China warned yesterday that the death toll from its worst earthquake in a generation could climb past 80,000, as visiting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pledged the world’s support.
The UN chief came to Yingxiu, the epicenter of the 8.0-magnitude earthquake that turned Yingxiu, a town of 10,000 people in southwestern Sichuan Province, into rubble.
“My heart was filled with sadness by all this devastation,” Ban told journalists after the visit.
“At the same time I saw myself the leadership of the Chinese ministers who are working hard to overcome this tragedy with the strong spirit of self-help and cooperation, resilience and courage. I was very much moved,” he said.
“If we work hard we can overcome this. The whole world stands behind you and supports you,” Ban said.
Ban met Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶) as nearby workers in protective suits sprayed disinfectant to curb disease and the stench of corpses.
Wen said the death toll from the tragedy had crossed 60,000, a jump of more than 4,000 from a day earlier.
Fatalities “may further climb to a level of 70,000, 80,000 or more,” said the premier, who held hands with Ban at their outdoor meeting.
China has already said that more than 5.47 million people have been made homeless by the quake and more than 11 million people are expected to be housed in camps as dangerous areas in the quake zone are evacuated.
Russia yesterday sent eight planeloads of aid including tents, blankets and field hospitals, while Saudi Arabia pledged US$50 million.
In a boost for the relief effort, China said yesterday that the main railway connecting Sichuan Province’s capital, Chengdu, with the central city of Baoji had reopened after more than 12 days.
The government has said it would take up to three years to reconstruct Sichuan, where one in five people in quake-hit areas has been made homeless.
Also see: Earthquake gives public relations boost to Beijing
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique