Colombia and China exchange messages over earthquake aid coordination

Colombian Vice President José Manuel Restrepo and Chinese Ambassador Zhu Jingyang engaged in a diplomatic exchange following a meeting to coordinate international aid for the earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10.

The meeting, held at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) headquarters, aimed to present the country's humanitarian situation and organize technical assistance and resources for affected areas. During the session, Ambassador Zhu questioned why China was not included in the meeting's invitation, stating, “When [one] speaks of ‘thanking the international community’, a large part of it is not invited.”

Vice President Restrepo clarified that the meeting was organized by the International Cooperation Group (GRUC), a body consisting of approximately 25 donor countries and over 10 multilateral organizations, of which China is not a member. He emphasized that the meeting was not convened by the Vice Presidency itself but by the relevant organization for its active members. Restrepo maintained that Colombia values China's support, including its announced financial resources and humanitarian supplies, and urged the ambassador to use established diplomatic channels for such inquiries to ensure constructive dialogue.