By David Bandurski — On the morning of May 12, just hours before the disastrous magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Sichuan, many readers in the provincial capital of Chengdu would have been poring through the latest edition of Huaxi Metropolis Daily (华西都市报), one of the region’s leading commercial newspapers (which, in fact, broke the Henan Aids epidemic story back in 1999). And the paper would have offered its characteristically dynamic look into city life, in marked contrast to its stiff and stodgy party counterpart, Sichuan Daily.
Sure, the main story that morning leaned a bit toward the party boilerplate — a Xinhua News Agency piece about China’s launch of its own domestic commercial jet manufacturer. Sure, there was an editorial off to the right from Sichuan Daily, blathering on about the party slogan “emancipation of minds” (思想大解放).
But there was plenty else to induce the discerning reader to pluck the paper off the newsstand.

[ABOVE: Front page of the May 12 edition of Sichuan’s Huaxi Metropolis Daily.]

At center was a teaser for a juicy human interest story about a local woman who suddenly went into labor while she was in the car. There were two color photos to tug on the heartstrings, the first of the swaddled newborn, the second of happy new parents (a pair of Mother’s Day stories).
Tags pointed readers to other exciting content inside — coverage of the Cannes Film Festival, where the paper had posted a correspondent, analysis of China’s ping-pong hopes in the upcoming Olympic Games, and a story about a policeman in Chongqing who died of exhaustion at his desk.
Four days later, after the devastation wrought by the Wenchuan earthquake, Huaxi Metropolis Daily looked like a different newspaper altogether.

[ABOVE: Front page of the May 16 edition of Sichuan’s Huaxi Metropolis Daily.]

The difference was not merely that all of the front page news dealt with the earthquake and its impact on the area. That was understandable.
But in its layout the paper had made a sudden return to the habits of its party-paper ancestors. There was no longer any material difference with the layout of the wooden Sichuan Daily, save tiny advertisements for Sanyo and China Mobile, and the welcome respite of a right-hand sidebar.

[ABOVE: Front page of the May 16 edition of Sichuan’s Sichuan Daily.]

There were other important changes too. The space just to the side of the newspaper’s masthead, generally a photo-accompanied teaser for reader-relevant inside coverage, had been scrapped for a Sichuan Daily release about how Sichuan Party Secretary Liu Qibao (刘奇葆) and vice-secretary Jiang Jufeng (蒋巨峰) had “taken the lead in contributing funds” for the relief effort.
All of the coverage on the front page of Huaxi Metropolis Daily was either from the official Xinhua News Agency or from the province’s party mouthpiece, Sichuan Daily.
The lead photograph — indeed, the only large photograph — was of top provincial officials, a clear throwback to the party-paper rule book.
This, of course, is not what we have come to expect from China’s new brand of commercial newspapers.
Since commercial newspapers emerged in China in the mid-to-late 1990s, their coverage has been increasingly distinct from that of the party newspapers, or dangbao (党报), which have persisted in the party news style, a stiff recounting of the actions and decisions of party and government leaders. While party papers have remained true to the media’s historic “mouthpiece” (喉舌) role under the CCP, commercial newspapers have, “propaganda discipline” notwithstanding, offered much more diverse content and a livelier look and feel.
Here’s the front page from the May 17 edition of Shanghai’s Oriental Morning Post, more of what we’ve come to expect from commercially-oriented papers.

For a more thorough look at differences in coverage between party and commercial newspapers, we point readers to CMP’s 2006 case on the corruption scandal involving Beijing mayor Liu Zhihua.
It’s tough to say right now what the reasons are behind Huaxi Metropolis Daily‘s party-retro makeover, or why it seems to have occurred on May 16 (the previous three editions show the paper in reasonably commercial form).
While we know that China’s attitude in handling the disaster has so far been refreshingly open, it is conceivable — though this is purely speculation at this point — that Sichuan’s top party leaders have utilized (not necessarily with the worst of intentions, mind you) local commercial newspapers in order to take advantage of their vastly greater circulations.
Since the 1990s, the circulations of party newspapers throughout China have steadily dropped, and Sichuan’s officialSichuan Daily is no exception. This has presented something of a dilemma for party leaders hoping to get their own messages out to the public.
Of course, we do need to keep in mind that Huaxi Metropolis Daily has dispatched its own reporters to those areas most affected by the quake. An announcement in Friday’s edition, in fact, mentions that the paper has sent out an additional 13 reporters.
And today’s edition, which features an arresting black-and-white photograph of a child’s hand emerging from the rubble, seems to be a return to form for Huaxi Metropolis Daily, even as much of the front-page content remains Xinhua News Agency stuff.
Were the May 16-18 editions design hiccups? Nods to the provincial leadership? For now, we will leave the question open.
Meanwhile, we offer the following front-page images from Huaxi Metropolis Daily, in consecutive order from May 8 to May 19.
Readers may note that the space to the right of the masthead has been used consistently for content since the earthquake struck, a party-paper throwback. Content in this spot is as follows:

