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After 2008 earthquake:
China 'grateful' for international help
CHINA: China and its people were deeply grateful for the
international help they received after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake,
said a white paper issued here Monday.
The white paper on "China's Actions for Disaster Prevention and
Reduction," issued by the State Council (cabinet) Information Office,
said donations came from more than 170 countries and more than 20
international organizations.
Cash donations totaled 4.4 billion yuan (644.94 million U.S. dollars)
and there were also large amounts of relief materials sent to China.
Professional rescue and medical teams from Russia, Japan, the
Republic of Korea and Singapore came to help with emergency relief.
Nine medical teams comprising 223 medical and technical workers were
sent by the governments of the United Kingdom, Japan, Russia, Italy,
France, Cuba, Indonesia, Pakistan and the Red Cross of Germany to
participate in medical aid in devastated areas of Sichuan and Gansu
provinces.
The paper said in Beichuan County, Sichuan, one of the worst-hit
areas, 16 volunteers from countries including the United States, United
Kingdom and Mexico started rescue work immediately after arrival.
A UK rescue team of 10 volunteers also searched for victims and the
missing in the same area. Satellite operators in Japan, Italy and the
United States offered remote-sensing images of the quake-hit areas to
China, the paper added.
China released the white paper Monday to mark the first anniversary
of the devastating Wenchuan earthquake and its first "Disaster
Prevention and Reduction Day", which both fall on May 12.
Beijing, mONDAY, Xinhua |
