CIIC: China has very recently experienced a 7.8 magnitude earthquake; it shook Sichuan Province on the 12th of May and thousands of people were killed. And right now the Chinese government is trying its best to save people’s lives. During disasters health care is very important. In the US how does your government respond to disasters? And what measures do you take?

LEAVITT: I am very saddened by what has happened with the earthquake. I have expressed on behalf of my government our desire to be helpful in any way we can. We know that China has great capacity to respond to disasters and so we have confidence that everything that can be done is being done. In our experience and according to our plans when a disaster of this nature starts the first three or four days are critical in finding those who have survived. But we must then begin to focus on assuring that those who have survived have the basics to continue to maintain their lives, such as food and water and shelter and health care.

It is then important to turn attention toward recovery. Now, this is a devastating blow for China but China is strong and China will respond in a way that will allow them to move forward. But we do mourn the loss of so many Chinese citizens and wish the government well and pledge our help.