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)