The Macao Government is donating 100 million patacas to support relief works in Ya’ an, Sichuan Province, and will send medical material and teams to the disaster area if needed.

The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, said the Government and the people of Macao are deeply concerned for people in Ya’an, which was hit by a 7-magnitude earthquake on 20 April, killing more then 180.

Mr Chui expressed his deepest condolences and sympathy to the victims and their families when he made calls to Secretary of the Sichuan Provincial CPC Committee, Mr Wang Dongming, and to the Governor of Sichuan Province, Mr Wei Hong.

On behalf of the people of Macao, he sincerely wished the injured would recover soon and homes rebuilt as soon as possible, said the Chief Executive.

The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Cheong U, was appointed to contact Sichuan Government through Macao's supporting committee for the reconstruction works in Sichuan which was established in 2008, to get the latest information on the relief work in Ya’an.

Mr Chui instructed the supporting committee to keep in closer contact with Sichuan to understand the actual needs of the victims and to make supporting plans accordingly.