Chinese President Jiang Zemin at midnight Tuesday conveyed a
message to US President George W. Bush in which Jiang expressed
deep sympathy to him and to the US Government and people for the
disastrous attacks against the US. He also expressed condolences to
the family members of the victims.
Jiang said that the Chinese Government has consistently condemned
and opposed all manner of terrorist violence.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao also announced
Tuesday night that the Chinese people were deeply shocked by the
disastrous attacks against the US in New York, Washington and some
other areas, that caused devastating casualties.
Jiang also expressed grave concern for the safety of Chinese in the
United States following the disastrous attacks, according to
Zhu.
Jiang expressed grave concern for the safety of staff of Chinese
institutions, Chinese students, overseas Chinese, and Hong Kong,
Macao and Taiwan compatriots in the US.
The Chinese government has ordered the Chinese embassy and all
consulates in the US, and the Chinese permanent mission to the
United Nations to take immediate action and provide all necessary
assistance to any Chinese compatriots who were injured in the
attacks.
An
official with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)
said by press time early this morning that there were three Chinese
airliners en route to United States.
He
said he could not tell if any of them would change their routes.
“It all depends on the situation in the US,” he said.
The official declined to say whether Chinese airliners will suspend
their flights to the US today and said the decision will be based
on developments in the United States.
Qiu Shaofang, deputy Chinese consul-general in New York, told China
News Service early Wednesday morning (Beijing Time) that 13 Chinese
companies had offices in the World Trade Center towers, including
the Sinopec Corp. and China International Trust and Investment
Corporation.
But he estimated that by the time of the first crash, most of them
should not have started work.
The North America Office of China Daily was also in the center. The
employees successfully evacuated the scene after the first
crash.
In
another development, the Chinese authorities have beefed up
security around the US embassy in Beijing.
(chinadaily.com.cn)