MANILA - Despite an ongoing territorial dispute with the Philippines, the Chinese government continues to bring assistance to survivors of super typhoon Yolanda by donating a shipment of rice to typhoon-affected areas.

A statement from the Chinese embassy said a cargo vessel that carried 800 metric tons of rice donated by the Chinese government arrived at the Port of Cebu on February 1, 2014.

"This is the latest disaster relief efforts made by China, after providing in-kind assistance carried by 3 jumbo cargo planes, 2 medical teams, and the hospital ship Peace Ark, in the last two months of 2013," the embassy said.

China also recently offered to donate prefabricated houses to Yolanda victims.

The Chinese government offered the food donation after Philippine officials held the briefing on Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda (RAY) for its development partners last December 18.

China sent a state-of-the-art hospital ship to the Philippines following foreign and domestic criticism that it was slow and less than generous in its response to one of the world's biggest typhoons.

Beijing is embroiled in a diplomatic row with Manila over disputed islands in the South China Sea, and the weight of history bears heavy on the region.

China has denied any link between its contribution and the long-simmering row over the South China Sea.