Chinese technical aid to the National Army

CHISINAU, May 27, 2011 — The Government of China offered the National Army non-reimbursable technical equipment of nearly 7 million MDL within a ceremony held on Wednesday, May 25, at the Ministry of Defense.

Minister of Defense Vitalie Marinuta and Ambassador of China to Republic of Moldova, Fang Li, appreciated the event as a gesture of friendship between Republic of Moldova and China, which has directly contributed to the defense reform and modernization process of the National Army.

Vitalie Marinuta pointed out the technical aid provided by China would replace the obsolete military equipment inherited from the Soviet Army.

„The Ministry of Defense has no financial possibility to start implementing modernization and re-supply programs. Hence, the National Army would accept any aid on behalf of our partners”, the Minister of Defense stated. „On behalf of Republic of Moldova Government, I would like to thank the Chinese Government for this extraordinary contribution. This event proves the fact Republic of China has always been one of the most devoted supporters of Republic of Moldova modernization process”.

Ambassador Fang Li appreciated the high level of bilateral cooperation relationship between the two states in different areas.

„The assistance provided to the National Army is a major step in the development of the Moldovan-Chinese relationship. The Government of China is open to identifying new trends of multidimensional cooperation both with the Republic of Moldova at the state level, and the National Army in the military area”, Ambassador Fang Li stated.

The list of free military aid the National Army benefits from includes means of transport, field bath unit trailers and field water closet trailers, field refrigerated trailers, field power station trailers, fully-automatic washing & drying machines, video conference equipment, laptops and others. According to the protocol concluded by the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Moldova and People’s Republic of China in July 2010, the Chinese party assumed all the seaway transportation costs of the equipment from Romania to Constanta Harbor. Therefore, the Ministry of Defense covered only the expenses for the transportation of goods from Constanta to Chisinau.

Moldovan-Chinese military cooperation is part of the Military Cooperation Agreement concluded by the Moldovan Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China on June 23, 2002, in Beijing. So far, the Republic of China provided the National Army with free military aid of 25 million Yuan, the equivalent to nearly 45 million 250 thousand MDL.