The Chinese government decided to offer another 30 million yuan (about 4.3 million U.S. dollars) worth of aid for cyclone disaster relief and reconstruction work in Myanmar, announced Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang on Thursday.

Qin told a regular press conference that considering the sever damage caused by the disaster, China offered the aid to show the friendship of the Chinese government and people to Myanmar people.

The official death toll from the violent cyclone Nargis had risen to almost 23,000 as of Wednesday. The number of missing has risen to 42,119.

China has decided to offer 1 million U.S. dollars worth of aid, including relief materials worth 500,000 U.S. dollars, to help Myanmar with its disaster relief and rehabilitation efforts. The first batch of relief materials had been delivered by Wednesday afternoon.

The Red Cross Society of China has also offered 30,000 U.S. dollars in disaster relief aid to Myanmar, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries has offered 10,000 U.S. dollars, and China National Offshore Oil Corporation announced to offer 100,000 U.S. dollars.

Local governments of southwestern Yunnan Province and southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the All-China Women's Federation, the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation and the China Nonferrous Metal Mining Corporation would also offer their aid to Myanmar, according to Qin.

China was also ready to send rescue group and medical group to Myanmar, Qin said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 9, 2008)