue operations. Since 2010, PLA medical assistance teams have been sent three times to Haiti and Pakistan to carry out international humanitarian medical rescue operations, and the helicopter rescue team of the army aviation has been sent to Pakistan to assist flood-relief operations there.

In March 2011 a devastating earthquake and tsunami hit Japan. The CISAR rushed to Japan and participated in the search-and-rescue operations. In July 2011 heavy floods battered Thailand. The PLAAF sent four aircraft to transport to Bangkok more than 90 tons of relief materials provided by China's Ministry of National Defense to the Thai armed forces. In September 2011, when disastrous floods struck Pakistan, the PLAAF dispatched five aircraft to deliver 7,000 tents to Karachi, and the Lanzhou Military Area Command sent a medical-care and epidemic-prevention team to Kunri, the worst-hit area.

China's armed forces actively provide medical care and aid to developing countries, and participate in international medical exchanges and cooperation, thus strengthening friendship and mutual trust with them. From 2010 to 2011, PLAN's hospital ship Peace Ark visited five countries in Asia and Africa and four countries in Latin America to provide "Harmonious Mission" humanitarian medical service. In 193 days the voyage covered 42,000 nautical miles, and nearly 50,000 people received medical services. In recent years, the PLA medical team has also provided medical service to local people in Gabon, Peru and Indonesia while participating in joint humanitarian medical drills.

The Chinese government attaches great importance to the solution of humanitarian problems caused by landmines. It actively supports and participates in international de-mining efforts. Since 1999, the PLA, in collaboration with relevant departments of the PRC government, has provided de-mining assistance to nearly 40 Asian, African and Latin American countries through offering training courses, sending experts to give on-site instruction, and donating de-mining equipment. As a result, the PLA has trained more than 400 mine-clearance personnel for foreign countries, guided the clearance of more than 200,000 square meters of land-mine areas and donated mine-clearance equipment worth RMB 60 million.

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