France stands ready to aid China on quake rescue: FM

PARIS, April 14 (Xinhua) -- France stands ready to respond to aid requests from China after a strong earthquake rocked China's northwestern Qinghai province and killed hundreds of people, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Wednesday.

"I was with heavy emotion when I heard about a strong quake that has stricken the Qinghai Province in northwestern China," Kouchner said in a statement.

"France is ready to respond to any request for assistance that the Chinese authorities may put forward to come to the aid of the affected population in Qinghai," he said.

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake early Wednesday rocked the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu, in Qinghai province, killing at least 400 people and injuring 10,000 others.

The Chinese Ministry of Finance has announced an allocation of 200 million yuan (29.3 million U.S. dollars) to the quake-hit region.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso also expressed "heartfelt condolences" to the victims.