May 13 — a teaser from a report from Huaxi’s own reporter
May 14 — official news about top national leaders
May 15 — official news about top national leaders
May 16 — official news from Sichuan Daily about top Sichuan provincial leaders
May 17 — official notice from provincial leaders reported more or less verbatim by one of Huaxi‘s own reporters
May 18 — Xinhua News Agency release about top national leaders

[Posted by David Bandurski, May 19, 2008, 12:45pm HK]

By David Bandurski — In a scurry to live up to CMP’s promise to provide sideline analysis of Chinese media coverage of the Sichuan quake, we offer the following selections from Caijing magazine, one of China’s leading business and current affairs publications (now strongly online), and Xinhuanet, the online site of the official Xinhua News Agency. [Frontpage Image: Screenshot of Caijing online feature page on the Sichuan earthquake.]
Impressionistic and totally unscientific, these selections prove a point, admittedly, that hardly needs proving – that there are substantial differences in reporting style and focus between China’s commercial media and official party outfits like Xinhua and CCTV.
While noting obvious differences, we should also recognize that not all reports from Xinhua, CCTV, China National Radio, etcetera, have focused narrowly on political figures and their movements and emotions.
Having settled on these two sites, we selected the top two to three headlines appearing, in order of prominence, at 6:30pm Hong Kong time, May 15. This is what we came up with.

[ABOVE: Main page of Xinhua News Agency website as it appeared at 6:30pm on May 15.]

The top of Xinhua’s site was dominated by two articles in particular. The first, announced with a banner headline, was called, “72 Hours After the Quake, We Again Sound the Charge to Save Lives.” We’ll let the article’s lead and initial graphs speak for themselves.

According to earthquake experts, the first 72 hours after the disaster occurs is the golden period [in which lives are most likely to be saved]. After 72 hours, the chances of survival for those trapped among the rubble drop dramatically as time passes. But as Wen Jiabao, commander of the relief effort, has said, even if there’s only a one percent chance, we must give one-hundred percent of our effort. While the initial 72 hours have passed, the effort to save lives in the disaster area goes ahead with orderly anxiousness.
The Wenzhou earthquake has tugged at the heartstrings of the CCP. After the earthquake occurred, General Secretary Hu Jintao immediately issued important instructions, demanding that the injured be rescued quickly and the safety of lives in the disaster area be ensured. Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in the disaster area the same day, and he remains on the front lines directing the rescue and relief effort. Army, police, officials, firefighters, medical workers and all manner of relief personnel are getting into the disaster area despite the fact that roads are blocked and heavy equipment cannot make it in.
They climb onto dangerous structures, clear away the rubble, ever faced with the danger of aftershocks, doing everything in their power to save any life that can be saved. According to the latest reports, rescue workers saved 18,277 injured in the disaster area on May 14, bringing the total number of people saved to 64,725.
[The report continues at length, detailing the “tireless efforts” of the rescue teams.]

Below this piece, at the top of the news docket, was an article called, “Reading the Popular Sympathies (民生情怀) of the Premier from His Disaster Relief Journey”. It was essentially a play-by-play look at the actions of Wen Jiabao.

At 2:28pm on May 12 an earthquake measuring 7.8 occurred in Sichuan’s Wenchuan County. The earthquake’s waves were felt in 16 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, including Sichuan, Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Shandong, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing, Jiangsu, Beijing, Shanghai, Guizhou and Tibet.
After the earthquake occurred, the party and government responded at the first moment, and with General Secretary Hu Jintao’s approval, Premier Wen Jiabao moved with resolve to fly to the front lines, despite the imminent danger of aftershocks and the interruption of transportation and communication.
[A detailed description follows of Wen Jiabao’s movements. Who he consulted with. When his plane took off. When he arrived in Sichuan, etc.]

The home page at Caijing‘s website most prominently featured an editorial by Huang Puping (皇甫平) urging postponement of the Olympic torch relay so that all resources could be concentrated on the relief effort. Huang suggested, as an alternative, a symbolic relay of the torch directly from Wenchuan – the quake’s epicenter – to Beijing once China is through the initial phase of rescue and relief work.

