China has agreed that foreign medical teams could come to China to help relief work in the wake of the massive earthquake in southwest Sichuan Province, said Qin Gang, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, on Monday.

"Considering the need of the current relief work, China Red Cross is authorized to accept medical teams from some foreign countries to come to assist medical and treatment work," he said.

China would like to keep close contact with all nations on the rescue and relief work, Qin said.

He said some countries and Red Cross societies have expressed their hopes of sending medical teams to China after the earthquake occurred, and the Chinese government and people are thankful for it.

The spokesman said the Chinese government now is mobilizing all forces of the nation, including military and medical staffs, to join the relief work.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2008)