The Chinese government donated five million pesos for the soldiers operating against the local terrorist group in Marawi City.

Col. Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Information Office Chief, said Ambassador Zhao Jianhua handed over their donation in check to AFP Chief of Staff General Eduardo Ano in Camp Aguinaldo last Tuesday.

“We express our appreciation to the Chinese government, through its Ambassador to the Philippines HE Zhao Jianhua, for their generous gesture of donating P5 million in check to Filipino soldiers battling terrorists in Marawi,” he said.

“The amount will go a long way as it has been deposited after the hand`over to the AFP Chief General Eduardo Año and now forms part of the running tally of around P38.1 million donations for soldiers killed or wounded in Marawi,” he added.

Arevalo said according to the ambassador “another donation worth 15 million pesos will be given before the end of this year to assist in the rehabilitation of Marawi particularly in the delivery of engineering equipment. “

“General Año on the other hand, expresses his gratitude to the Chinese government,” he said.

Arevalo noted that China also vowed to give 3,000 rifles, including sniper rifles. These are expected to arrive in the country by the end of September.

He said during the turnover, Zhao also proposed the conduct of joint training between Chinese and Filipino forces.

“The Chinese ambassador emphasized their proposal to have joint training between their unit and our special forces particularly on counter terrorism,” said Arevalo.

He noted this proposal of the Chinese ambassador is “always a welcome offer among countries.”

“Terrorism is a global concern. It knows no bounds. It knows no country. It knows no government, so it is essential for us to be united and together for us to be able to unite as a country, as a nation, as citizens of this world to be able to thwart this menace to society called terrorism,” he added.

Arevalo did not give further details on possible joint training between the Filipino and Chinese forces but he assures that it is “already on the drawing board”. Robina Asido/DMS