[ABOVE: The main page of the Caijing website as it appeared at 6:30pm on May 15.]

The next piece under the “daily news” section was called, “Number of Dead in Sichuan Quake Approaches 20,000”. The article focused on the latest figures for the quake devastation as given by official sources at the provincial level.

The number of dead in Sichuan has risen to 19,500, the number of injured is put at around 100,000, and 13,000 people have been rescued. Rescue teams have still not entered 58 townships.

Zhao Jianfei (赵剑飞), Li Weiao (李微敖), Chengdu – According to information from the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government, the number of dead in the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan province has reached 19,500, up from 5,000 reported yesterday (May 14). The rescue effort is tackling key problems, and the central government has sent an additional 90 helicopters.
At 5:22pm on May 15, the Information Office of the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government held a brief press conference to relay the latest developments in the Wenchuan earthquake disaster and the rescue and relief effort.
Sichuan’s vice-governor, Liu Chengyun (李成云), said that so far 19,500 people had died in the Wenchuan earthquake, an estimated 102,100 people had been injured, and 13,400 people had already been rescued . . .
[Subsequent paragraphs provide further provincial government details on the rescue effort, such as the need to provide maps and coordinates for the 58 townships that had yet to be reached by rescue teams.]

Finally, the second major “daily news” piece reported on the movement of disaster relief supplies into the affected areas. Called, “Why is it so hard to get relief resources into the hand of disaster victims”, the piece provided a rather in-depth look at how the disaster response process worked within the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The report also quotes a United Nations representative in Beijing.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs explains that the primary reason is congestion and blocking of transportation. Air drops are now beginning for those areas that cannot be reached.

Reporter Cao Haili (曹海丽) — In the two days since the Wenchuan earthquake disaster occurred, this correspondent has reported from the scene that disaster victims are in urgent need of relief supplies. But many disaster victims have still not received any help whatsoever. Concerning this problem, a spokesperson from the Information Office of the Ministry of Civil Affairs surnamed Cao explained to the Caijing reporter that this situation has occurred because “supply transports are unable to enter [the area].
According to this source, the Ministry of Civil Affairs put into effect a “Level-Two Response” pre-plan (“二级响应”预案) around 4pm on May 12, within two hours of the quake, deciding that the head of the ministry would organize an earthquake relief working group and travel directly to the disaster area [to oversee the effort].
This so-called “Level-Two Response” was made according to the stipulations of China’s January 11, 2006, “National Disaster Response Plan” (国家自然灾害救助应急预案), in which four response levels were established, Level One being the most severe.
Cao explained to Caijing that they issued a Level-Two response because after the earthquake occurred all communication lines were disrupted, and at the time “we had no idea what the situation was, or how serious it was.” But when the ministry reported to the State Council, Premier Wen Jiabao decided himself to lead the team to the disaster site, and the response was elevated to Level One.
According to the National Disaster Response Plan, the National Disaster Mitigation Committee of the Ministry of Civil Affairs (民政部下属的国家减灾委员会) is the body tasked with overall coordination of relief and rescue efforts in natural disaster situations.
[The article continues to describe in great detail how, “in theory”, responses to disasters are to be coordinated from the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The subject then turns to international aid.]
In terms of aid supplies offered by the international community, Cao said these are also distributed by the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Green channels have already been opened at customs [to facilitate such aid]. Two shipments of supplies from Russia have already arrived in Chengdu. Of course, China is still primarily relying on domestic strength.
Ten countries have already donated aid money and supplies to China. Among international organizations, the United National Children’s Fund has already donated 300,000 U.S. dollars in aid. The United Nations Volunteers representative in Beijing, John Floretta told Caijing that a number of organizations under the U.N. are negotiating and making assessments with their Chinese counterparts in order to determine the scale and nature of relief work by U.N. bodies.
Floretta praised China’s government for its relief work so far, and said that while the U.N. was standing at the ready, he believed “it is not yet the time for the United Nations to send relief workers.” Unlike 30 years ago, he said, China today had sufficient financial resources and organizational ability to deal with this natural disaster. If foreign aid workers were let in now, this might cause distraction due to problems of communication and other obstacles, impacting the effectiveness of rescue and relief work.

