The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region supports Vanuatu's efforts to strengthen the community resilience of over 30,000 residents, helping them better prepare for natural disasters.

On July 31, the GX Foundation, a medical humanitarian aid and charitable organization based in Hong Kong, held a ceremony in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila to mark the completion of its disaster preparedness kit project in the Pacific Island country this year.

The ceremony saw the participation of GX's representatives, student volunteers, and local residents, as well as Chinese ambassador to Vanuatu Li Minggang.

Since February, GX has distributed nearly 5,000 disaster preparedness kits to communities in Saama, Takara, Melemaat, Mele and Erakor. The kits are designed to support over 30,000 lives in Port Vila's disaster corridor.

"These kits are not ordinary aid packages," said Leung Chun-ying, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chairman of GX Foundation.

Noting the kits were designed according to local needs based on assessments done in collaboration with the communities, Leung said the tools in the backpacks, from water purification tablets, to crank radios, and medical supplies, are important to saving lives.

The project is "a clear example of what the Belt and Road Initiative means at the grassroots level", he said, adding that it also reflects Hong Kong's unique role under the "one country, two systems" principle to enable cross-regional collaboration.