The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has released and forwarded a list of items the nation most needs from the international community after it was published by the Government Information Office on Thursday night.
“The list was forwarded to the American Institute in Taiwan [AIT] and to Japan’s Interchange Association as soon as it was available,” MOFA Spokesman Henry Chen (陳銘政) told the Central News Agency. “In addition, the foreign ministry has requested all its overseas representative offices to pass on the list to their respective host governments to seek help.”
Items most needed include specialized helicopters and pilots capable of transporting heavy payloads, such as excavators and heavy gravel trucks, as well as 1,000 prefabricated houses to provide temporary refuge for homeless flood victims, a MOFA press release said.
The country is also requesting 100,000 bottles of phenolic disinfectant or Benzyl-p-chloropherno, 200,000 Aquatab water purification tablets, 100,000 liters of sterilizing agent for sanitation, 1,000 portable sterilizers and 500 automatic sterilizers.
The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) last night issued a statement regarding China’s offer of help.
It said that Taiwan welcomed the offer of prefabricated houses, desperately needed by victims, adding that the SEF and its Chinese counterpart would arrange delivery of the items.
But the SEF declined offers of Chinese rescue teams, life-maintenance materials and medical items, saying these items were in sufficient supply.
The ministry said on Thursday that a total of 50 countries, the EU and five international non-governmental organizations had expressed their condolences to Taiwan over the natural disaster.
“On behalf of the government and people of the Republic of China, we would like to express our most sincere appreciation for all the support and concern expressed by the countries and international organizations,” MOFA said in the press release.
So far, Australia has pledged to provide 200,000 water purification tablets, Singapore has flown in food and medical supplies, and Israel shipped hundreds of devices that can purify flood water into drinking water and emergency water transportation systems, which arrived last night, the ministry said yesterday, adding that more help is on the way.
AIT also confirmed the US government was still working out the logistics for US aid.
Minister of National Defense Chen Chao-min (陳肇敏) was quoted in a Central News Agency report as saying yesterday the US and Japan would not offer helicopters because of the long distance, but MOFA yesterday said confirmation had not been received from the two countries.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JENNY W. HSU AND SHIH HSIU-CHUAN
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