International community offers more condolences, aid for quake-hit China

Source: Xinhua | 05-27-2008 09:32

BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- More countries and international organizations have offered condolences and aid to China following the deadly earthquake in the country's southwestern Sichuan province.

Among the leaders who sent condolatory messages to Chinese President Hu Jintao are:

Albanian President Bamir Topi;

Gambian President Yahya J.J. Jammeh;

President of the Marshall Islands Litokwa Tomeing;

Among the leaders who sent messages of condolence to Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, are:

Justin Koumba, Speaker of the National Assembly of Congo;

Tu'ilakepa, Speaker of Tonga's Legislative Assembly;

Speaker of Bahrain's Senate Ali Saleh Al Saleh;

Aslan Musin, Chairman of Kazakhstan's lower house of parliament;

Prospero Nograles, speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines;

Among the leaders who sent messages to Premier Wen Jiabao expressing their condolences are:

Georgian Prime Minister Vladimir Gurgenidze;

Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Karim Masimov;

Prime Minister Antoine Gizenga Fundji of the Democratic Republic of Congo;

Executive Director of the UN Population Fund Thoraya Ahmed Obaid;

World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Michel Jarraud;

Niue's acting Prime Minister Hon Fisa Vakaafi Pihigia;

The following leaders visited the Chinese embassies in their respective countries to express condolences:

Israeli President Shimon Peres;

South Korea's Prime Minister Han Seung Soo;

Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama of Fiji's interim government;

Prospero Nograles, speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines;

Liberia's House Speaker Jenekai Alex Tyler and Foreign Minister Olubanke King Akerele;

South Africa's Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini;

The Republic of Cape Verde declared May 23 a day of national mourning for China's deadly quake, and the European Parliament passed a resolution on May 22 expressing condolences for the quake victims.

Up to 8 p.m. Beijing time (1200 GMT) Monday, leaders and personalities of various circles from 156 countries had visited Chinese embassies, consulates or missions to mourn the victims of the quake.

Meanwhile, more countries have provided or increased disaster relief aid to China.

Senegal has decided to donate 210 million African francs (some 500,000 U.S. dollars) to China, while Mali will increase its total aid to 50 million West African francs (some 120,000 dollars) from the earlier 25 million (some 60,000 dollars).

Vanuatu has provided 5 million vatu (approximately 50,000 U.S. dollars) to China.

Israel has offered 1.5 million dollars worth of relief materials.

Sweden has donated 12.9 million Swedish krona (some 2 million U.S. dollars) in both cash and materials.

The government of Hesse state in Germany decided to provide relief materials worth 1 million euros (some 1.58 million dollars). Six sets of water-purifying equipment donated by German government's emergency department have already arrived in Sichuan's Dujiangyan city.

Hungary's Muslim association donated 206,000 U.S. dollars to the disaster zone.

Britain, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Slovakia and Austria, under the civil protection mechanism of the European Union, continue to offer aid to China.

Russia's Defense Ministry has provided a batch of tents and other relief materials.

Canada decided to donate another 700 tents to the quake-hit region.

Till Monday afternoon, more than 65,000 people were confirmed dead in the 8.0-magnitude earthquake that rocked Sichuan province on May 12. Over 360,000 people have been injured and 23,150 people are still registered as missing.

Editor:Zhang Ning