China willing to offer assistance to tsunami-hit Tonga

Photo:CFP

The tsunami triggered by a massive underwater volcanic eruption off Tonga rarely seen in 30 years has neither caused deaths or injuries of Chinese nationals nor brought disastrous effects to China's coast so far, but its impacts on the whole Pacific region are being closely watched by China as people worry whether the natural disaster would catastrophically inundate the low-lying Tongan islands and affect the global climate.

The United Nations and many countries have expressed their readiness to help Tonga recover from disastrous tsunamis. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Sunday night that China is very concerned about the volcanic eruption off Tonga, tsunamis, volcanic ashes and other disasters it triggered.   

"China and Tonga are comprehensive strategic partners. China expresses deep sympathy and sincere condolence to its people and is ready to provide support within its capacity upon the Tongan request," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Sunday.  

The undersea Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai volcano some 64 kilometers north of Tongan capital Nuku'alofa erupted violently with explosive force on Saturday, triggering tsunami warnings across the South Pacific and the West Coast of the US, and causing strong waves and currents in many coastal areas, the New York Times reported. 

Ash rained down across the islands, blocking out the sun, residents told media. The ash column reached around 30 kilometers high, meaning it punched into the stratosphere.

Officially named the Kingdom of Tonga, the South Pacific island country is an archipelago of 169 islands, of which 36 are inhabited. It has a population of around 105,000 and has close ties with New Zealand and Australia. 

Photo:CFP

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that parts of Nuku'alofa on the main island of Tongatapu suffered "significant" damage but there have been no reports of injuries or deaths. 

"The tsunami has had a significant impact on the foreshore on the northern side of Nuku'alofa with boats and large boulders washed ashore," Ardern said on Sunday, ABC News reported. 

Communications with the Pacific island have been cut since Saturday's eruption damaged the undersea cable but Ardern said her government had made contact with the New Zealand High Commission in the Tongan capital, according to the report.  

Families in Tubou, a village on the Fijian island of Lakeba, have packed their belongings and are waiting for instructions as they say it is really hot and they can see airborne ash everywhere, local media reported Sunday. 

The Chinese Embassy in Tonga, which was out of reach for a whole day and stirred the nerves of netizens in China, finally confirmed late Sunday that so far there are no reports of deaths or injuries of Chinese nationals. 

Zhao Shaofeng, a professor from Research Center for Pacific Island Countries with Liaocheng University in Shandong Province, told the Global Times that he visited Tonga in 2019 just before the outbreak of COVID-19. "Chinese companies helped build roads and other infrastructure there, and Chinese people were generally engaged in retail, hotel and tourism industries." 

Zhao believed the eruption will affect the economy of Tonga and its neighboring countries as they are heavily dependent on outside supply on food and energy, suffering from serious inflation and high rate of unemployment.  

But the expert said it will not cause butterfly effect and further affect global supply chain because these islands are not important hubs for crude oil and mines. 

The satellite image taken by Himawari-8%