Relief, rescue work after Xizang M6.8 quake progressing in orderly manner: Foreign Ministry spokesperson

China is conducting relief and rescue work in an orderly manner following a magnitude-6.8 earthquake that jolted the Xizang Autonomous Region, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Detailing the current situation after an earthquake struck Dingri County in the city of Xigaze at a regular press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered all-out rescue efforts to save lives and minimize casualties, prevent secondary disasters, properly resettle affected residents and handle the aftermath work effectively.

Premier Li Qiang also urged all-out efforts to organize rescue operations and minimize casualties, Guo continued, adding that Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has led a team to the quake site to guide the rescue and relief efforts.

Noting that the Chinese government has launched a level-II emergency response, he said the first batch of disaster relief materials dispatched by central authorities has arrived in the quake-hit region, and all road sections damaged by the earthquake in Dingri County have been opened.

He added that the power supply has been restored to the county and the nearby townships and villages and that communication signals in the area have also been restored.

It is believed the people in the disaster-stricken area will overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes, Guo said.

Responding to a query about leaders of foreign countries and international organizations expressing condolences to the Chinese side, Guo said that as of 11 a.m. on Wednesday, leaders of 23 countries – Russia, Pakistan, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Maldives, Japan, Cuba, Venezuela, Serbia, Belarus, Spain, Italy, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Oman, Grenada, El Salvador, Brazil and Uzbekistan – have sent condolences.

He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Bahrain, Iran, and other countries, as well as the UN secretary-general, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization secretary-general, and the president of the Central American Parliament, also expressed condolences to the Chinese side in various ways.

"China expresses its sincere gratitude for this," Guo said.

Read more: M6.8 earthquake in Xizang: What we know so far