LILONGWE, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Malawi has commended the Chinese government for timely humanitarian assistance following President Lazarus Chakwera's appeal for support to over 5.7 million Malawians affected by hunger due to El Nino weather conditions.

Malawian Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs Moses Chimphepo made the commendation Tuesday in Lilongwe when Chinese Ambassador to Malawi Lu Xu officially handed over a donation of 1,830 metric tons of rice to the Malawian government.

The rice donation has come in three consignments starting from November 2024, and the one handed over Tuesday was the last consignment, making the overall total of 1,830 metric tons, the commissioner said.

Overall, Chimphepo said, the donation would cover over 36,600 households (164,700 people) through a once-off distribution.

"This donation has been made at the right time when people needed life-saving support in terms of food requirements," he said.

"This is not the first time that the government of the People's Republic of China has rendered support towards humanitarian assistance in particular, and development sectors in general," Chimphepo said.

He described China as a "longtime partner in humanitarian assistance and the national development initiatives," recalling the financial donation that the Chinese government made to Malawi in March 2019 for humanitarian assistance when Tropical Cyclone Idai displaced over 87,000 people.

The commissioner urged all development partners to continue supporting affected households through interventions such as irrigation farming, as Malawi strives to transition away from reliance on rain-fed agriculture to ensure long-term food security.

In her remarks, the Chinese ambassador described the official handover of the donation as a "strong testament to deep concerns and steadfast" support of China for Malawi and to the "enduring friendship of the two peoples."

Lu said that at a time of rising global uncertainties and intertwined crises, solidarity matters more than ever, and that China stands ready to continue providing assistance within its capacity and to align its cooperation with Malawi's development priorities.

Over the past years, China has donated food, medical supplies and other disaster relief materials to Malawi, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Enditem