In a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on May 18, Ma Jian, Major General of the Air Force assured that the nuclear bases in Sichuan province were safe. Ma added that “the military base in Sichuan only suffered minor damage. More military forces have been added to guard the region.”
Source: Xinhua, May 19, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-05/19/content_8203735.htm
According to Xinhua (May 15), the Chinese Ministry of Public Security said that so far there have been 17 internet "rumormongers" following the Sichuan earthquake who have been investigated and dealt with. Police found those rumormongers spreading fake information aimed to cause social instability. Public security in eleven provinces and cities including Hebei, Liaoning and Anhui have investigated more than 40 cases of rumors. So far, seventeen people have been dealt with – two were detained, two agreed to sign repentance statements and the other thirteen have been criticized and asked not to do this again.
Source: Xinhua, May 15, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/15/content_8178783.htm
A huge mining deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo and China is getting extra scrutiny as critics say it does not provide enough benefits for ordinary Congolese. But the government says it is crucial to the country’s development. The $9 billion deals call for China to loan $6 billion for infrastructure development and $3 billion for helping revamp the mining sector in exchange for access to mining interests, including cobalt and copper fields. Opposition leaders from the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo say the Congolese government’s contract with China is not a good deal. Congo’s Deputy Minister of Mines Victor Kasongo says "The Western world did not have all that level of money to do that, so now we got the assistance coming from the Asian country."
Source: Voice of America, May 16, 2008
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2008-05-16-voa2.cfm
Southern Weekend published at its home page excerpts of several blog postings on the Sichuan earthquake and the Olympics on May 13, 2008. One posting is titled “With this major earthquake, forget the Olympics.” It says, “Love the Olympics. Love China. Feel free to love anything. But please love us ourselves first. And love humanity and treat humanity as part of our life.”
Another, with the title “At this moment, we need the country to mourn,” states, “For once, let’s lower our national flag for the dignity of life. For once, let’s put the dignity of life first before the Olympic torch. Show to the world by actions. [Life] is part of our national flag and of our country.”
Source: Southern Weekend, May 13, 2008
http://www.infzm.com/
The authorities have fined and reprimanded 4 persons that were found spreading rumors on the Internet about an earthquake, reported the People’s Daily Online on May 13, 2008. These 4 persons are from the cities of Dalian, Langfang, Yuncheng and Jiaozuo. The report stated that they fabricated stories that there would be a major earthquake in Beijing and that the Sichuan earthquake was the result of human errors, with the purpose to attract online visits to their blogs. “The Public Security Department hopes that the broad masses of the people will not believe rumors, or spread rumors. It will enforce the law and strictly penalize those who deliberately create and spread rumors to confuse the people with the ulterior motive to incite unrest.” reported the People’s Daily Online.
Source: People Daily Online, May 14, 2008
http://society.people.com.cn/GB/41158/7235559.html
The State owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) has recently signed a framework agreement with Venezuela’s Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA ) to form two joint ventures, one for heavy oil development in Venezuela and the other for oil refining in China. PDVSA will hold 60% and CNPC 40 % in the development of the joint venture project in Block Junin 4 of the Orinoco belt in Venezuela, with an estimated production capacity of 20 million tons per year. The refinery in China will refine the 20 million ton of crude oil from the Block Junin 4 joint venture. CNPC will hold 60% and PDVSA 40%.
Source: Xinhua, May 13, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/13/content_8162051.htm
Beijing Seismological Bureau said on May 12 that in the near future, Beijing will not see any destructive earthquakes. Earlier, Beijing residents felt jolted at 14:35 on May 12. The shakes lasted about one minute. Gu Yongxin, Deputy Director of Beijing Seismological Bureau, stated that it was the aftermath of the recent Sichuan earthquake. Reports of possible earthquakes in Beijing was dismissed as rumors.
Source: Xinhua, May 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/12/content_8153951.htm
Amid the news of earthquake strike, General Secretary Hu Jingtao Immediately gave out order to rescue the wounded as soon as possible and Premier Wen Jiabao immediately flew to the disaster region to direct the rescue effort. Various other governmental agencies launched emergency operations to support the anti-earthquake relief effort in order to protect the lives and belonging of the people. All these are sufficient proof, claimed by this front page Xinhua commentary, that the Party and the Government are intimately connected with the hearts of the people in the disaster region. Such rapid response has demonstrated to the people the full-hearted determination toward the rescue effort and the deep-affection toward its people by the Party and the Government. This also show-cased the powerful social mobilizing ability of the socialist county, said the article.
Source: Xinhua, May 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/12/content_8154338.htm