KABUL, July 22 (Xinhua) -- "Thanks to the arrival of Chinese aid, children, women and men are happy and able to live under a safe tent," said Khalil Ehsas, a quake-affected villager in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province.

The resident of Ziruk district in Paktika province, whose house was destroyed in the destructive earthquake that struck Afghanistan on June 22, expressed gratitude to China for sending timely humanitarian aid to quake-affected areas in her country.

"We are grateful to China for helping us in time," she told Xinhua during a recent interview.

The earthquake rendered hundreds of families homeless in the province, forcing them to live under trees in the scorching summer sun with mosquitoes flying around all night.

China was among the first countries to help, pledging 50 million yuan (7.5 million U.S. dollars) in emergency humanitarian aid. China's first batch of relief supplies, including tents, cots and blankets, arrived at the Kabul International Airport on June 27.

"We received a tent to sit in from China and also a package of basic necessities for daily life. I appreciate China's help," another quake-victim of Ziruk district, Akhtar Mohammad, told Xinhua. "China's aid, especially the tent, has solved 90 percent of our problem."

The Red Cross Society of China also contributed relief supplies including tents, beds and other basic necessities of life to Afghanistan's Red Crescent Society.

"The aid of the Chinese Red Cross to the earthquake victims has arrived at the right time to help affected people," Irfanullah Sharafzoi, spokesman of the Afghan Red Crescent Society, told Xinhua.

Chinese enterprises and overseas Chinese in Afghanistan also participated in disaster relief operations.

The food aid donated by MCC-JCL Aynak Minerals Company Ltd., a Chinese-funded mining company registered in Afghanistan, reached Khost city, capital of the eastern Khost province on June 26.

"I want to say that we are very grateful to China," said Haji Kabir, a quake-affected villager in Khost province who received the food aid. "The rice, beans and oil are really helpful."

A spokesman for disaster management and humanitarian affairs of the Afghan caretaker government Mohammad Salim Haqqani thanked China for helping Afghans in their hour of need.

"We are thankful to China, our friendly neighbor country," Haqqani told Xinhua. "China was one of the countries whose aid reached Kabul on time."

The official also called on more countries to follow China's lead in providing humanitarian assistance to quake-affected and needy Afghans at this critical stage. Enditem

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