Special report:
Earthquake in
Indonesia
BANTUL, Indonesia, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday met here with representatives of
the China International Search and Rescue Team, which are offering humanitarian
aid in Indonesia's quake-hit Yogyakarta.
Susilo thanked the Chinese government for the
all-round aid it has offered after the quake. He said the aid was given when
Indonesia faces a hard time, and the Indonesian people will never forget the
Chinese people's good will.
The president also expressed wishes that the two
countries' friendship will be further strengthened.
Head of the Chinese relief team, Zhao Heping, who is
also deputy director of the China Seismological Bureau, said that after the
quake struck, the Chinese government and people were very concerned about the
situation in Indonesia, and now they have sent the relief team here for the
humanitarian aid.
Zhao said the 40-member rescue team is composed of
medical workers as well as seismological experts, and the team will come up with
suggestions for reconstruction after a careful evaluation of the disaster.
Susilo said the suggestions will be highly
appreciated.
According to Chinese Ambassador Lan Lijun, who is
also present at the meeting, the Chinese government will provide more material
aid in the days to come.
The 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's
ancient royal city of Yogyakarta and the surroundings on May 27, killing more
than 5,000 people and injuring thousands of others.
Besides sending the international rescue team to the
hardest-hit Bantul regency of Yogyakarta on May 29, the Chinese government had
also provided Indonesia with 2 million U.S. dollars of aid in cash. Enditem