On January 1, 2025, a shipment of emergency relief supplies departed from the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen to Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu. The shipment included tents, folding beds, water purification equipment, solar lamps, emergency food, and medical supplies. Marked with “China Aid” labels, the shipment left Shenzhen Baoan International Airport at 7:18 PM and is expected to arrive in Port Vila on the morning of January 2.
A 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck Vanuatu on December 17, causing significant damage and loss of life. In response, the Chinese government provided $1 million in emergency aid to support the country’s disaster relief and reconstruction efforts. Additionally, at the request of the Vanuatu government, China sent four engineering experts to assist with post-disaster recovery. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning noted that this was the first time China had sent an emergency post-disaster assessment team to a Pacific Island nation, with the aim of contributing to Vanuatu’s reconstruction.