China is greatly concerned about the casualties and property losses in southeast and southern Asian countries caused by a massive earthquake and quake-triggered tsunamis.

Some Chinese citizens in the disaster areas were caught in trouble, but no casualties have been reported yet.

India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Thailand were seriously stricken by the largest ever earthquake and tsunami in 40 years Sunday.

Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing has asked Chinese ambassadors in the disaster-stricken countries to express their sympathy and solicitude to the relevant countries' foreign ministers.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has also requested China's embassies and consulates in those countries to keep close touch with the countries they are stationed, and go all out to rescue the Chinese citizens in trouble.
The earthquake, measuring 8.1 at the Richter Scale by Indonesia Meteorological and Geological Bureau, rocked south and southeast Asia Sunday morning and triggered tsunami, killing over 4,000 people by press time.

(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2004)