>> Special Reports on Massive Tsunamis hits Asia

THE 14-member Chinese medical team Wednesday (Dec 5th) continued the aid work for the second day in Hikkaduwa, a small town some 90 kilometers from Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka.

More than 250 patients have been treated by the Chinese medical team so far, while seven experts in the field of infectious disease control are conducting epidemic prevention tasks.

A 14-member backup team was expected to arrive Thursday. Meanwhile, seven epidemic specialists from the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, were also busy.

Sri Lanka, the worst tsunami-hit Asian country after Indonesia, appreciated China's relief efforts to alleviate the suffering caused by the giant tidal waves.

"China is one country that responded immediately to the tsunami disaster. We are grateful for that," said Alav Mowlana, the senior adviser to Sri Lanka's president Wednesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on Tuesday rejected criticism of the U.S. response as being slow after the tsunami, pledging to offer more aid.

Powell stressed a two-prong commitment of U.S. financial and military support to help the region recover. The United States has promised US$350 million in aid.

Russia sent a plane-load of humanitarian aid Wednesday morning to Indonesia. The plane was carrying about 20 tons of aid for the residents of the provinces of Aceh and Northern Sumatra.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday welcomed the debt relief offered by foreign countries.

Australia's private donations surpassed US$76.5 million Wednesday.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair suggested Wednesday that his government might increase its aid.

The government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Wednesday offered an emergency aid of US$150,000.

The Philippines Wednesday sent a 12-member team of medical and relief specialists to Sri Lanka.

The emergency operations in Asia were making extraordinary progress but also faced extraordinary problems, the U.N. humanitarian chief said Tuesday, calling for more long-term aid.

"We are making extraordinary progress in reaching the majority of the people affected in the majority of the areas," Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland said.

The disaster had killed more than 150,000 people, injured 500,000 more and left up to 5 million lacking basic services, according to the world body.

Egeland said aid pledged so far had topped US$2 billion, but he emphasized that it must be long-term and that donors must come up with the money they had pledged.

Indonesia says nearly 500,000 of its people in the northern Aceh province are now homeless, while the United Nations estimates the figure across Asia is 1.5 million.

Editor: Wing