Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez expressed sympathy on Sunday
night for the people in southern China who have been enduring weeks
of severe snowstorms.
In a phone call with Chinese Ambassador to Venezuela Zhang Tuo,
Chavez said his country is very concerned about the situation but
he believes the Chinese people, under the leadership of the Chinese
government, will win their battle against the natural disaster.
Parts of southern China have been affected by the worst winter
weather in 50 years. The snow has been falling since mid-January,
leading to dozens of deaths, structural collapses, blackouts,
accidents, transport problems and livestock and crop
destruction.
According to primary official estimates, the snow has cost China
tens of billions of US dollars so far.
(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2008)
