PEACE & SECURITY | Creating a more stable world
13 May 2008
United States Offers Initial Earthquake Aid to China
Bush calls to express condolences, offer America’s help
Washington -- The United States will send China an initial $500,000 toward disaster relief efforts following a massive earthquake and stands ready to send additional aid as needed.
President Bush made the offer in a May 13 call to Chinese President Hu Jintao, says White House spokesman Dana Perino.
“It’s an initial contribution in response to the event,” said Perino, who added that the White House would consider extending further aid as requested once damage assessments were completed.
The funds will come from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) in advance of an expected appeal for aid from the International Red Cross.
More than 12,000 people were killed May 12 when a 7.9-magnitude quake struck near Chengdu in China’s Sichuan province, toppling schools, apartments and factories, according to Chinese officials.
“I am particularly saddened by the number of students and children affected by this tragedy,” Bush said in a May 12 statement. “The United States stands ready to help in any way possible.”
As rescue operations continue, thousands more still may be buried in the rubble, authorities fear. Area residents are taking shelter outdoors as aftershocks continue to rock the region.
In a May 12 briefing, OFDA Director Ky Luu said that USAID has several disaster response tools to offer China, including the ability to aid nongovernmental organizations already operating in a country, its disaster assistance response teams, as well America’s domestic network of 28 urban search-and-rescue teams, which in recent years have been deployed to Guatemala and Nicaragua to save lives following hurricanes, and in Iran following the December 2003 earthquake in the southeastern city of Bam.
“Our ambassador and other colleagues [in China] are working very closely with their counterparts, and the moment that there is a request that's forthcoming, we are prepared to do what we can,” Luu said.
During their conversation, the two leaders also discussed efforts to convince Burma’s leaders to allow international relief workers into the country to help Burma's citizens recover from Cyclone Nargis.
Tibet also was a topic of discussion, Perino said. According to Perino, Bush encouraged Chinese leaders to continue reaching out to representatives of the exiled Dalai Lama to address long-standing issues in the Himalayan region.
