China Pledges US$1 Million for Aceh Relief Efforts

The Chinese government has pledged to donate US$1 million to help disaster relief and reconstruction efforts in Aceh following a 6.5-magnitude earthquake that has claimed more than 100 lives.

Speaking in the handover ceremony of a $100,000 donation from the Chinese Red Cross Society to the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) on Tuesday, Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Xie Feng said his government had decided to offer another $1 million to support disaster and reconstruction efforts in Aceh.

“The friendship between Chinese and Indonesian people dates back to centuries ago. We have always supported and helped each other in time of difficulties,” Ambassador Xie said in his remarks.

The earthquake, which hit Pidie Jaya regency early on Dec. 7, has brought back memories of the 2004 Aceh earthquake — the strongest earthquake registered in the world for 40 years, which caused a devastating tsunami and left more than 220,000 dead across the Indian Ocean. 

THE JAKARTA POST