[Posted by David Bandurski, May 16, 2008, 4:45pm HK]

By David Bandurski — As we head into the fourth day of earthquake coverage, media reporting still seems to be going on in an atmosphere of relative openness. There are no indications yet that authorities have called off the sniffer dogs of the commercial media — though we should bear in mind that various and sundry directives are coming down concerning coverage. If time allows, we’ll attempt a cursory comparison of earthquake coverage in various media. For now, here is CMP director Qian Gang‘s latest commentary on the crisis, which appears on the Caijing magazine website. [Homepage image: Screenshot of news coverage of the quake at Sohu.com].
We encourage readers, while they are at the Caijing site, to check out the magazine’s dispatches from the scene of the disaster.

“We Must Face the Disaster Victims with Great Tolerance”
By Qian Gang (钱钢)
I appeal to those commanding the relief effort: do not capriciously wield the crime of “destroying the disaster relief effort” (破坏抗震救灾), and employ milder means to resolve social strife in the disaster-affected area . . .
The relationship between the government and the people is brought dramatically to the forefront in cases of major disasters like this one. Power is entrusted by the people (权为民所授). The government’s overall planning for the disaster relief effort must be subordinated to the needs and interests of the people, and the government must accept the scrutiny of the people in the disaster area, even if they harshly find fault. As the wide-scale relief effort is underway, I call on [the government] to have a tolerant and merciful attitude toward those disaster victims who by great stroke of fortune escaped this major disaster. They must be treated kindly and respected.
I have no doubt that the government will spare no effort in saving those living among the rubble. Nor do I have any doubt that the government will put a strong emphasis on immediate needs such as food supplies, drinking water, tent shelters, clothing and blankets, and that these will arrive as the roads are cleared. This [effort] is being conveyed now, and will continue to be conveyed to the world through the lens of China Central Television. And in the following days, we will without fail see the glint of appreciative tears and hear heartfelt commendation of the party and the government.
However, those of us watching from outside can scarcely understand the depth of the pain those in the disaster area feel right now as they live among the wreckage. Wang Zhenyao (王振耀), head of the emergency relief division of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, was right when he said that while our policies are about principles (我们的政策是原则性的), the sufferings of ordinary people are concrete. The people in the disaster area have seen their families broken and lives lost. Mothers have lost their children. These people face sufferings that beggar the imagination, and each family has a different story of tragedy, and its own psychological and spiritual burden . . .
Facing the turbulent emotions of the disaster victims, we cannot simply say, “The People’s Liberation Army has come! Long live the people’s army!” We must also say, “Our rescue teams were obstructed by hardships, and rescue teams should have arrived earlier!” The government should give ear to their quarrels and even their anger, and must patiently explain the facts of the situation facing them and their actions and decision-making. In the long, hard days ahead in the relief effort, it is possible that sentiment will stir among the masses of disaster victims, and the government must face this with understanding and tolerance.
The Chinese people, who have faced many disasters, have a tradition of forbearance and reticence. But in thirty years of economic reform . . . a consciousness of rights has awakened in the people. Dumb silence has given way to public clamor. The ordinary people have numerous and various demands, and these demands will sometimes be expressed in irrational ways. In the unsettled disaster area, the government must ensure social stability for the safety of the people. But specific moves and measures to ensure order must not take the shape of haughty efforts to control the population in the disaster area (决不应是对灾民居高临下的管控).
I appeal to those commanding the relief effort: do not capriciously wield the crime of “destroying the disaster relief effort”, and employ milder means to resolve social strife in the disaster-affected area. How precious is this word, “harmony”!

[Posted by David Bandurski, May 16, 2008, 10:15am HK]
TODAY’S NEWS:
“China OKs 4 Foreign Rescue Teams“, AP via Time.com, May 16, 2008
“School Collapse in Focus as China Buries Quake Dead“, Reuters, May 16, 2008
“Black-hearted” conmen bid for China quake charity“, Reuters, May 16, 2008
UNRELATED:
“CNN Apologizes to China Over Tibet Comments“, New York Times, May 16, 2008

By David Bandurski — CMP has confirmed with sources inside China’s media that the CCP’s Central Propaganda Department (中宣部) has issued “numerous” directives on coverage of the Sichuan earthquake, including a directive against “critical reporting” on the disaster. The general atmosphere for coverage, however, seems to remain relatively open. While media have been instructed to follow the lead of central party media – Xinhua News Agency, CCTV and company – regional commercial media can and are, for the moment, pursuing the story with intensity. [Homepage Image: Screenshot of earthquake coverage on the news page at Netease.]
We’ll summarize, analyze and translate that coverage as we can.
For now, though, we include the latest piece from CMP director Qian Gang, in which he urges leaders to move quickly to the next level of disaster relief planning, addressing the potential collateral effects of the earthquake.

