I am a foreigner currently in China following the news of the quake both on TV and online. I must say there are several doubts that arose from the deadly quake :
1) the chinese authorities initially refusing foreign rescue teams is the MAIN one for me. Knowing that the first 72 hours is critical for the quake victims' survival, refusal to foreign expertise is inexplainable. The few reasons that i can think of is that they are afraid to show to the world that they are lagging in resuce knowledge and they do not have the advanced equipment. So what they have the world largest population? Like what the British resuce team said :'tunnelling their way through is a better option than using cranes to pull up those rubble'. Another reason would be (like what my friend commented which I feel quite ignorant and offensive) is that those foreign teams are merely here on 'holiday', training up their skills and not really concerned in rescuing chinese people.
2) the local earthquake authority did not inform or forewarn that an earthquake is coming. Tectronics has even reported about TEN MONTHS ago that Sichuan (specifically Beichuan) would experience an earthquake. What are the authority doing? An early warning would have save thousands of lives of their OWN people.
3) 80% to 90% of the schools collapsed during this quake. Moreover some of these buildings are much newer than other older buildings which withstood the quake. Parents of those dead children are so aggrieved that they are accusing of the local authorities of corruption together with those shoddy construction companies. Good thing that the chinese government will look into the matter after the resuce works are completed.
4) Donations are pouring in from all over the world. But really how much is really going into saving those stricken people as we know the chinese are known for their corruption and 'cover-up' work. No, I am not discouraging donation but it should be within your limit and your willingness to let it go knowing that it could end up in some official's pockets.
5) TV is only showing heroic acts from those chinese rescuers and those sadness from those victims. They seldom telecast corpses, the aggrieved's comments and other negativities. No freedom of speech on their media even though it has improved alot recently.
I am a chinese, my forefathers are from mainland China. But I do not see eye to eye to all things here. I agree with one Netizen that yes, China will dominate the world in 10 years but with its current political handling, they could spark a BIG unrest in the future.
eMaLeMay 21st, 2008 - 16:33:36
I am a foreigner currently in China following the news of the quake both on TV and online. I must say there are several doubts that arose from the deadly quake :
1) the chinese authorities initially refusing foreign rescue teams is the MAIN one for me. Knowing that the first 72 hours is critical for the quake victims' survival, refusal to foreign expertise is inexplainable. The few reasons that i can think of is that they are afraid to show to the world that they are lagging in resuce knowledge and they do not have the advanced equipment. So what they have the world largest population? Like what the British resuce team said :'tunnelling their way through is a better option than using cranes to pull up those rubble'. Another reason would be (like what my friend commented which I feel quite ignorant and offensive) is that those foreign teams are merely here on 'holiday', training up their skills and not really concerned in rescuing chinese people.
2) the local earthquake authority did not inform or forewarn that an earthquake is coming. Tectronics has even reported about TEN MONTHS ago that Sichuan (specifically Beichuan) would experience an earthquake. What are the authority doing? An early warning would have save thousands of lives of their OWN people.
3) 80% to 90% of the schools collapsed during this quake. Moreover some of these buildings are much newer than other older buildings which withstood the quake. Parents of those dead children are so aggrieved that they are accusing of the local authorities of corruption together with those shoddy construction companies. Good thing that the chinese government will look into the matter after the resuce works are completed.
4) Donations are pouring in from all over the world. But really how much is really going into saving those stricken people as we know the chinese are known for their corruption and 'cover-up' work. No, I am not discouraging donation but it should be within your limit and your willingness to let it go knowing that it could end up in some official's pockets.
5) TV is only showing heroic acts from those chinese rescuers and those sadness from those victims. They seldom telecast corpses, the aggrieved's comments and other negativities. No freedom of speech on their media even though it has improved alot recently.
I am a chinese, my forefathers are from mainland China. But I do not see eye to eye to all things here. I agree with one Netizen that yes, China will dominate the world in 10 years but with its current political handling, they could spark a BIG unrest in the future.
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