Special report: Strong Earthquake Jolts SW China

FM spokesman: China grateful for int'l quake aid

    BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Several more countries have offered aid to China whose southwest Sichuan province was hit by a massive earthquake on Monday.

    Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz has decided to donate 50 million U.S. dollars in cash and 10 million dollars worth of relief materials.

    British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that his country will provide to China 1 million pounds (about 2 million U.S.) in aid.

    German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said his government will provide a first instalment of 500,000 euros (800,000 U.S. dollars) in aid to the German Red Cross to help China in its relief work.

    Also, the Polish Foreign Ministry announced aid worth 100,000 U.S. dollars for China's quake-stricken people.

U.S. delivers aid of 500,000 dollars to China's quake-hit areas

    BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. embassy to China, on behalf of the U.S. government, Wednesday handed over 500,000 U.S. dollars of cash to the Red Cross Society of China for quake relief in southwestern China. Full story

Russia sends humanitarian aid to quake-hit China

    MOSCOW, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Russia delivered Wednesday its second batch of humanitarian aid to China where a devastating earthquake has claimed nearly 15,000 lives in its southwestern Sichuan province, local media reported.

    A cargo plane from the Emergency Ministry took off here Wednesday evening, carrying some 30 tons of aid to the quake-hit areas. Full story

Russia to send rescuers to quake-hit China

    MOSCOW, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Russian rescuers will fly to quake-hit China to take part in search and rescue operations, the Russian Emergency Ministry said Thursday. Full story

Japan provides some $ 5 mln in aid to China

    TOKYO, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government has decided Tuesday to give 500 million yen (about 5 million U.S. dollars) of emergency grants in aid to China to support the earthquake disaster relief efforts, Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura announced in the evening.

    Komura said the Japanese government made the decision after receiving a request from Beijing, and will consider giving further aid if necessary. Full story

Japanese rescue team leaves for China

    TOKYO, May 15 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese rescue team left Narita airport, east of Tokyo, late Thursday afternoon for southwestern China's quake-hit Sichuan province to assist local disaster relief efforts. Full story

PM: Pakistan stands by China at this difficult time 

    ISLAMABAD, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani Thursday said Pakistani people would stand by Chinese people at this difficult time of grief after a killer earthquake hit Southwest China.

    Gilani made the remarks while offering condolences on the losses China suffered in a disastrous earthquake in the southwestern Sichuan province on Monday. Full story

Some European countries provide financial, technical aid to China

    BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Several European countries have offered generous financial and technical aid to China over the deadly earthquake disaster on Monday.

    The British government will donate 1 million pounds (about 2 million U.S. dollars) in aid to help China fight the disaster, British Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander announced on Wednesday. Full story

Vietnam financially helps Chinese earthquake victims

    HANOI, May 15 (Xinhua) -- The Vietnamese government has decided to donate 200,000 U.S. dollars to victims of a recent earthquake in China's southwestern Sichuan province, local newspaper Saigon Liberation reported Thursday.

    Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has tasked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate with relevant agencies to conduct the donation. Full story

Singapore to donate $200,000 for earthquake relief

    SINGAPORE, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Singapore on Wednesday announced it will donate 200,000 U.S. dollars to the Chinese government in response to an appeal for foreign aid for the Sichuan earthquake victims.

    "The earthquake and aftershocks in Sichuan and other parts of southwest China have caused extensive damage, injury and loss of lives. In response to an appeal for foreign aid, the Singapore government will make a humanitarian contribution of 200,000 U.S. dollars to the People's Republic of China government," said a statement from Singapore's Foreign Ministry. Full story