“Science and Expertise: This is What our Brothers and Sisters in Need Hope For”
By Qian Gang (钱钢)
At last the rescue teams have entered Wenchuan. While the manpower and equipment reaching the disaster area still lack the scale and effectiveness needed, this is a crucial turning point. It means that rescue work has begun in earnest in the heart of the disaster area.
We have every reason to expect that after today, May 15, the rescue work in the earthquake-affected area will move rapidly into high gear. Saving lives, staving off epidemic disease and settling the disaster victims [will become the next priority] . . . as thousands throng into the cramped spaces available. As countless anxious souls are thrust together, new challenges will emerge: chaos, congestion, and instructions [from authorities] overlapping or in direct conflict.
What is most urgently needed now is a high level of crisis management ability (高水平的危机管理能力). Our nation has great strengths and resources it can rally together, but in preventing and minimizing disaster situations there has always been lack of coordination between different government agencies. We have no standing body (常设机构) tasked with organizing and coordinating disaster relief efforts. Even though we have teams to deal with the various aspects of an emergency situation, these are separate strands, not twisted into a single unified system. At this moment, we have various different disaster relief teams working on various complex disaster relief matters in a dynamic, rapidly changing situation, so that leaders operating and controlling the relief effort face immense challenges. And the level and efficiency of logistical command is a matter of life and death for tens of thousands.
Those in command must have a thoroughly clear macro-view of the “disaster area”. Disaster relief resources (and not just seismic waves) must radiate out from Wenchuan across the whole Chengdu plain, from the Chengdu plain to the Chuanyu (川渝) region [Chongqing and the Jialing River] to the central plains (中原), to the southeast. The entire disaster relief effort must become a tight, rationally managed systematic effort (科学严密的系统工程). Right now, rescuing survivors has already become the overriding mission. At the same time, I urge those in command to handle the following tasks:
To seek out hidden collateral problems (次生灾害的隐患点) that might arise with the greatest urgency possible. All water reservoirs, oil depots, petrol stations, chemical storage facilities, stores of military explosives, areas where landslides are an imminent risk, or where they have already backed up river currents, geological prospecting and exploration sites that might give off dangerous fumes, all must be sought out quickly, demarcated clearly and strictly controlled with the best possible resources.
Assemble the most experienced experts, and let them turn their expertise toward organizing air and land transport issues that are becoming more complicated by the day. At present, the disaster zone is a war zone. Right now, transport and dispatch orders should be regarded with the same seriousness as military orders.
Epidemic prevention teams should be sent out in force. Aircraft sprays should be carried out immediately to stave of disease. From here on out, strict standards must be enforced for the work of burying the dead.
Expert teams must be deployed immediately to begin repairs to the electrical and gas grid so crucial to cities and towns.
Our brothers and sisters in Hong Kong have already begun relief campaigns. A lot of people ask: How can we quickly reach the disaster area? How can we help the disaster victims? At the same time, people in Taiwan and overseas have made urgent offers of aid and assistance. I believe that we should put great stock in relief experts and medical experts from Hong Kong, Taiwan and other countries, and should seek to benefit from their expert opinions. [IHT: “Japan to send disaster relief team to China to join effort to rescue quake victims“].
Lastly, we should reconsider the persistent deployment of army soldiers [in rescue work]. A disaster of this magnitude cannot possibly be resolved in a space of a few weeks, and we should ready ourselves mentally and spiritually for a prolonged effort. We must have teams in reserve, and must allow time for exhausted soldiers doing rescue work on the front lines to recoup.
In a word, our hearts must be hot, but our minds must be cool. Big words and empty speeches, gaudy, showy and useless old habits, documents that parade their achievements to those on top, posing and dramatizing for the camera lens . . . At this moment, let this all pass away! Science and expertise is what our brothers and sisters in need hope for most.

