Bush offers help to quake-hit China

Tue, May 13 09:46 PM

Beijing, May 13 (PTI) US President George W Bush today offered any "possible assistance" to China to carry out relief operations in the massive earthquake that has killed over 12,000 people. Bush, who spoke over phone to his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, conveyed the US' "deep concerns" over the quake and offered his sympathy to the Chinese people, state media reported.

The White House also announced USD 500,000 as initial disaster aid. Hu thanked Bush and told him that the Chinese government was sparing no efforts in disaster relief and in restoring social order as soon as possible, official Xinhua news agency reported.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral ties and Tibet, it said. On Tibet, Hu reiterated China's position that the issue was one of China's internal affairs and "affects the feelings of the Chinese people".

"We hope the US side would tackle related issues with an objective and fair-minded attitude and in a cautious and proper way, and understand and support China's justified stance," Hu was quoted as saying. Hu also noted that Sino-US ties under the joint efforts of both sides had moved forward continuously in recent years.

"I would like to, together with President Bush, make the China-US constructive and cooperative ties develop in a continuous, healthy and steady way," Hu was quoted as saying. PTI.

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