BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday met
Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip on the sidelines of the Beijing Olympic
Games.
Wen first extended a welcome to Ansip, who arrived in Beijing on Sunday to
watch events, and congratulated Estonian athletes for their excellent
performance at the Games.
"I heard that yesterday you joined Estonians celebrating until midnight
your athletes winning a gold and a silver in discus and rowing," Wen said.
With a throw of 68.82 meters, Gerd Kanter on Tuesday grabbed the gold medal
in the men's discus, the first gold for Estonia at the ongoing Games.
Ansip said he felt honored to attend the Games. "Though hit by a great
natural disaster, China managed to unite the whole nation and stage a very
successful Olympics," he said.
Ansip's comments coincided with the 100th day of mourning of the
8.0-magnitude earthquake that devastated China's western province of Sichuan on
May 12.
Ansip expressed his support to the Chinese people as the quake claimed
nearly 70,000 lives, left 17,923 others missing and destroyed the homes of more
than 10 million people.
In response, Wen thanked the Estonian people for their support to China
following the quake. Wen particularly mentioned the Estonian Ambassador to
China, who took the initiative to donate his blood.