China has announced the establishment of an earthquake emergency response and rescue center. An opening ceremony was held Thursday at the China Seismological Bureau in Beijing, CCTV reported.

Officials say the Beijing center is part of the country's earthquake rescue network, which will include two other earthquake forecast and prevention systems.

China aims to develop the center into an advanced search-and-rescue base. Its major tasks will include conducting scientific inspections and rescue work at the scenes of earthquakes, as well as joining international rescue operations.

(CCTV October 29, 2004)