On August 20, 2003, President Hu Jintao made a statement on the bombing of the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Iraq. Hu said that the truck bomb attack yesterday caused great casualties, which he is deeply shocked at and strongly condemns. He expressed condolences to the victims and sympathy and solicitude to the sufferers in the blast.

Hu said that incident has once again demonstrated the toughness and complexity of the reconstruction work in Iraq. However, the process of Iraq moving towards independence and steady development will not be stopped and the UN mission will not be suspended either.

Hu also stressed that China will, alongside with the international community, continue to support the UN's important role on the Iraqi issue, and help the Iraqi people restore stability and order as early as possible.