International Aid Offered to China Earthquake Survivors
国际社会踊跃向中国震区捐款捐物

　 
The international community is pledging aid packages for survivors of China's earthquake, which has killed more than 14,000 people and left tens of thousands of others in need of emergency aid. The southern Chinese city is spearheading a global relief drive.

国际社会承诺向中国地震灾民提供救援物资。有1万4千多人在这场地震中丧生，成千上万的人需要紧急援助。香港在这次全球救灾行动中走在了前列。

More than $46 million in international aid is on its way to China to help with relief efforts following the earthquake that rocked southwestern Sichuan province on Monday. The death toll is expected to rise dramatically, as many thousands are still buried under rubble.

四川省星期一发生强烈地震后，4千6百多万美元的国际援助正从四面八方进入中国，帮助那里的抗震救灾行动。由于仍有上万人被埋在瓦砾中，因此死亡人数预计还会大幅度上升。

Hong Kong has taken the lead in organizing relief efforts to mainland China, pledging more than $38 million in aid to the central government. The territory's chief executive, Donald Tsang, says his government is sending a team of rescue workers to assist in hard-hit areas.

香港在组织协助大陆救灾方面走在了前列，它保证向中央政府提供3千8百万美元的援助。香港特区行政长官曾荫权表示，香港政府派遣一个救援小组，协助遭受地震袭击的地区抗震救灾。

"Depending on the severity of the situation we may have to consider other measures as well," Tsang said.

曾荫权说：“考虑到局势的严峻，我们可能不得不考虑同时采取其它措施。”

China's neighbors are also helping. Japan has offered nearly $5 million in cash aid, blankets and tents. Taiwan is joining rescue efforts, South Korea has rescue workers and medical staff on standby, while Australia has offered search and rescue help.

中国的周边国家和地区也在提供帮助。日本捐助了近5百万美元的现金援助以及毯子和帐篷。台湾也加入到救援行动中来。韩国的救援人员和医疗救护人员做好了随时出发的准备。澳大利亚则提供了搜寻和抢救方面的帮助。

Outside the region, the International Olympic Committee pledged $1 million. Wednesday in Beijing, the United States presented the International Federation of Red Cross and the Red Crescent Society of China with $500,000. Russia, Romania and international aid agencies are also providing assistance.

在亚太地区地区之外，国际奥林匹克委员会捐赠100万美元。星期三，美国在北京向中国国际红十字和红新月会捐赠50万美元。俄罗斯、罗马尼亚和国际救援机构也提供了援助。

Francis Markus is spokesman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Beijing. He says it is hard at this point to say whether the amount of aid pledged so far will be enough to ensure adequate relief efforts.

国际红十字会和红新月会驻京办事处发言人弗朗西斯.马库斯说，此时此刻还很难说迄今各方已经表示捐赠的数量是否足够保证有效的救援努力。

"The scale of this earthquake, this disaster has far surpassed many people's fears, and so no government can really sort of take care of all the aspects of problems which are going to be in place after a disaster like this," Markus said.

马库斯说：“这次地震、这次灾难的规模远远超出许多人担心的程度，因此没有任何政府能够顾及到这类灾难发生后将出现的各种问题的所有方面。”

Carl Naucler, East Asia's managing director for the Red Cross, says the organization will make an initial appeal for $10 million on Thursday.

红十字会东亚地区负责人卡尔.瑙克勒说，红十字会星期四将发出募集1千万美元的初步呼吁。

"We have, together with the Chinese Red Cross, teams in the area to do assessments," he explained, "and that is why our appeal will be a preliminary one, because we expect as we get more information, and perhaps we will be able then, when we know more, to adjust our appeal to the actual needs."

瑙克勒说：“我们和中国红十字会以及当地的机构一起进行评估，所以我们的呼吁是初步的，因为我们预计，随著信息越来越多，了解的情况越来越多，或许我们能根据具体需要调整我们希望募集的款项数量。”

More than 50,000 troops have been sent to assist with relief work in quake-affected areas, but China has said conditions are not right for international teams to come in and help.

迄今已经有5万多军队前往地震灾区协助救援，但是中国表示，国际救援人员进入灾区协助工作的条件还不成熟。