On the afternoon of May 15, 2008, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang held a regular press conference and answered questions on China's recent earthquake in Sichuan Province, and the rescue and relief endeavor thereafter.

Qin Gang: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to start with an announcement.

At the invitation of the Palestinian National Authority, Mr. Sun Bigan, China's Special Envoy on the Middle East will attend the Palestinian Investment Conference to be held in Bethlehem from May 21 to May 23. He will then visit Egypt and Russia. The purpose of Mr. Sun's visit is to learn the latest development of the Middle East question, exchange views with parties concerned to encourage talks and make peace.

Now the floor is open.

Q: This morning, China agreed to let a Japanese professional rescue team in to help with its earthquake relief efforts in Sichuan. Why did the Chinese Government want Japan to be the first country to send rescuers to China? Where are they heading for? Will China accept rescue teams from other countries?

A: The Chinese Government has agreed to the Japanese Government sending professional relief workers to the earthquake-afflicted area of Sichuan to assist China with rescue work. We see this act of Japan as a reflection of the friendly affections of the Japanese Government and people towards the Chinese Government and people. Particularly, at this moment of extraordinary hardship, the Chinese Government and people are very grateful to the Japanese Government and people for their strong support. Relevant Chinese authorities are having close communication and consultation with Japan to make quick arrangement so that the rescue team can start its work immediately.

It is in the consideration of vicinity and convenience that we made the decision. After the earthquake struck Sichuan, some countries offered to send rescuers to help. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to these governments and peoples for their sympathy and support to the Chinese Government and people. To my knowledge, relevant Chinese authorities are studying their kind offers, and assessing the current situation in Sichuan, the progress of rescue work and receiving capacity of the locality.

Q: There's this concern in the international community that the earthquake could destroy China's nuclear facilities. Do you have any comment?

A: Your question is beyond my knowledge, please refer to the competent authority. But I would like to stress that the Central Government and local authorities are sparing no efforts in the rescue and relief operation so as to help the affected area restore normal life and production. We will take every measure necessary to overcome this disaster.

Q: The tourist authorities say that there are still hundreds of foreign tourists trapped in the quake-hit area. Are you aware of their nationalities?

A: I fully understand your concern about foreigners in the disaster-stricken area. We learned from the tourist authorities that most of these foreign tourists are safe, though some lost contact with the outside. I learnt from tourist authorities, there are now in total 93 foreign tourists in Sichuan. By the noontime today, after hard work, we have found 31 British, 2 Israelis and 12 Americans safe. Our Ministry has informed relevant embassies in China in time.

We learned from local governments that a German citizen working in Deyang City died of sickness when trying to escape from the quake. We feel very sorry about this tragic incident, and express our solicitude to his family. We have already notified the German Consulate-General based in Chengdu about it. Apart from that, we have not yet received any casualty report about foreigners in the affected area.

I would like to underscore that while conducting rescue work, the Central Government and local authorities are also doing a lot to ensure the safety of foreign citizens in the disaster area by searching for and helping them. We are keeping close contact with relevant foreign diplomatic missions in China to learn more about the situation of their nationals in the quake-hit area, and to share information with them in time. The Foreign Ministry will continue to coordinate relevant departments in searching for foreign citizens, and provide them with timely support and assistance.

Q: Some rescue teams from the ROK and Australia said that they wanted to help with the relief work in Sichuan but were turned down by China. Can you enlighten us on that? Why are they rejected?

A: First of all, we would like to express our sincere thanks to the ROK and Australian Government and people for their offer of help at this very moment. This displays the friendship of these countries towards the Chinese people as well as their spirit of international humanitarianism. Relevant Chinese authorities are taking it to earnest consideration based on the assessment of the current situation in the afflicted area. The channel for communication is unimpeded, and we can have further consultation and study on this issue. We hope that with the international support and assistance, China will overcome the difficulties and begin reconstruction at an early date.

At a time when the Chinese people are in grief for losing their compatriots, and when the entire Chinese nation is fighting together to safe lives, we feel the sympathy, understanding, solicitude and support from the international community. By 2:00 p.m. today, 151 countries and 14 international and regional organizations have extended solicitude and support to the Chinese Government and people in various forms. This is very precious to us. The Chinese government and people are very grateful.

Q: The Foreign Ministry is organizing foreign journalists for field report. What is China's purpose of organizing this trip within a couple of days after the earthquake?

A: You are right in saying that we are to arrange a batch of foreign journalists to cover  the disaster. And this is because we keep receiving such demands from foreign journalists. We fully understand your feelings. Time, for rescue work, means life; for journalists, means news and efficiency. That's why we have exerted great efforts and overcome various difficulties to make this happen. Despite the hardship in the afflicted area with infrastructure including transportation and communication seriously destroyed, we had timely and effective consultation with local authorities, and conveyed your aspiration to them. We are glad to be able to make the arrangement within a short period of time.

As a matter of fact, there are already quite a few foreign media working in the field, the initial statistics say there are 35. Our relevant departments are ready to help you with your work, and we hope that your report will help the international community see the real situation in the disaster area, the efforts of the Chinese Government and people, the entire Chinese nation fighting together in a unified dedication to save people's lives, and also many countries' support and assistance to us.

The situation in the disaster area is very difficult. For journalists heading there, I wish you success with your work, and please take care of yourselves. In case of any difficulty or emergency, don't hesitate to contact our colleagues from the Foreign Ministry and the local governments. They are ready at all times to provide you with necessary and timely assistance and help.

Q: What are the materials that China needs most? The international community keeps appealing to the Myanmar Government to accept more international assistance. Do you have any comment?

A: I would like to highlight that we appreciate and welcome the international community's offer of various forms of support and assistance. As a matter of fact, various forms of international support keep flowing to China ever since the earthquake occurred. New expression of solicitude and new offer of assistance keep reaching us by the minute. According to incomplete statistics from relevant department, we have so far received international aid of over $100 million dollars and materials worth more than 10 million dollars. We have channels for donation at both governmental and non-governmental level.

According to relevant relief authorities, the mostly needed materials in the disaster area include the following categories: one, living substance, including tents, quilts, instant food, etc; two, communication engineering tools, including satellite communication devices, equipment for rescue work, etc, and three, medical materials, including medicine, medical appliances, and etc.

You mentioned Myanmar. The cyclone disaster that hit Myanmar is also very serious. Myanmar is a good neighbor of China, and our two peoples share traditional friendship of brotherhood. Now that we are undergoing this disaster of earthquake, we know exactly how Myanmar people feel under the attack of the cyclone. We appeal to the international community to provide timely assistance to Myanmar; meanwhile, we believe that the international community should respect Myanmar's sovereignty and willingness, and have friendly consultation with Myanmar on the specific forms of assistance. As I said last time, some international assistance is reaching Myanmar in succession. We hope that with the support and help of the international community, the Myanmar Government and people can start reconstruction at an early date to restore their normal life and production.

If there are no further questions, thank you for your attendance. See you next time!