Japan to give Y500 million in aid to quake-hit China as death toll nears 12,000

Wednesday 14th May, 09:35 AM JST

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

Latest 15 of 33 Total Comments Show All

sarcasm123 at 10:49 AM JST - 14th May

Oh dear, some posters here must really hate this news...
jackwz at 11:17 AM JST - 14th May

Chinanese will appreciate japan's help,and i can tell u the nationalism is already cool down,u gays have no ideal how powful the media in China(special it is controlled by government,who is always a stratagem).So,what Chinese need is not the money,even an assistance team,because they can take care of themselves.But a nice gesture let them know will be appreciated,most of chinese people remember friend who help them.
dr_jones at 12:49 PM JST - 14th May

On the other hand... what did China do when the Kobe earthquake hit? Remember?
Hughgarse at 01:58 PM JST - 14th May

They need medical supplies, food, doctors etc.. Money China has.
nucular at 02:23 PM JST - 14th May

"death toll nears 12,000"

Blogosphere already asking about the "Mandate of Heaven" and if this marks the end for the corrupt and venal leaders of Red China.

http://18brumaire.blogspot.com/2008/05/has-china-lost-mandate-of-heaven.html
Seiharinokaze at 02:42 PM JST - 14th May

To: borscht

Yes, I remember the Swiss rescue squad standing on the tarmac with calm yet somewhat painful expressions on their faces. I was impressed by such a prompt humanitarian action that a faraway western country took as a matter of course. Japan should follow. But Japan sent rescue/medical squads to Taiwan and decided to give aid ahead of other countries when the areas around Taipei was hit by a strong earthquake several years ago.
Hikozaemon at 03:04 PM JST - 14th May

This was what was odd to me, according to the news this morning, the Chinese government has asked that the US only provide financial aid and to let them do all the boots on the ground stuff.

I think that if other countries are offering material help, it should be welcomed to help get those people still trapped under rubble out ASAP. Still, I don't doubt that the PLA is fully mobilized dealing with this so perhaps that really is all that they need.

Peace
Fair dinkum! at 03:31 PM JST - 14th May

Why does China need money? How much did they spend on their Tibet campaign?
tako10 at 04:12 PM JST - 14th May

Japanese NGOs and doctors are willing to go there immediately. However, Chinese Consulate General rejected their help because transportation systems are still broken down in the quake hit region.

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/affairs/disaster/080513/dst0805132134014-n1.htm http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/news/20080514-OYT1T00056.htm?from=navr

At the time of Hanshin earthquake, I happened to be in Nishinomiya. The highway was collapsed, and Rt 43 was jammed because of too many vehicles of rescuers, news-media, and emergency vehicles. There was supermarket opened within 10 miles but I could not drive there because of the traffic jam.

What’s happening in Szechuan now is probably much worse than this since the earthquake hit in the mountain area. Too many rescuers may become burden rather than help.
Blue_Tiger at 06:30 PM JST - 14th May

Romulus3 - Chapter and verse, please, where it says in Revelation what you posted. Further, II Peter 3.1-4 says the exact opposite....

As far as this disaster goes, one of my students -- a Mongolian -- asked, "Could this be from God for China's dealings with Tibet?" I told him probably not but at the same time, I will say that God does allow these things to happen.

This is a tragedy on a grand scale, and though I have real, real hard problems with Red China and how she treats her people, especially dissenters, this is no time for politics to get in the way of doing what is right. Same for Myanmar (Burma). I applaud Japan and her government for sending money. At least it is an effort!
Athletes at 07:55 PM JST - 14th May

Blue Tiger!

Natural disaster strikes everywhere. We never know next one may be my house or your house.In 1994, LA was destroyed by earthquake. In 1995, Kobe was hit by earthquake. In 1999, Taichung county of Taiwan was hit by earthquake.

Although latest earthquake epicenter was in Sizhuan, it is very closed to Tibet border. Especially Gansu province which is near epicenter has more Tibetans than Han Chinese too. Some of them were victims too. Why not God spare them? How about Tornado hit the Okalahoma from US? Is this also God punishment for the native American name?

Myanmar Generals oppressed and treated badly to their people. However they are safe, comfortable and sound in new capital known as Nayipaw far away from Cyclone region. The real victims are children, elderly and poor.

When the natural strike, people used to say as God punishments. However only poor and innocent people suffered and died. Not the politicians they hate! I think God has some discrimination.
Nessie at 08:03 PM JST - 14th May

What's the word on the Three Gorges Dam. Has it become the One Gorges Dam?
romulus3 at 09:43 PM JST - 14th May

Blue_Tiger, errr, somewhere in the back
MPLS2 at 06:35 AM JST - 15th May

That's approx USD 5million, what has USA pledged,, hmm USD 500,000, wait isn't the USA in heavy debt, owes alot ironically to the Chinese and Japanese and probably Saudis too..
blaze524 at 02:32 PM JST - 15th May

To the poster that brought up the issue of building codes and implied that the buildings were not built up to standards presumably enjoyed by Western nations... let's keep in mind this was a 7.8 magnitude quake. Not much you can do to prevent it except hope for the best and pick up the pieces afterwards (for reference, look up the 7.2 quake that hit Kobe in 1995). Also, 1.3 billion people...limited space...limited resources. You can build more cheap housing or a smaller number of high quality housing. Given the probability of earthquakes happening (no one forecasts 7.8 quakes when building a house), most people there took the chance with having any roof over their heads rather than suffer the elements the other 364 days of the year.

Anyhow, that was majorly off topic. It would be nice if people decided to focus on the topic at hand instead of trying to link political ideology to a natural disaster at a time like this.