TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An Indonesian Air Force Hercules C-130 plane left Pudong International Airport in Shanghai early Sunday, carrying 9 tons of medical assistance from China to contain the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia.

The military cargo plane arrived at Pudong Airport at 10:20 p.m. on Saturday and left the airport at 00:40 a,m on Sunday. The plane made a transit stop at Sanya Airport in Hainan Province before continuing its flight to Indonesia..

"The plane was sent to transport the assistance at the initiative of the Indonesian Defense Ministry," Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun told Antara.

All sorts of Chinese assistance for Indonesia will be transported from Shanghai and Guangzhou, Guangdong Province.

"Beijing currently comes under attention. All sorts of assistance will be flown from Shanghai and Guangzhou," he said.

In line with the rising number of COIVD-19 cases outside China through Beijing, the Chinese authorities have decided to allow planes carrying foreign nationals and international cargo planes to land at airports in the cities of Tianjin, Hohhot and Taiyua.

Vice Chief of the Indonesian Mission in Beijing Dino Kusnadi said the medical assistance in the form of masks, goggles, protective clothing and COVID-19 test kits come from different sides including .Inacham and Tsingshan Charity Foundation

The medical assistance is the first phase of aid. China is expected to extend another 20 tons of medical aid for Indonesia.

ANTARA