China's aid to quake-hit areas mirrors major country responsibility

Devastating earthquakes recently took place in southern Türkiye and northern Syria, causing heavy casualties in both countries.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent messages of condolence to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad respectively over strong earthquakes in the two countries on the day the quakes struck.

On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi expressed deep condolences to the victims and offered sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured.

The first batch of donations from overseas Chinese in Syria are distributed in Aleppo, Syria, Feb. 13, 2023. (People's Daily/Xue Dan)

China, following the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, has been contributing to the earthquake relief in the two countries through multiple ways, demonstrating its sense of responsibility as a major country.

The country expressed willingness to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Türkiye and Syria at the earliest time possible, and soon launched an assistance mechanism.

It has offered emergency humanitarian aid for both countries and dispatched rescue teams to quake-hit areas. So far, Chinese rescuers have pulled out more than 20 survivors and China's relief supplies have rapidly arrived in the two countries.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. China unswervingly follows the international humanitarian spirit and has taken swift actions.

The governments and people of Türkiye and Syria extended their gratitude to the Chinese side for the emergency humanitarian assistance, saying that China, taking the lead to offer timely support, has played an important role in earthquake relief and that they will remember the profound friendship from the Chinese people.

The destiny and future of each and every nation and country are interlocked. The world is in the same boat, and countries should stick together and share weal and woe.

On the packages of aid donated by the Chinese government to Syria, it is written in both Chinese and Arabic that "Rose fragrance flows thousands of miles, while sincerity and love are passed on in distress," which carries the deep concern of the Chinese government and people for Syrians in the disaster-hit areas.

In less than two days since the earthquakes took place, Chinese people from all walks of life had made thousands of donations to the Embassy of Syria in China. Besides, Chinese-funded organizations and overseas Chinese in Syria have also launched quake-relief activities.

These actions demonstrated the beliefs advocated by Chinese culture that all peoples are one family and the world is a commonwealth.

Chinese rescuers carry out a mission in a quake-hit area in Türkiye, Feb. 13, 2023. (Photo courtesy of China's Ministry of Emergency Management)

In Türkiye, residents in quake-hit areas sent food to Chinese rescuers with slips of paper that wrote "thank you" in Chinese. A local woman put the cold hands of a Chinese female rescuer under her coat to keep them warm.

Such stories mirrored the strength of human solidarity in the storm. People in Türkiye and Syria spoke highly of China's selfless assistance during a hard time and expressed their appreciation for China, saying that China always stands with its friends that need help.

This year marks the 10th anniversary since Xi proposed the idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind to the world. Over the past 10 years, China has always been striving for this vision with concrete actions, especially when facing natural disasters.

When Nepal was hit by an 8.1-magnitude earthquake in 2015, the relief squad sent by China was the first international heavy urban search and rescue team to arrive in the Himalayan country, playing a positive role in the search and rescue missions there.

A year later, China provided emergency humanitarian aid to Ecuador at the earliest time possible after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake took place in the South American country, sending quake-relief materials to Ecuador by five charter flights.

As Cyclone Idai swept southeast Africa in 2019, China offered emergency humanitarian assistance for Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi, and dispatched international rescue teams to Mozambique.

Last year, a deadly earthquake hit Afghanistan. China, in around two weeks, sent batches of relief materials to Afghanistan with its Y-20 cargo aircraft and charter flights, among the first countries that provided the biggest and most tangible aid to Afghanistan.

China's emergency assistance reflects the country's care for the world and its vision of building a community with a shared future with the rest of the world to overcome difficulties.

The history of humanity is a history of achieving growth by meeting various tests and of developing by overcoming various crises. As long as the world works as one with solidarity and cooperation, mankind will surely be able to overcome difficulties and challenges head-on.

China will keep following the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and work with the international community to help and support people in Türkiye and Syria to dispel the shadow of the earthquakes and rebuild their homes at an early date.