China Thursday urged Myanmar to cooperate with the international community as the isolated Southeast Asian country signalled reluctance to let in foreign aid after a devastating cyclone.

“Given the magnitude of the disaster in Myanmar, the international community has expressed concern and willingness to provide assistance,” foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters.

“This is natural and we hope Myanmar will cooperate with the international community and have consultations with the international community.”

Official state media in Myanmar have put the number of dead and missing at more than 60,000, with pressure mounting on the regime to open its borders to international aid.

The ruling junta agreed to accept US emergency aid after last weekend’s cyclone, allowing at least one military plane to deliver supplies to Yangon.

However, the US ambassador in Myanmar said later Thursday that a planned aid flight had not gone ahead, adding that it was not clear if it was because of a mix-up or because the junta had withdrawn permission.

The secretive regime’s reluctance to allow foreign experts and other dedicated relief flights into the country has caused frustration and compounded the misery for a million people homeless and short of food and water.

China has long been perceived as one of Burma’s strongest allies, and has been vital in keeping the regime afloat through its trade ties and arms sales and by protecting it against UN sanctions for alleged human rights abuses.

This has led to hope that China might be able to influence the reclusive country over letting more foreign aid in — a move that experts doubt will happen.

“The best that China has is the ability to get on the phone and call up key people in the Myanmar regime, and get them on the phone quickly,” Bob Broadfoot of the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, said.

But he said China’s influence was still limited, despite being a strong ally.

“Relative to the US, China has got a lot of influence. But relative to its ability to put Burma on a different path, it does not have that influence.”

Another expert said China’s appeal to Myanmar to cooperate with the international community in this time of crisis was not meant to change the ruling junta’s general policy.

“It is I think more focused on the immediate handling of the disaster consequence. So I don’t think we should take it as a signal for changing Chinese attitudes to Myanmar,” said Colonel R. Hariharan, an analyst with the Chennai Centre for Chinese Studies in India.

“China has an influence. But the problem is China is doing this because of the Olympic Games and it knows the disaster is too big.”

The Chinese government decided to send another 30 million yuan (4.3 million dollars) in emergency aid to the disaster-hit country, on top of the one-million-dollar package it announced on Tuesday, said Qin.

“We are ready to do our best to provide assistance. As for the specific forms of assistance, there could be rescue teams, medical teams,” Qin added.

The China Red Cross has also decided to send 30,000 dollars, and CNOOC, the state-run oil company, is to donate 100,000 dollars.

Meanwhile, the Chinese ambassador to Myanmar, Guan Mu, on Thursday visited some parts of cyclone-hit Yangon, the country’s former capital, where overseas Chinese businesses, students and personnel were located, state press said.

Broadfoot said China’s response to the disaster, and its cooperation with the international community, was positive.

“It is trying to cooperate with other countries, as opposed to being an independent source of aid to Myanmar,” he said.

But Hariharan said China’s intentions were more selfish than generous.

“China also knows the disaster is too big and the Myanmar government by itself cannot handle it. So it has to accept the international cooperation,” he said.