The Romanian Gendarmerie on Friday provided 535,000 lei (about 233,000 U.S. dollars) to the Chinese Ambassador to Romania Liu Zengwen to help the victims of a devastating quake that hit China's southwestern province of Sichuan on May 12.

Costica Silion, general inspector of the Romanian Gendarmerie, said it is the first time the institution offers financial help to the Chinese people. The money was collected through voluntary donation by gendarmes across the country.

"We could not forget the help which China offered in 1977, when Romania was hit by a similar quake. Now we have the opportunity to offer a modest help to those who backed us permanently, through the Chinese Armed Police Forces and martial arts expertise," said Silion.

The Chinese ambassador thanked Romania for the humanitarian assistance, stressing that the move again proves the friendship and collaboration between the two countries, as well as the close relations and exchanges between the two nations' armies.

(Xinhua News Agency July 5, 2008)