BEIJING—With an energetic effort to deliver assistance to earthquake-ravaged Nepal, China is pushing both humanitarian support and its own diplomatic goals.

China has said it will provide $3.2 million in aid to its neighbor. It has also sent dozens of medical and search-and-rescue personnel and four People’s Liberation Army aircraft to help in relief efforts. The first batch of 186 tons of emergency supplies arrived Tuesday.

In its response, China is hoping to show Nepal the benefits of closer cooperation and demonstrate to the world Beijing’s willingness to take on a role as a responsible power. “They are really keen to build up this image for the world of being a responsible stakeholder,” said James Char of Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.