Quad members pledge aid worth $20 million for Myanmar in face of Chinese presence

The Quad member states on Friday called for the expansion of a temporary ceasefire in Myanmar to facilitate delivery of humanitarian aid to victims of last week’s devastating earthquake, and said they had committed assistance with a combined value of more than $20 million.

A joint statement issued by the Quad, which groups India, Australia, Japan and the US, welcomed “recent commitments to temporary, partial ceasefires” and said the grouping is delivering relief supplies and deploying emergency medical teams in Myanmar.

The joint statement was issued in the aftermath of reports that China has pledged to deliver supplies worth $13.76 million at a time when the US has been largely absent in relief efforts following the gutting of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) by the Donald Trump administration.

Of the Quad members, India has been at the forefront of relief efforts in Myanmar – it has despatched more than 600 tonnes of relief materials, including food items and medical supplies, and deployed a military field hospital and an 80-member search and rescue team.

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According to an update from the external affairs ministry on Friday, the Indian Army field hospital at Mandalay has so far treated a total of 394 patients, including 154 on Thursday. The search and rescue team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has so far recovered 50 bodies and its personnel are working at two sites.

Myanmar’s military junta declared a temporary ceasefire in the country’s civil war on Wednesday to facilitate relief efforts in the aftermath of last week’s 7.7-magnitude earthquake that has killed more than 3,000 people.

The Quad’s joint statement said the significant loss of life and widespread destruction of infrastructure have worsened an “already-dire humanitarian situation” and said: “We welcome recent commitments to temporary, partial ceasefires and call on all parties to implement, extend and broaden these measures, to provide a safe and conducive environment to facilitate timely delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance throughout Myanmar.”

Myanmar’s military has rapidly lost ground to militias and anti-junta resistance forces since they launched a combined offensive in October 2023. The junta’s writ no longer runs in many areas located along Myanmar’s borders with India, China and Thailand. The junta has also faced attacks in Mandalay, the region worst affected by the earthquake.

The Quad member states said they are coordinating efforts to ensure their response effectively and efficiently distributes aid and meets the needs of affected communities. “We, the Quad partners, have so far committed humanitarian assistance estimated at a combined value of over $20 million,” the joint statement said.

“Through our funding and bilateral efforts, we are delivering relief supplies and deploying emergency medical teams and supporting humanitarian partners working in Myanmar to provide care for those affected by the earthquake,” it added.

Quad’s Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Partnership has established a coordination group to collaborate with other partners, including the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management.

China’s foreign ministry said the country has sent 30 rescue teams with more than 600 personnel, while the Chinese Red Cross has provided more than $205,000 in cash help.

The joint statement noted that Quad cooperation traces its origin to the grouping’s response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and said the four member states have since then provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief across the Indo-Pacific.

“We affirm the Quad’s commitment to working together in response to natural disasters and broader challenges to regional stability and security, as part of our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the joint statement.