China is willing to send rescue and medical teams to the Philippines to help it recover from Typhoon Haiyan, the Chinese foreign ministry has said.

中国外交部表示，中国愿向菲律宾派遣救援和医疗团队，以帮助该国在遭受台风海燕(Haiyan)重创后恢复过来。

Xinhua state news agency cited Hong Lei, foreign ministry spokesman, as saying China was prepared to send personnel. He said the Chinese Red Cross was also willing to deploy its Blue Sky Rescue Team to the relief operations.

官方的新华社(Xinhua)援引外交部发言人洪磊的话称，中国已做好向菲律宾派遣人员的准备。他表示中国红十字会也愿派遣其下属的“蓝天救援队”(Blue Sky Rescue Team)参与救援行动。

The news agency did not say whether the Philippines had requested – or agreed to accept – help from China. The two countries have been locked in a bitter dispute over contested maritime territory in the South China Sea.

新华社并没有提菲律宾是否请求或同意接受来自中国的援助。目前，中菲两国正深陷一场围绕南海有争议海上领土的激烈争端。

“China has maintained communication with the Philippines on the issue of medical assistance, and Chinese rescuers will set off for the disaster-hit areas immediately once conditions permit,” Xinhua cited Mr Hong as saying.

新华社引述洪磊的话称：“中方就提供医疗援助事一直与菲方保持沟通。一旦条件许可，中方救援力量将立即奔赴菲灾区参与救援。”

China came under criticism last week after it offered only $100,000 in aid to the Philippines – equivalent to only 2 per cent of what South Korea pledged. But China later said it would send an additional Rmb10m ($1.6m) in provisions.

中国曾因上周向菲律宾提供的援助金额仅有10万美元而受到批评——这一数字只有韩国承诺金额的2%。不过中国后来曾表示，将向菲律宾追加发运价值1000万元人民币（合160万美元）的物资。

Several retired US admirals with China experience suggested that Haiyan provided a perfect opportunity for China to become more involved in international relief efforts.

几位拥有与中国打交道经验的退役美国海军军官表示，海燕为中国提供了一次完美的机遇，令中国有机会加大对国际救援行动的参与力度。

Timothy Keating, a retired admiral who oversaw US forces in Asia as head of Pacific Command, urged China to send the “Peace Ark” hospital ship to the Philippines.

曾作为美国太平洋司令部(United States Pacific Command, USPACOM)司令统帅驻亚洲美军的退休海军上将蒂莫西•基廷(Timothy Keating)敦促中国派遣“和平方舟号”医院船赶赴菲律宾。

In an interview on Friday, Mark Montgomery, commander of the USS George Washington Strike Group, which is helping the relief effort, declined to comment on whether China should send the ship.

而在上周五接受采访时，正在参与救援行动的乔治•华盛顿号航空母舰战斗群(USS George Washington Strike Group)司令马克•蒙哥马利(Mark Montgomery)对中国是否应派遣“和平方舟号”的问题拒绝置评。