China's relief supplies arrive in tsunami-hit Tonga

SUVA -- China's relief supplies worth 1 million yuan (about 157,900 U.S. dollars) have arrived in Tonga's capital city of Nuku'alofa on Thursday.

According to Cao Yongjun, a Suva-based representative of China National Fisheries (Group) Corporation (CNFC), CNFC's two fishing boats carrying the emergency supplies are currently docking in the Vuna wharf of Nuku'alofa for unloading.

As a COVID-19-free island nation with a population of more than 100,000, Tonga now has very strict measures to prevent COVID-19 from entering into the country, he told Xinhua, adding that all ships coming to Nuku'alofa only have access to contactless delivery of dropping off aid and humanitarian supplies.

Due to the anti-COVID-19 procedures, the officials from the Chinese Embassy in Tonga have been waiting outside the Vuna wharf on Thursday and they can not meet with the crew of the two Chinese vessels.

The officials have been coordinating the unloading of the vessels with the parties concerned in Tonga, which has been heavily damaged by the recent volcano eruptions and tsunami caused by the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano, located about 65 km north of the Tongan capital.

The two Chinese vessels set sail from Fijian capital Suva on Monday afternoon. Most of the relief supplies, including drinking water, food, electric generators, water pumps, chain saws, personnel protective equipment and medical supplies, were raised by the Chinese Embassy in Fiji and the remaining was donated by the Chinese enterprises in Fiji.