A powerful earthquake shook Sichuan Province in China on the afternoon of May 12. Like the quickly transmitted seismic waves, the earthquake situation in Wenchuan and other districts was immediately reported along with information on how our government were dealing with the sudden disaster.
The CPC Central Committee and the State Council expressed great concern about this disaster. Party General Secretary Hu Jintao gave immediate instructions to rescue the wounded as soon as possible and ensure the safety of the people in disaster areas. Premier Wen Jiabao rushed to the disaster areas and guided the disaster relief work. The State Council, with Premier Wen as its Commander-in-Chief, established the Earthquake Relief Headquarters. A few hours later, the China Seismological Bureau, the National Committee for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Civil Affairs all provided timely assistance for disaster areas in order to guarantee public safety.
The whole nation felt deep anxiety about the disaster. Within hours neighboring provinces and regions, such as Yunnan and Tibet, sent earthquake experts to help Sichuan. The China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation started an emergency fund-raising initiative. The Red Cross Society of China made tremendous efforts to send out and allocate relief supplies. Innumerable blessings were posted on the Internet to exchange emotions with others; continual short messages were sent in an effort to comfort and warm people's hearts. Everyone felt concerned about each bit of information from disaster areas as well as the safety all involved.
Within hours, the national and local seismological bureaus held several press conferences to release the latest statistical data about the earthquake. The number of casualties had real-time updates on the web, and the media rolled over the news updates constantly.
The national live broadcast quickly publicized the earthquake, alleviating any potential panic among people and comforting the tense public. The media expressed a sense of resolute power mixed with calmness.
Information, "which is concerned with the benefits of citizens, corporations and other organizations, or needs to be known or involved by the public", has to be open to the public. Since the regulations on disclosure of government information were carried out on May 1, the legal system has staunchly demanded that the government be open and transparent.
A comparison between the Wenchuan earthquake with several previous natural disasters clearly shows a distinctive difference in information release speed and means. Information disclosure makes it possible that we could immediately know about sudden disasters and accidents.
4.2 million earthquake emergency short messages were sent at no charge in Guangzhou to ensure the stability of people's hearts; some authorities in Wuhan released the earthquake information by PHS short messages; Tianya Community opens "Please inform the latest news from disaster areas of Sichuan Province", etc.
We share the information. We inspire each other. In this way we have no fear.
(People Daily translated by Wang Wei for China.org.cn, May 13, 2008)