The death toll from the China earthquake has risen to 135

The death toll from the China earthquake has risen to 135 people, as rescue teams continue to recover the bodies of victims and deliver aid to the earthquake area three days after it occurred.

Doctors at the Xixishan Canton Hospital in Gansu Province, near the epicenter of the earthquake, were treating the injured, in a building showing damage caused by the earthquake.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.2, occurred just before midnight on Monday, Tuesday, about 1,300 kilometers southwest of Beijing. The disaster affected Gansu Province, as well as neighboring Qinghai, but to a lesser extent. 

In August, a 5.4-magnitude superficial earthquake struck the east of the country, injuring 23 people and causing dozens of buildings to collapse.

Beijing responds to Graham's threat and renews Washington's call not to arm Taiwan

The Chinese Foreign Ministry renewed its demand that Washington stop arming Taiwan and support the peaceful reunification of the island with mainland China.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said: “During a meeting with US President Joe Biden in San Francisco in November this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping clarified his principled position on the Taiwan issue, noting that the Taiwan issue has always been the most important and sensitive issue.” In Chinese-American relations.

He stressed that China also attaches great importance to the positive statements made by the United States during the meeting between the leaders of the two countries in Bali in November 2022 regarding this.

He continued: "The United States should reverse its position that it does not support Taiwan's independence in concrete actions, stop arming Taiwan and support China's peaceful reunification."

US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham had threatened China to impose "hellish" sanctions against Beijing if it attempted to regain control of Taiwan.

Graham commented on an article published by NBC News, which stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping informed US President Joe Biden during the APEC summit in November that China is committed to peaceful reunification with Taiwan.