The Chinese government has accepted the offers of Russia, South Korea and Singapore to send rescue professionals to the earthquake-hit Sichuan Province in southwest China.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said early Friday that the Chinese government has accepted the offers of these three countries by taking into consideration of their contiguity to China, which may ensure promptness of the aid.

A group of Japanese rescue professionals, the first group of foreign aid personnel since the 7.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Sichuan on Monday afternoon, are scheduled to arrive in Chengdu, capital city of the province, early Friday.

(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2008)