China will offer 21.63 million yuan (about US$2.7 million) emergency humanitarian aid to India, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Maldives which were seriously hit by the largest ever earthquake and tsunami in 40 years, a senior official said here on Monday.

An Min, vice minister of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, told diplomatic envoys of the disaster-affected countries in Beijing that the ministry is preparing for the deliver of the aid, including cash and relief material such as food, tent and carpet.

An thanked the affected countries for their efforts to rescue Chinese citizens, saying that he believes those countries will surely overcome difficulties and defeat the disaster. The diplomats appreciated China's aid and briefed An Min on the latest progress of the rescue work.

The earthquake, measuring 8.1 at the Richter Scale by Indonesia Meteorological and Geological Bureau, rocked southeast and south Asia Sunday morning and triggered tsunami, killing about 15,000 people.

(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2004)