Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan met on Thursday the children of the two Chinese victims who perished in terrorist attacks on the Pentagon on September 11, extending condolences to their parents on behalf of the Chinese government and its people.

"The Chinese government and the Chinese people's hearts go out to you and your parents," said Tang at Willard Hotel in Washington DC, where he met the victims' children: Zheng Shidong, Zheng Rui and her husband Wan Li.

Zheng Yuguang and Yang Shuyin, the two confirmed Chinese victims in the New York and Washington attacks, were passengers of the American Airlines flight 77, which was hijacked and used by terrorists as a missile to hit the Pentagon on September 11 morning.

The Zhengs were on their way back to China after visiting their daughter and son-in-law, who live in Fairfax, Virginia. They boarded the plane at the International Airport at Dulles in suburban Washington.

Tang bowed to a framed picture of the late Zhengs, held by Zheng Shidong, their eldest son. He wished Zheng Shidong and his sister could recover from grieves as soon as possible.

"We are grateful that our country gave us so much help and care, " said Zheng Shidong. "We cannot imagine how we could face this tragedy without support from our motherland and our people." he added.

Immediately after New York and Washington DC fell victim to the violent terrorist attacks, Chinese President Jiang Zemin sent a message of sympathy to his US counterpart to express his sympathy and condolences. Jiang was also concerned about the safety of all Chinese in the United States, asking the embassy and consulates in the states to do all their best to help those Chinese who were affected by the attacks, Tang said.

About one week ago, the Chinese ambassador went to Fairfax to see Zheng Rui and her husband, soon after her parents' had been confirmed dead.

(People's Daily 09/23/2001)