The People’s Republic of China has extended the hand of friendship to Jamaica as the country looks to recover from the damaging impact of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa.

Yesterday, China’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Weng Jinfeng at a handing over ceremony for grant assistance and humanitarian items expressed his condolences to the people of Jamaica 

Below is his full address:

Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Commander Alvin Gayle, Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management(ODPEM), ladies and gentlemen, friends, Good morning.

On behalf of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, I am deeply honoured to attend the handover ceremony for the grant assistance and donation of humanitarian items by the Government of the People’s Republic of China to the Government of Jamaica.

Category 5 Hurricane Melissa caused serious casualties and property losses in Jamaica. Sharing Jamaica’s pain, China extended its deep condolences and sincere sympathy.

On behalf of the government and people of China, President Xi Jinping sent a condolence message to the Most Honourable Sir Patrick Allen, Governor-General of Jamaica. Premier Li Qiang and Foreign Minister Wang Yi each sent a message of condolence to Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister, and Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

President Xi Jinping emphasised that Jamaica is a strategic partner of China. Our two peoples share a deep bond of friendship. China stands ready to provide assistance to Jamaica and support the Jamaican people in overcoming the disaster and building back their communities at an early date.

Today, China is officially handing over 2 million US dollars of the grant assistance to help Jamaica’s relief and reconstruction efforts. Moreover, based on the needs of Jamaica, China is donating humanitarian items worth 2.1 million US dollars. The first consignment with instant food and lighting equipment arrived on December 1 and was delivered to ODPEM and JDF.

Other donated humanitarian items, including tents, prefabricated houses, garbage trucks, water trucks and tanks, diesel generators, and construction equipment, will be arriving later. A Chinese medical team and a modern hospital ship, “Ark Silk Road”, will provide humanitarian medical services to the severely affected areas soon.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. China and Jamaica may be separated by mountains and seas geographically, but our two peoples support each other through trials and tribulations. China and Jamaica are friends who treat each other with sincerity, brothers who stand together through thick and thin, and partners who cooperate for mutual progress.

China will continue to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Jamaica, help Jamaica improve its climate resilience, support the Jamaican people in overcoming the disaster and build back their communities at an early date.

Together, we will rebuild stronger!

Thank you.