Chinese president expresses sympathies to cyclone-hit Myanmar

<p>BEIJING - Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday sent a message of sympathy to Myanmar's top leader Senior-General Than Shwe in the wake of a cyclone that killed tens of thousands of people in the southeast Asian country.</p><p>As a friendly neighbor, China will provide help and aid to Myanmar's reconstruction efforts, Hu told Than Shwe, chairman of Myanmar's State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).</p><p>Hu expressed the belief that Myanmar would soon overcome the difficulties caused by the cyclone and restore normal life for its people under the leadership of the SPDC.</p><p>According to latest reports, more than 15,000 people have been killed by cyclone Nargis, which swept across five divisions and states of Myanmar last weekend.</p></div>