BEIJING - China will offer further aid to drought-hit countries in the Horn of Africa, including medicine and medical equipment, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday.

"China has kept a close eye on the latest developments in the disaster and will offer more aid within its capacity to do so," spokesman Hong Lei said during a regular news briefing.

According to Hong, China is "actively considering" providing medical equipment and medicine to the region.

While addressing the Ministerial Mini-Summit on the Humanitarian Response to the Horn of Africa, which took place on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly's 66th session, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said that China is "gravely concerned" about the drought and famine in northeast Africa, as it is the worst to hit the region in 60 years.

The government announced that it will provide the Horn of Africa with emergency grain and funds worth $70 million, according to Yang.

"This marks the largest amount of grain assistance that China sent since the founding of "New China." It is another example of Sino-African friendship," ?Yang said.

China sent its first shipment of emergency food aid from the northern port city of Tianjin to drought and famine victims in the Horn of Africa on September 2.