[Posted by David Bandurski, May 15, 2008, 4:21pm HK]
MORE ON RELIEF DEVELOPMENTS:
“Phones coming back to service at China quake epicenter“, Xinhua, May 15, 2008
“Quake-hit China appeals for shovels“, AFP, May 15, 2008
First-hand Accounts of Relief Volunteer Workers, Barking at the Sun Blog, May 15, 2008
“China girl’s legs amputated to free her from rubble,” John Ruwitch, Reuters, May 15, 2008
“AP Video shows China quake’s first moments,” AP, May 15, 2008

By David Bandurski — In the recent two to three years, editorial pages have become one of the most dynamic parts of China’s changing media landscape. Writers of current affairs editorials, or shiping (时评), often come from widely varying backgrounds, from professional journalists to lawyers, businesspeople and engaged citizens. The following is a quick look at some of the editorials cropping up in today’s newspapers dealing with the earthquake in Sichuan.
Before we get on with our summaries, however, it’s worth noting that Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao (联合早报) is reporting “unverified” news that China’s propaganda department has issued a directive on earthquake coverage, calling for use of only official reports from Xinhua News Agency, CCTV and other central party media. We can only hope that this is not the case, as it would contradict the apparent move toward more open coverage over the last 36 hours and quickly put an end to hopes for a more competitive news environment.
Will China’s commercial media (and most of its top professional journalists) be shut out? Tomorrow may tell.
Turning to the editorials, in a piece called “Please Turn the Media Lens More to the Disaster Victims” in today’s Yangtse Evening Post, writer Tao Duanfang (陶短房) urges against the official news style, in which news stories focus less on information about the disaster and more on the deeds of government leaders. The most high-profile example of this, naturally, would be Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to the scene of the earthquake. The only true main characters in this drama right now, says Tao, should be those who have been affected:

Not long after the disaster occurred, governments at various levels and other relevant parties made their urgent responses — the rescue teams organized and moved out, the gathering of aid supplies and their delivery began, information about the disaster began to come out, and relevant leaders quickly went themselves to the front lines to inspect and direct the rescue effort. These measures were timely and appropriate, and they worked toward containing the losses caused by the earthquake and rapid rendering of help and comfort to those affected.
At this time, though, while of course people care about which leaders are heading to which disaster-struck areas, they care much more about how many buildings were destroyed, how many people died, and how many people are still trapped. At this time, of course people care about whether certain army units have been dispatched, about which relevant [government] departments are buzzing with activity, and about the deeds of heroes. But they care much more about where those affected by the disaster are to live, what they are to eat, how many have no home to return to. At this time, of course people are willing to listen to this or that government office talking about what they have already or are planning to do for the disaster victims and the disaster area. But they want more to hear those affected speak for themselves and say what they need the world outside to do for them. At this time, the disaster area and the disaster victims are the only true main characters. Only by listening more to the voices of these characters, by looking at their images, can those of us thousands or tens of thousands of miles distant truly understand what we can do to help, and what we should do.

In Guangzhou’s New Express (新快报), a commercial spin-off of the official Guangzhou Daily, lawyer Gu Zexu (顾则徐) argues in an editorial called “Rapidly Open the Door to International Assistance” that China should move quickly to take advantage of foreign assistance, which it has up to now been reluctant to accept:

Unlike the disaster relief effort that followed the Spring Festival snowstorms, Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in the Sichuan disaster area soon after the earthquake, and this means that the various disaster relief forces are under unified leadership and therefore wrangling can be lessened and the effectiveness of rescue and relief work raised.
But I believe this is not enough. Even though China has a large and efficient political disaster response mechanism (政治性应急机制) and capacity, it does not necessarily have sufficiently effective mechanisms for dealing with natural disasters and humanitarian crises. In such a situation, opening the door to international assistance is an option that should be seriously considered . . .
The recent typhoon disaster in Burma offers a very real lesson. Because the Burmese junta lacks the resources to do relief work on its own and has been slow in accepting international assistance, the progress of the rescue and relief effort has suffered, with even more disastrous consequences for those impacted [by the typhoon]. I think that in midst of this disaster, China’s government should put the lives of the people above all other principles, gathering and using all resources available, both domestic and foreign. The resolve to open up our doors to international assistance would dramatically help the disaster relief effort.

The writer then outlines what he sees as the three benefits of accepting international assistance: 1) raising the efficiency of the relief effort, 2) receiving aid and charitable donations from overseas, 3) learning the most advanced techniques for rescue and disaster relief.
In its lead editorial, or shelun (社论), the Information Times (信息时报) expressed its disappointment today that “monopoly state enterprises” had not been stepping up to the plate and offering assistance for the rescue and relief effort, in stark contrast to the generosity of the general public and Chinese celebrities:

The Wenchuan earthquake has drawn the attention of the whole nation, and people all over the country have moved quickly to extend a helping hand to the devastated disaster area. [Film star] Andy Lau (刘德华), [film director] Feng Xiaogang (冯小刚) and other famous artists have not only donated their own money but also urged their professions to follow suit. In addition, a number of well-known companies have given to the relief effort, among them Suning (苏宁电器), which has given five million yuan . . .
The tide of donations from the entertainment industry and companies allows us to see the responsibility of “social citizens” (社会公民). Under their example, I trust that the whole country will see one after another wave of giving to the disaster area. But in the midst of this tide of giving, what we have not seen is the shadow of our monopoly state enterprises (垄断国企), and we can only say that this is extremely regrettable. Naturally, we may begin to see these monopolies giving assistance, but the fact that we have not seen them stepping up with the proper sense of duty is something that leaves a bad taste in our mouths.

