31 May 2018

Soldiers from NZ, China help build facilities in Vanuatu

3:07 pm on 31 May 2018

Army engineers from New Zealand and China have helped build three new health facilities in Vanuatu as part of Exercise Tropic Twilight.

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Photo: NZDF

The Vanuatu Daily Post said the joint team of engineers completed two medical staff houses, in Mele and Erakor, as well as an aid post in Eratap, over a three week period.

New Zealand high commissioner Jonathan Schwass told the paper the completion of the projects on schedule was a credit to the hard work of the New Zealand Defence Force, the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the Vanuatu Mobile Force.

This is the third year that New Zealand and China have worked together in Exercise Tropic Twilight, which New Zealand leads each year in different Pacific locations.

The exercise tests the NZDF's ability to work in the Pacific on community assistance and disaster relief operations.

They were funded by the New Zealand Government Aid Programme, with a contribution from the Chinese Government.

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