A devastating earthquake that jolted Wenchuan county and other adjacent areas in western China on May 12 has filled people around China with a gnawing worry. It reminds people of another quake that had hit the city of Tangshan in north China's Hebei province 32 years ago. Both are major quakes measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale.
Thirty-two years ago, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the sleeping city of Tangshan in the wee hours of early morning. Then, it was Li Yulin, a Tangshan resident, who reported the occurrence of the quake to central authority. Right after the tremor, he stopped an ambulance on the way, embarked on it, and four hours later reached Zhongnanhai in Beijing, the headquarters of the central leadership before he reported to Chinese leaders about the quake.
Today, after the tremor was felt, people nationwide learned in a matter of a dozen minutes the occurrence of the quake via television, mobile phones and Internet, such as where is the epicenter, what is the magnitude of the quake and where its seismic waves have reached, etc.
In the quake rescue and relief 32 years ago, officers and men of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) did not have any large-size equipment or tools but had to use such tools like picks, and they rescued quake victims from under debris with their bare hands. Today, mechanized forces soon assembled at the quake-hit areas, with all kinds of vehicles on the land, varies types of aero-planes overhead and different kinds of vessels and speedy boats.
People could only offered limited financial and material assistances, as they were not affluent at all then due to a slow-developing economy with a weak national economic strength 32 years ago, Today, all kinds of transport vehicles heavily-loaded with relief goods and materials have reached the quake-hit areas in an endless stream to ensure that survivors are well fed and clad and accessible to medical treatment even though we are only initially well-to-do at present.
Meanwhile, today, timely appropriations from the state finances, and relief goods and materials at the disposal of the China Charity Federation and the Red Cross Society of China and donations contributed from across China have arrived and are arriving at the quake-hit areas through varied channels
The most directly perceived of the tremendous changes brought by the three decades of reform is, of course, the matter. The more in-depth change, however. is related to people and their mentality. It is precisely due to the emancipation of people's mind and information openness that we no longer take calamities as classified, confidential secrets or "negative information" and feel worried night and day because of possible rumors. All types of media across China reported the quake as soon as it occurred and, in the following day, a couple of mainstream Chinese media organs released several crucial articles of vital importance concerning the timely release of important information, the real situation of the quake and the importance of releasing information promptly. People acquired huge quantities of the related information from the media and websites in a single day, and so there was no room for hearsay to be spread.
We have come to recognize that we should speak out what is on our mind if the whole nation is to be united as one. While taking an active part in the relief effort, media and general public should join efforts inductively in reducing losses. As all people are convinced that a nation with sincerity, warm-heatedness and an aspiration to help one another, a responsible government with an openness and a reasoning power, and an unimpeded avenue for information release with much transparency and openness have redoubled our confidence when faced with an unexpected disaster.
Another scourge befell us after an interval of 32 years. However, we have carrid out 30 years of reform and opening up after all and China has undergone earth-shaking changes during this period after all, and we have amassed the 30 years of spiritual and material strength, and so we are all the more sure of ourselves to overcome misfortune.
The year 2008 is sure to be an unforgettable year for people in China, in which we will usher in the 30th anniversary of the launch of the reform and opening-up endeavor and greet the incoming Beijing Olympic Games that the Chinese people have had longed for a whole century. Of course, we have also met early in the year with blizzards rare in the past decades, and the devastating quake in the mid-year.
Nevertheless, "trials and tribulations regenerate nation," as a popular Chinese saying goes. The Chinese nation has never feared any difficulties and hardships, as we have accumulated the three decades of strength, and we shall also display our unprecedented courage, staunchness and hopes.
By People's Daily Online and its author is Li Tianyang, deputy desk editor of the Xinmin Evening News based in Shanghai
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