Chinese Government donates 4,152 tons of rice to Syria

In July 2018, at a meeting of BRICS countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced his intention to provide emergency food aid to several countries, including Syria. The Chinese Government donated four shipments of rice (4,152 tons in total).

On March 5, 2019, the Chinese Embassy to Syria handed over the first batch of rice (1,000 tons) to the Syrian Ministry of Local Management and Environment.

The delivery of the first batch was marked by a handover ceremony, which was presided over by Chinese Ambassador to Syria, Feng Biao, and Hussein Makhlouf, the Syrian Minister of Local Management and Environment. Then, on October 24, 2019, the fourth shipment containing 1,152 tons of rice arrived at Latakia port.

The handover certificate for the last batch was jointly signed by the Governor of Lattakia, Ibrahim Khadr Al-Salem, and the Chargé d'Affaires for the Chinese Embassy, Ma Xiuling. The Higher Relief Committees and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent helped facilitate the distribution of the rice.

According to the Syrian Arab News Agency, the food aid was earmarked for citizens in various governorates, but was specifically intended for the families of wounded and killed soldiers. The estimated monetary value of the donation is $1,646,309.52.