[Posted by David Bandurski, May 14, 2008, 6:15pm HK]

By David Bandurski — The China Media Project has been inundated with phone calls from journalists trying to reach our director, Qian Gang, author of The Great Tangshan Earthquake (唐山大地震) [more on Tangshan here]. Unable to answer all interview requests, Qian Gang has issued the following response to the Wenchuan earthquake, published in today’s edition of Southern Metropolis Daily:

These Three Days are Crucial for the Rescue Effort
By Qian Gang
Over the last day, I’ve received phone calls from many media. As I’ve been on the road, I know many others who are keen to reach me have been unable to make contact. I cannot answer everyone’s questions concerning this major quake, so I’ll express my feelings here in Southern Metropolis Daily – the saving of lives hangs on these three days, and at this moment nothing is more urgent than saving lives!
Up to the night of the 13th, reports about the earthquake continued to lack sufficient detail. The rescue teams were already on the scene beginning a wide-scale rescue effort. By this time countless people trapped desperately beneath the rubble had already spent their first night and day of terror cut off from all help. The experience of Tangshan teaches us that this is the most dangerous period of time. There are aftershocks, collapsed buildings continue to shift, and there are thousands, possibly tens of thousands, trapped under ceilings and bricks and steel reinforcements. Many are already injured. They are without water, without food, their spirits on the brink of collapse. Most people will be unable to last more than three days.
The arrival of rescue teams at the scene of the earthquake is already later than was the case for the Tangshan earthquake 32 years ago. The first urgent task of these hours is to fight for and save lives. I urge journalists dispatched to the scene of the quake to draw lessons from Tangshan and from the September 21 [1999] quake in Taiwan. We hope the rescue workers reach the scene as quickly as possible. Time will not wait . . .
Some of my friends in the media have already turned their attention to the question of responsibility (问责) and looking back (反思). I want to say to you — all of this you want to do should be done, but now is not the time. The behavior of some media, which have reported already within prescribed themes before information about the quake is even clear, or which have played the story from certain angles, is even more inappropriate. There is nothing more important than human beings. In these few days, as millions of lives hang in the balance, let us observe together this great war to save lives. Let us offer what advice we can to those leading the effort, help and encourage those rescuers venturing into the earthquake zone, and say a prayer for our brothers and sisters in darkness — hang in there!
I also appeal to the leaders [of the rescue effort] as they move with urgency to remain clearheaded and have a scientific attitude (科学态度). Please treasure the lives and efforts of those comrades and rescue workers. They must not, as with the Tangshan earthquake, go in bare-fisted and rush headlong into things. Move quickly to get major machinery to the scene, and at the very least ensure the rescuers have all the basic tools necessary. In real-time media broadcasts, we must not dramatize with the lives of our comrades and try to put on a show (作秀).
These are moments in which we are beset with concern. The night of the 12th was a restless night for many, in which we huddled by our television sets. As I returned to Hong Kong from Beijing, all along the road people were concerned and talking about Wenchuan (汶川). This is the fiercest earthquake to hit China since the 1976 quake in Tangshan, and yet the response and [rescue] planning met with dangers and frustrations from the outset. The seriousness of this test very possibly surpasses our imagination.
All spouting out is at this moment to no purpose. We must act! What we need most right now is action, and that begins with saving lives.

[Posted by David Bandurski, May 14, 2008, 12:45pm HK]

