China's first relief materials for the earthquake-and-tsunami-hit Maldives left Tianjin at 8:50 a.m. Tuesday, Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced.

The 7.5-million-yuan (about US$908 thousand) worth humanitarian aid includes power generator, food and drinking water. It is scheduled to arrive in the Maldives' capital Male in the evening, source from the MOC said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2005)