China will send aid for displaced in Kachin state

Chinese aid trucks prepare to depart Burma border from Kunming, Yunnan province

Chinese state media announced on Wednesday that the Red Cross Society of China will send humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Kachin state. The Xinhua news agency reported that the aid is valued at more than US$816,000. Initially Chinese state media reported that $816 million in aid would be shipped across the border but this appears to have been an error.

According to Xinhua the aid shipment will be sent via the Houqiao to Kambaiti checkpoint. Kambaiti located north east of the Kachin state capital Myitkyina, is the fiefdom of pro-government strong men Zahkung Ting Ying, long-time leader of the now defunct New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K). Kambaiti is controlled by government forces and the ex NDA-K turned border guard force officials.

The Red Cross Society of China will hold a handover ceremony at the checkpoint on February 22 or 23 with representatives from the Myanmar Red Cross society. At the ceremony “10,000 sets of humanitarian assistance boxes including rice, cooking oil and other emergency medicine and materials” will be handed over, according to Xinhua.

The UN estimates there are more than 100,000 internally displaced people in Kachin state and north western Shan state.