Medical supplies, plough tractors, water storage tanks and educational material and toys for children, donated to Tonga by the local government of Dongguan, a city in the Guangdong Province of China, were received by Tonga's Deputy Prime Minister for the government at a ceremony held yesterday in Nuku’alofa.

China’s Ambassador to Tonga, HE Mr Wang Baodong, said “Dongguan has been active in helping improve Tonga’s economic and social development and the local people’s livelihood in various forms”.

Deputy Prime Minister, Hon Siaosi Sovaleni  said the equipment and material would be distributed by four government ministries to areas most in need.

The health equipment will be used in Vaiola Hopsital's Paediatric Ward, Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic, Diabetes Clinic, Operating Theatre and Intensive Care Unit and other clinics at the Ministry of Health facilities at remote island hospitals and health centres.

The plough tractors will be used by the Ministry of Agriculture to increase the capacity of farmers, reducing the cost of farmers hiring one.

The educational material will be distributed by the Ministry of Education.

The water tanks will be used as part of the WASH cluster for water distribution following disaster events, or the Food Security cluster during drought to irrigate crops, under the National Emergency Management Office NEMO and Climate Change under the Ministry of MEIDECC.

 Dongguan is also a sister city to Ha’apai and has donated other goods in recent years.

Mr Li Mantang, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of Dongguan Municipal People’s Congress said he believed Dongguan’s contribution plays a “positive role in helping Tonga have better health conditions, increased agriculture productivity and to improve education”.

“We sincerely hope that Dongguan and Tonga will further enhance exchange and cooperation [and] expand our formation in the fields of the economy in trade, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, infrastructure, education and health."