China's quake-ravaged areas remain open to overseas journalists in time of disaster relief as well as rebuilding, a Chinese government official said?Wednesday.
"Our open policy remains unchanged. Overseas reporters are welcome to the quake-hit areas in Sichuan Province to cover disaster relief, resettlement of residents as well as reconstruction," said Wang Guoqing, deputy director of the Information Office of the State Council.
Wang said some foreign reporters had complained of difficulties in accessing certain areas of Sichuan. "We will do our best to help them," he told Xinhua in the provincial capital Chengdu.
The 8.0-magnitude earthquake on May 12 aroused widespread concern across the globe, and a multitude of journalists, rescuers, relief workers and volunteers have flooded into Sichuan ever since.
Four weeks after the quake, the death toll stood at 69,146 as of Tuesday noon, with 374,072 people injured and 17,516 missing.
(Xinhua News Agency June 11, 2008)