China will expand its humanitarian aid program in Mongolia to include additional free surgeries and medical personnel training, according to a series of agreements signed online on Thursday.

Based on the agreements concluded by the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) branch in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the Mongolian Red Cross Society, the RCSC Inner Mongolia branch will have another 2,000 free cataract surgeries performed for people in Mongolia, said Wang Fang, executive vice president of the branch.

A total of 50 ophthalmologists and optometrists and an additional number of 500 first-aid personnel will be trained for Mongolia. Free surgeries for Mongolian children suffering from congenital heart disease (CHD) will continue to be provided, said Wang.

According to previous agreements signed in 2019, the branch would have 1,000 cataract surgeries and 100 surgeries for children with CHD performed free of charge, as well as 500 first-aid personnel trained for Mongolia in the following five years.

To date, 310 free cataract surgeries and training for 100 first-aid personnel have been completed. A total of 43 children with CHD from Mongolia have received free surgeries at the Inner Mongolia People's Hospital so far.