China is sending US$1 million worth of aid to cyclone-devastated Myanmar, the Ministry of Commerce announced on Tuesday.

The aid include US$500,000 in money aid and US$500,000 worth of relief supplies, according to a statement posted on the ministry's website.

The supplies mainly include tents, blankets and biscuits, which are scheduled to arrive at Yangon, Myanmar's capital, on Wednesday.

A devastating cyclone struck five provinces of Myanmar last weekend, killing at least 15,000 people and leaving 30,000 missing.

China to closely follow Myanmar's disaster relief

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday that China will closely follow the disaster relief work in Myanmar and provide assistance.

Spokesman Qin Gang told a regular press conference that China believed that Myanmar's government and people could overcome the losses caused by the cyclone disaster and resume normal life as soon as possible.

He said China has decided to offer US$1 million worth of aid, including relief materials worth US$500,000, to help Myanmar with its disaster relief and rehabilitation efforts.

Aid is scheduled to begin arriving in Yangon, Myanmar city, on Wednesday, according to a statement on the website of the Ministry of Commerce. The initial materials include tents, bedding and biscuits.

"China and Myanmar are friendly neighbors. We will continue to pay close attention to the relief work in Myanmar and provide assistance," said Qin.

President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi have sent messages of sympathy to Myanmar's leaders and foreign minister respectively, to express deep condolences.

According to Qin, the Chinese government also paid close attention to the situation of the Chinese nationals in Myanmar. The Foreign Ministry had launched an emergency response program quickly and kept in close contact with the Chinese Embassy in Yangon.

The embassy has resumed normal operations and all the staff were safe. The embassy has so far received no reports of casualties of personnel of Chinese enterprises in Myanmar or Chinese students studying in Myanmar.

A devastating cyclone that struck Myanmar last Friday and Saturday has killed at least 15,000 people and left 30,000 missing, and the death toll could rise further, Myanmar's national television station reported on Monday.

(Xinhua News Agency May 7, 2008)