A senior official from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday praised highly China's efforts to control the dangerous avian influenza.

"The Chinese government has taken very effective measures, and they are making improvements every month, even every day," Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO assistant director-general for communicable diseases, told Xinhua in an interview.

Chan said she has been involved in China's avian influenza controlling work since last June, and the Chinese Ministry of Health has taken very responsible and effective measures.

She noted that China also hosted the International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza last month, which collected over US$1.8 billion of donations for reinforcing global efforts in bird flu prevention and control.

"This showed China's determination in avian influenza prevention and control," she said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2006)