By David Bandurski — In veteran journalist Chang Ping‘s latest piece, featured in today’s Southern Metropolis Daily, the value of freedom of speech once again becomes personal, a backward push against the recent nationalistic wave in China that has pitted “patriotism” against “universal values” regarded as “Western” and traitorous. Chang, who apparently has family in Chengdu, writes of yesterday’s devastating earthquake in Sichuan: “Before now, arguing from the standpoint of press theory, I’ve repeatedly urged the government to consider the public’s demand for information . . . Today, as someone directly involved, I feel much more deeply the sense of anxiety and suspense.”
Chang specifically targets the recent uptick across China in police arrests of citizens, in many cases Web users, who disseminate so-called “false information” about public emergencies and other issues.
The piece also refers to a number of indications that early clues to possible geological activity were ignored, including the disturbing suggestion surfacing in chatrooms that some geologists anticipated a major geological event but were told to keep a lid on their views over fears of widespread panic. [UPDATE: The “Black and White Cat” blog has a good post on debunking of the “geologist” post. Chang Ping’s point about police arrests taken, we have to remember much of the available information may be wrong, or even malicious. The debunking process itself arguably demonstrates Chang’s point that the “rumors will cease of their own” if speech is unhindered].
Chang’s editorial follows in full. [Homepage image: Screenshot of charitable earthquake campaign “Our Hearts Are Together” featured on today’s news page at Sina.com].
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As We Face Powerful Quakes, Please Give Consideration to the Information Needs of the People
By Chang Ping (长平)
At noon on May 12 a telephone from a friend delivered the terrible news: it’s an earthquake, and everyone has run out onto the streets! Having no means or thought of confirming the news, I turned and told my colleagues. Not long after, the news began to come out through MSN, mobile instant messages and telephone calls. Everyone was exchanging words and information. Try as I might, I could not reach my relatives in Sichuan by phone, and I was anxious. In those moments my greatest hope, aside from reaching them directly, was to get my hands on whatever information I could.
While Xinhua News Agency rapidly released information confirming that an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale had rocked Wenchuan in Sichuan Province (四川汶川) resulting in major injury and loss, this was not enough to satisfy people — they needed to know more. As the phone lines failed to ring through, various rumors multiplied. I even sent various information to friends and colleagues hoping for feedback from their end. As a professional journalist, I understood that the vast majority of this information could not possibly be verified, that the police regarded it as the transmission of rumors (传播谣言) punishable by criminal detention. But as someone with relatives in the area affected by the earthquake, I couldn’t stop myself from seeking whatever information I could through these means. And I know I’m not the only person in China at the moment who is unsettled.
As night arrived, the information available on the Internet grew. A Web posting from two days earlier said: “I’ve just seen earthquake clouds, and I don’t know where a 6.0 or above earthquake is going to appear today or tomorrow.” Another respondent who claimed to be a geologist came out and said that they had earlier predicted an event, but that they were not permitted to release [information] for fears of creating panic. Yet another person [Web user] dug out earlier news that a mass migration of butterflies had been spotted in the city of Mianzhu (绵竹), a clear sign . . . Of course, most of the information concerned the disaster-struck area and rumors of the number of dead. This information was clearly unreliable, and it was difficult to tell what was true or false. Together they all spoke to a single problem, and that is the fierce appetite for information people have when faced with a public event (公共事件).
Before now, arguing from the standpoint of press theory, I’ve repeatedly urged the government to consider the public’s demand for information. I’ve demanded openness of government information (政府信息公开), and freedom for the media to report (媒体采访自由). Today, as someone directly involved, I feel much more deeply the sense of anxiety and suspense. I don’t think it will cross people’s minds to falsify and transmit information — they simply want to know more. If we look at this as part of a normal process, we see that while there may be a few people deliberately blowing things out of proportion, but most information is coming from people who have a desire to know the truth. Everyone is seeking out their relatives and loved ones. Moreover, those who receive information, with a normal degree of intelligence, can determine what is probably false among the wealth of information available . . .
I confess that I’m worrying about my relatives on the one hand and the police on the other. Because I know, given the reasoning behind previous police arrests, that they can take me in and hold me for several days on charges of dissemination rumors (传播谣言). It was just in the last couple of days that Chengdu police arrested several citizens protesting the Pengzhou Petrochemical Project on the grounds that they were inventing lies (编造), holding demonstrations (散布) and playing up various rumors (炒作各种谣言). On the same grounds, police in Shandong arrested a Web user who disseminated information about the number of people who died in the April 28 train disaster.
How much harm did these people actually cause? Like me right now, they simply wanted more people to know the truth. They care about their own homes, just as I care for my own relatives.
Therefore, for those who have transmitted information in the midst of this earthquake, including myself and my friends and the various strangers who have provided me with information, if it cannot be convincingly shown that their actions had malicious intent and severe social consequences (造成严重的社会后果), even if they incorrectly relay an erroneous message, we ask that you show understanding. Besides, if the truth is disclosed in a timely manner, then the rumors will cease of their own.

[Posted by David Bandurski, May 13, 2008, 10:27am HK]