The money will be used essentially to buy tents, blankets, jerry cans and other first aid items, the Swiss Federal Council (cabinet) said in a statement.

    Other measures will be taken in response to developments and to requests by China, the statement added.

    In a letter to his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, Swiss President Pascal Couchepin also promised that "Switzerland is ready to provide assistance to the People's Republic of China at very short notice."

    In Thursday's statement, the Swiss government also expressed "the sympathy and the solidarity of the Swiss people to the Chinese government and people."