A magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit Wenchuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 2:28 p.m. on May 12th, 2008. By the afternoon of May 14th, there have been many aftershocks, at least three of which were measured 6 on the Richter scale. The strong earthquake was felt in over 10 provinces and municipalities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Ningxia, Liaoning and Guizhou, and caused major casualties and losses. According to statistics released on the afternoon of May 14th, in the disaster areas in Sichuan Province alone, 14,463 people died, 64,746 people were injured, 25,788 people were buried under the rubble, 1,405 were missing and over 4,360,000 houses collapsed or were damaged. In six other provinces the number of deaths has reached several hundred.

Since the earthquake struck, the Chinese Government and leaders quickly responded and made disaster relief a top priority. President Hu Jintao immediately ordered expeditious efforts to rescue and save lives and increase safety. Premier of the State Council Wen Jiabao flew to Chendu, capital of Sichuan Province to direct the relief work and arrived at the worst hit areas hours after the earthquake struck.

On the night of May 12th, President Hu Jintao called a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to hear the report on the situation in the disaster areas and to map out the disaster relief work. The meeting decided to establish a disaster relief headquarters, with Premier Wen Jiabao as the commander-in-chief, and Vice Premier Li Keqiang and Vice Premier Hui Liangyu as deputies. All the party committees and governments in the disaster areas as well as various ministries of the central government were demanded to make disaster relief a top priority and do whatever they can to save lives, treat the injured and minimize losses. The entire country was mobilized to pool their efforts in support of the disaster areas and tide over the hardship together. Within the State Council, eight working groups were set up, covering rescue and relief, forecast and monitoring, medical and health service, resettlement, infrastructure, rehabilitation, public order, and publicity. They consist of officials from relevant ministries, military and armed police officers, and local government and party committee leaders.

On the morning of May 13th, Premier Wen called the second meeting of the earthquake relief command, where he drew attention to the seriousness of the situation and the difficulties in getting the relief material out to the needed caused by road blockage, telecommunications breakdown, lack of information on specific localities and the wet weather. He laid out the task of clearing the road to the disaster area above the epicenter before midnight so as to start relief, rescue and treatment.

At present, the relevant ministries, the People's Liberation Army, the armed police forces, the Red Cross and local party committees and governments are going all out for the earthquake relief.

At the order of President Hu Jintao, the PLA and the armed police forces immediately and rapidly sent out troops to help with the relief according to their emergency plans. On May 12th, nearly 20,000 troops arrived in the disaster areas and 24,000 troops were being flown into the worst hit areas. Additional 10,000 troops were sent by train and 3,000 firefighters and special police officers were also on their way to the disaster areas.

China Seismological Bureau has launched first-grade emergency response, sending an earthquake emergency rescue team of 184 people and an earthquake on-site working team of 40 people to Wenchuan. The Bureau also joined hands with an engineering corps under the Beijing Military Command and medical workers from the General Hospital of the Armed Police to form a rescue team, which has already arrived in the disaster area and started searching, rescuing and giving medical treatment.

The Ministry of Health launched its emergency response mechanism, established a leading group on disaster relief, dispatched medical and epidemic prevention teams, and strengthen the supplies of blood for transfusion, first aid kits and medicine and other emergency material.

The Ministry of Public Security quickly sent out an emergency notice to various local public security authorities, requiring the latter to put people's safety first, mobilize all officers to do their best to assist in disaster relief and rescue the injured, and minimize loss of lives.

China's National Disaster Reduction Committee has launched its national second-grade emergency response and will send a working team to Wenchuan to provide assistance and guidance in disaster relief.

The Ministry of Finance announced on May 13th that the Central Government would earmark 860 million yuan for earthquake relief, 700 million of which will be used on relief in Sichuan. The Ministry of Civil Affairs is sending over 100,000 tents and 50,000 quilts to Sichuan and the Red Cross of China is sending 557 tents and 2,500 quilts valued at 780,000 million yuan.

The Chinese Government attaches great importance to the safety of foreigners in China. The Foreign Ministry has launched its external-related emergency response mechanism, contacted foreign embassies in China for information on casualties of their nationals, and notified them of the Foreign Ministry's 24-hour hotline for handling relevant emergencies involving foreign nationals. As of noon on May 13th, the Foreign Ministry has not received any report on casualties of foreigners in the disaster areas.

The Information Department of the Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in the United States have contacted foreign journalists who are based in Chongqing or other places, or are on reporting trips in China, to ask about their condition and needs. Due to the serious damages to transportation, telecommunications and other infrastructure facilities, the reporters will find themselves in great difficulty when reporting from the disaster areas. The Chinese side will do its best to facilitate reporters in getting into the disaster area.

On the night of May 13th, US President Bush called President Hu Jintao on the phone to express condolences and sympathy over the disaster in Sichuan Province and the willingness of the United States to assist in the disaster relief. The governments and leaders of Russia, Japan, France and many other countries as well as the heads of UN and other international organizations have also expressed sympathy to the Chinese side and offered to assist in the disaster relief. The Chinese Government and people deeply appreciate this and welcome foreign assistance.

We are confident that under the strong leadership of the Chinese Government and with the support and assistance from the international community, the Chinese people will unite as one and overcome the difficulties caused by the major earthquake.