China writes off over $100 million of Yemen debt

The government of China has written off Yemen’s debts in excess of $100 million, Sabq has reported. The announcement was made by the Chinese Ambassador in Yemen, Tian Qi, in a message to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdulmalik Al-Mekhlafi.

The minister praised China for its understanding and support for the legitimacy of the government of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. An official meeting will be arranged to sign a mutual agreement relating to the debt waiver.

Yemen’s ongoing civil war erupted in March 2015, when a Saudi-led coalition intervened to push back military advances by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The Houthis are allied with ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Some 700,000 cases of cholera have been reported in Yemen, with no sign of the outbreak slowing down. Famine conditions are also rife in what has been described as a humanitarian crisis across the country. With the coalition monitoring and restricting shipping to prevent arms shipments from reaching the Houthis, trade has also been hit badly.

China has a strong bilateral relationship with Yemen. Its Embassy in the capital Sana’a remains operational, despite the war.

Read: China expresses concern over Houthi government in Yemen