China vows to help passengers' families

China promised that the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 will not end, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday during the ongoing annual parliamentary session.

"We will provide all necessary assistance and services to each family of those who were on the plane to uphold their legitimate interests and lawful rights," Wang said at a news conference on the anniversary of the aircraft's disappearance.

Wang said Malaysia Airlines has started working on compensation for the families, now that Malaysia officially declared in January that the disappearance of MH370 was an accident. All 239 people on board, including 154 Chinese, are presumed dead.

"Today must be a tough day for the family members of those who were on board MH370," Wang said. "Our hearts are with you."

On Sunday morning, Liu Kun went to the Lama Temple in Beijing with more than 70 other relatives of missing passengers and prayed for their families.

Liu's younger brother, Liu Qiang, was on MH370.

"Malaysia declared the disappearance as an accident without giving a location or evidence of a crash. There are so many doubtful points. And they haven't answered many of our questions," Liu said.

"We want a reasonable explanation of what happened and where our families are. We have the right to know."

Liu said that after Malaysia Airlines started its compensation work, he has refused to sign to accept any payment.

"I won't get to compensation until they find my brother," he said.

"If I took their money now, it would be like trading my brother's life for money."

A yearlong, Australia-led search effort in the southern Indian Ocean where the Boeing 777 is believed to have crashed has so far not yielded the location of the aircraft and its passengers.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Sunday that the country is committed to finding the jetliner.

"No words can describe the pain the families of those on board are going through. The lack of answers and definitive proof - such as aircraft wreckage - has made this more difficult to bear," he said.

"Together with our international partners, we have followed the little evidence that exists. Malaysia remains committed to the search, and are hopeful that MH370 will be found," he said.

Contact the writer at peng-yining@chinadaily.com.cn