The president of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Lee Myung-bak, left southwest China on Friday afternoon as he wrapped up a four-day state visit.

Prior to his departure, Lee traveled by bus to Dujiangyan, a city in Sichuan Province severely damaged in the May 12 quake disaster. Lee visited a damaged Bank of China local branch and survivor shelters in the city.

He expressed condolences to survivors and visited pupils in a primary school temporarily established in the shelters.

According to Yonhap, the ROK news agency, the ROK government has already provided about 3 million U.S. dollars worth of cash and relief goods and dispatched 44 emergency relief workers to the devastated area.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi accompanied Lee during his tour. Yang also visited foreign medical teams helping China's disaster relief.

Invited by Chinese President Hu Jintao, Lee began his visit on Tuesday afternoon. It was his first state visit to China.

During his stay in Beijing, Hu held talks with Lee.

Premier Wen Jiabao and top political advisor Jia Qinglin also met with the ROK leader.

Lee also toured coastal Qingdao city in Shandong Province.

(Xinhua News Agency May 30, 2008)