 China, Russia FMs meet on quake disaster relief
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-15 04:17
YEKATERINBURG, Russia -- Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov held talks here on Wednesday on such topics as China's disaster relief in quake-hit areas, Olympics and bilateral relations.
China appreciates Russia for its humanitarian aid which has been sent to Chengdu, capital of the quake-hit southwest province of Sichuan on Wednesday, Yang said.
Russia on Wednesday delivered the second batch of humanitarian aid to China, as part of offers by President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale, rocked southwestern China, centering in Sichuan province, Monday afternoon, claiming nearly 15,000 lives.
Chinese rescuers including tens of thousands of troops have rushed to the mountainous region to help the victims out of the debris.
Some of those Russian aid, including tents and blankets, is to be airdropped for the victims, local relief officials said.
"The China-Russia Strategic Partnership of Cooperation has grown rapidly in an all-round manner," diplomats quoted Yang as saying during his talks with Lavrov.
The top Chinese diplomat spoke highly of the bilateral relations, saying China is satisfied with it and appreciates Russia's stance on Taiwan and Tibet.
Yang thanked the international community, including Russia, for the support of the Beijing Olympic Games in August.
He pledged to take Russia a priority in Chinese foreign policy and push the strategic partnership forward.
Lavrov, on behalf of the government, expressed solace to China which is suffering from the devastating earthquake, vowing to further political mutual trust, strengthen supports on issues concerning each other's core interest, promote substantial cooperation and enhance cultural and people-to-people contact.
"We wished success to Russian and Chinese athletes at the upcoming Beijing Olympics, which we are certain will be well organized, as our Chinese friends usually do," Lavrov told a press conference.
Yang is here for a trio-meeting with his Russian and Indian counterparts, and a quartet-conference with Russian, Indian and Brazilian senior diplomats.
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