PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday sent his condolences on behalf of the Singapore Government to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. Here is the text of the letter:

Dear Premier Wen,

I was deeply saddened to learn of the great loss of lives and extensive damage caused by the sudden and deadly earthquake in Sichuan province.

On behalf of the Government of Singapore, I would like to extend our sympathies to the people of China who are affected by the earthquake in Sichuan, and our condolences to the families of the victims.

The Chinese government has mounted swift relief and rescue efforts. I am confident that under your able leadership, China will be able to tackle the challenges ahead and overcome this disaster.

Singapore stands ready to help in any way possible, including through our Disaster Assistance Rescue Teams, if you think they will be useful to your recovery work.

We sincerely hope that the affected regions will return to normalcy in the shortest possible time.

Yours sincerely,
Lee Hsien Loong