On the morning of April 26, 2015, Foreign Minister Wang Yi held an inter-departmental emergent coordination meeting over the foreign-related work concerning the devastating earthquake striking Nepal. Heads from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce, State Population and Family Planning Commission, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC), General Administration for Sport of China, China National Tourism Administration, China Earthquake Administration, and other relevant departments of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and State Council were present at the meeting.
The meeting pointed out that Nepal was hit by a once-in-a-century earthquake, causing heavy casualties and property losses. President Xi Jinping has sent a message of condolences to the Nepalese President, emphasizing that the Chinese people would stand together with the Nepalese people in this emergent moment. Premier Li Keqiang also has sent a message of condolences to Nepalese Prime Minister, explicitly noting that China is willing to provide emergent assistance. All departments have taken emergent measures including sending search and rescue teams to Nepal, mobilizing transport capacity to speed up the evacuation of Chinese citizens in Nepal and providing emergent assistance. The disaster is still going on and the situation is severe. Over 2100 personnel of China-funded institutions usually stay in Nepal. In addition, as Nepal is now in the peak season of tourism and a number of Chinese citizens now are travelling in Nepal, therefore China is now also faced with important task of guaranteeing the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions.
The meeting pointed out that all departments concerned should earnestly implement the instructions of the Central Committee of the CPC and State Council and speed up all the necessary assistance to Nepal with a view to practicing the neighborhood diplomacy featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness. All departments should bear the philosophy of exercising the power for the benefit of the people and effectively ensure the safety of Chinese institutions and citizens in Nepal. All the departments agreed to continue their efforts in the following aspects:
Further mobilize the transport capacity of civil aviation to swiftly bring Chinese citizens trapped in Nepal back to China, make efforts to help the first Chinese search and rescue teams heading for Nepal with their rescue work and provide relevant support, ensure a timely and effective work in the earthquake-stricken area, and further mobilize and strengthen the rescue force. Send medical teams to provide emergent medical assistance, healing the wounded and rescuing the dying and helping Nepal with its epidemic prevention and control. Provide emergency humanitarian aid including tents, generators, water purification equipment and medical supplies and begin the delivery as soon as possible. Road connecting Tibet and Nepal should be repaired as soon as possible so that the materials and personnel from China can be delivered to the country. Emergency aid will continue to be provided to those trapped while climbing Mount Everest. The efforts to improve the capability of China-funded enterprises in Nepal in protecting themselves and rescue those enterprises should be intensified. All kinds of protection and assistance should be provided to the Chinese citizens in Nepal.