By Xinhua,
Beijing : No foreign casualties have been reported after the strongest quake in China in three decades jolted the southwestern province of Sichuan Monday, a foreign ministry spokesman said Tuesday.
“We have received no report of foreign casualties so far,” spokesman Qin Gang told a regular press conference here.
He said the ministry would promptly release such information to related embassies and consulates in China as soon as it gets any such news.
“The government attaches great importance to the safety of foreigners in China,” Qin said, adding that the foreign ministry has contacted all foreign embassies and consulates to ask if there were any casualties of thier nationals.
Noting that the quake disaster was serious, the official asked the journalists, who wanted to go to the quake-hit area, to guard against dangers and difficulties, and contact the Information Department in case of emergency.
He said the ministry would provide as much convenience as possible for journalists to go to the disaster area for reporting, and added that relevant departments of the Chinese government would also release the latest information on the disaster and the progress of relief work.