The 2024 Belt and Road Emergency Rescue Drill for Pacific Island Countries, jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) of China and the People's Government of Guangdong Province, was successfully held in Jiangmen, Guangdong on November 24, 2024. Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, Prime Minister of Samoa, who is on an official visit to China, led a delegation to watch the drill on the site. Xu Jia’ai, Vice Minister of MEM and Zhang Hu, Executive Vice Governor of Guang Dong attended the event.
The 2024 Belt and Road Emergency Rescue Drill for Pacific Island Countries has designed 12 subjects, including command and coordination, upward rope rescue, T-shaped rope rescue, life search and rescue, supporting and demolition rescue, cliff rescue, deep well rescue, and helicopter rescue. A total of 300 emergency rescuers were mixed to conduct these subjects in the drill, who are respectively from eight Pacific island countries, China's national comprehensive fire rescue teams and work safety emergency rescue teams, social emergency force, and Hong Kong and Macao rescue teams.
After the drill, a symposium on emergency management cooperation between China and Pacific island countries was held. Xu Jia’ai said in his speech that China-Pacific relations have become a model of south-south cooperation and mutual benefit.
This drill has been the first high-level event hosted by China for Pacific island countries after the launch of the Belt and Road International Cooperation Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management (BRIDRREM), providing a platform for emergency rescue teams from China and the Pacific to exchange skills and learn from each other, and opening a new chapter in emergency management cooperation between China and the Pacific.
The reform and development of emergency management in China has provided more opportunities for Pacific island countries to fight against disaster threats and cope with disaster challenges. We suggest that China and Pacific island countries further open up cooperation channels and improve cooperation effectiveness, develop and implement a list of disaster management cooperation projects between China and Pacific Island countries. We can take advantage of the China-Pacific Island Countries Disaster Risk Reduction Cooperation Center and make new and greater contributions to improving the quality of cooperation in emergency management between China and the Pacific and enhancing the safety and well-being of the Chinese and Pacific people.
Qian Bo, Special Envoy for Pacific Island countries Affairs of the Chinese Government, spoke at the symposium. Jovesa Vocea, Assistant Minister for Rural and Maritime Development, Disaster Management of Fiji and other delegates from Pacific island countries made speeches successively, expressing their recognition of the achievements of China-Pacific emergency management cooperation and expectations of deepened cooperation in the future.
