CHENGDU, June 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday arrived in Chengdu, the capital of China's Sichuan Province, to extend condolences for the disaster in the quake-hit region.

She was the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the area ravaged by an 8.0-magnitude earthquake on May 12 that killed almost 70,000 people.

"Rice will express the condolences on behalf of the American people for the disaster," said State Department spokesman Tom Casey before Rice's departure.

During her 4-hour stay in this southwestern province, Rice will travel to Dujiangyan, one of the worst-hit cities in the massive quake. She will visit some temporary housing for survivors and a water purifier donated by Samaritan's Purse, an American non-governmental organization committed to international relief. She is also scheduled to give a press briefing at the end of her tour.

The U.S. government has offered to China's quake area an amount of cash and material worth 2.6 million U.S. dollars, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Her Sichuan visit is part of her two-day China tour which will bring her to Beijing. She is scheduled to discuss with Chinese leaders a wide range of issues, including the Korean nuclear issues.