A foreign official participating in a training program on town planning in Beijing makes a donation yesterday to victims of the Sichuan quake.

Government officials from more than 20 developing countries made a donation yesterday in Beijing to convey their deepest and sincerest condolences to the victims of the Sichuan earthquake.

The foreign officials are participating in a training program on town government management for developing countries organized by the China Center for Town Reform and Development. But the tragedy of the May 12 earthquake has also made their stay in China an experience "full of profound sympathy and touching memories".

"The participants of our program are deeply moved by the heartbreaking stories of the victims, and the swift relief efforts made by the Chinese government. They decided to come together during the national mourning period to make a donation as a way to express their heartfelt sympathy for the Chinese people," Wei Wei, deputy director of the center, said.

Many of the participants have been following the news of the earthquake on TV.

They said they were greatly touched by the miracles of life and the heroic stories.

"We consider the people of China as our brothers and sisters and we take the loss of the Chinese people as our own loss," Syed Rizvi, a civil servant from Islamabad, Pakistan, said. "We feel the pain and loss the Chinese people are suffering because Pakistan experienced a similar devastating earthquake in 2005."