China's cooperation with other nations in disaster rescue and relief work had contributed to its valuable core experience in dealing with the aftermath of the southwest China earthquake, said Ma Jian, deputy director of the Combat Department of the PLA General Staff Headquarters, on Sunday at a press conference.

"Rescue operations outside China accumulated experience for us and helped," he said.

The first rescue team moving to Sichuan had conducted rescue work after Pakistan's earthquake in 2005, Ma said.

After the Sichuan earthquake, the rescue teams from four countries of Russia, Singapore, Japan and the Republic of Korea, and the two regions of Taiwan and Hong Kong, arrived in the quake zone.

"China appreciated the assistance from the international community," said Hu Changming, spokesman of the National Defense Ministry.

Hu said China was grateful for the aid provided by many foreign countries soon after the quake.

"We need help from the international community to overcome the challenges of the catastrophe," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 18, 2008)