The Chinese government on Thursday donated a batch of water drillers and cargo trucks to Bolivia for combating drought that has struck many regions in the country.

Chinese Ambassador Qu Shengwu made the donation at a ceremony attended by Bolivian President Evo Morales.

Qu said this was another proof of the close ties between the two countries. "We hope the equipment could serve the people to alleviate the drought in the Altiplano and Valles regions," he said.

Besides expressing thanks to China, Morales said the equipment would be taken to the Valles and Altiplano regions to reduce the damages caused by water shortage.

The donation showed the deepening of the Bolivia-China ties, the president said.

Fire in some regions of Bolivia, partly due to recent high temperatures, has damaged at least 4 million hectares of forest and pasture land.

(Xinhua News Agency October 8, 2010)