China crisis

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China crisis

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake shook Sichuan Province in China on Monday. It was almost as powerful as the 1976 quake in Tangshan, China, which killed at least 240,000 people. The magnitude of the two natural disasters can be compared to the blast of 252 atomic bombs.
We are speechless. It would be difficult to calculate the amount of damage that occurred and we express our sincere condolences to the Chinese people and its government.
This powerful earthquake was an uncontrollable natural disaster and a humanitarian catastrophe.
It is the responsibility of civilized people to help the Chinese government, which called the quake “a major disaster” and launched its emergency rescue teams.
South Korea, a neighboring country, should step forward and offer help. We should be prepared to work closely with the Chinese government.
The Chinese government is testing its crisis management skills. The powerful tremors occurred just 88 days before the Beijing Olympics, which start on Aug. 8.
China has been suffering of late. There were the heavy snow storms early this year, the Tibet crisis, the Olympic torch protests and the spread of a stomach virus. The Sichuan earthquake has added to the people’s suffering.
The Chinese government was seen to respond to the crisis with speed. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and the People’s Liberation Army rushed to the disaster site to provide support.
We hope China overcomes this tragedy and that the Olympics proceed smoothly. At the same time, we have to pay attention to the crisis in Myanmar.
More than 100,000 people were killed or are missing after Cyclone Nargis hit the delta region of the Ayeyarwady River.
It is meaningless to criticize the country’s military rulers’ response to the disaster. This is another humanitarian crisis and we have to provide the assistance Myanmar needs.
Earthquakes and storms respect no national borders and people of all races suffer.
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