Chinese armed forces offer Pakistan relief assistance

BEIJING - The Chinese army will do its best to provide relief assistance to Pakistan over its 7.7-magnitude earthquake, said Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng on Thursday.

Geng's remarks came after at least 348 people were killed in the quake that hit Pakistan's southwest province of Balochistan on Tuesday afternoon.

Geng said the Chinese Defense Ministry and all officers and soldiers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) felt greatly saddened by the huge loss of lives and wishes to express their condolence to the families of victims and and their best wishes to those injured in the quake.

Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan has sent a message of condolence to Pakistani Prime Minister and Defense Minister Nawaz Sharif, while the PLA Chief of General Staff Fang Fenghui has sent similar message to Khalid Shameem Wynne, chairman of Pakistani Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, he said.

The Chinese armed forces will spare no efforts to carry out the assistance work as ordered by the Chinese government, the spokesman added.