China ensures supply of daily necessities in quake-hit areas in Xizang

BEIJING, Jan. 9 -- China's Ministry of Commerce said Thursday that commerce departments are making all-out efforts to ensure the supply of daily necessities for local residents after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Dingri County in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region on Tuesday.

In a statement, the ministry said it has asked key suppliers to increase supply efforts. So far, 743,000 tonnes of daily necessities such as grain, cooking oil, meat and vegetables have been dispatched. An additional 2,000 tonnes of frozen pork, 1,600 tonnes of frozen beef and mutton, and 2,250 tonnes of compressed tea are ready for transport.

Local commerce departments are being guided by the ministry to send emergency supplies of food and goods to help keep people warm. Local catering enterprises are being mobilized to provide hot meals for the affected residents and rescue workers in resettlement sites.

"At present, the stock of daily necessities for the affected region is sufficient and the market supply is stable," the statement said.