ISLAMABAD, March 4 (Xinhua) -- China officially provided 40 million yuan (about 5.7 million U.S. dollars) emergency supplies to Pakistan on Wednesday to help the country improve its capacity of disaster management, giving stronger support to Pakistan's socio-economic development.

Addressing a delivery ceremony here, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing said China and Pakistan have a tradition of supporting and helping each other, and Pakistan is one the first countries in the world to show solidarity with and provide aid to China amid China's fight against the COVID-19.

Both the governments put people's welfare at the center of their work, said Yao, adding that China will always be ready to help the Pakistani people in terms of disaster relief.

Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority of Pakistan Muhammad Afzal thanked China for the provision of the emergency supplies and also the great help in dealing with desert locust attacks, adding that all the supplies will be put to good use to effectively reduce the damages caused by disasters.

Pakistan is a country where earthquakes, floods, landslides and other natural disasters occur frequently. A 5.8-magnitude earthquake occurred in Pakistan in September last year, leaving at least 28 people dead and 476 others injured.

The supplies including 4,000 tents, 50,000 blankets, 10,000 emergency care kits and 10,000 wash bags arrived in Pakistan on Feb. 10 and were provided in accordance with an agreement signed by the governments of China and Pakistan in May 2019.