BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — Eight Chinese police officers have been confirmed dead in Tuesday’s 7.3-magnitude earthquake in Haiti. Four of them were members of the UN peacekeeping mission. The other four were sent by the Chinese authorities on a temporary mission.

    With devotion, expertise and even at the cost of their own lives, Chinese peacekeepers in Haiti followed the spirit of humanitarianism and a faith in peace. Their work will always be remembered.

    Working in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, these Chinese “blue helmets,” as UN peacekeepers are commonly called, braved social unrest, tropical diseases and natural disasters to bring peace and stability to this distant Caribbean nation.

    Since 2004, China has sent eight batches of peacekeeping police to Haiti. Before the quake, a total of 142 Chinese police officers were deployed in Haiti as part of the UN peacekeeping mission.

    Their impeccable service and high discipline, together with their professionalism and devotion to peace have won respect from both the United Nations and local people.

    Hedi Annabi, head of the UN Stability Mission in Haiti, who also died in the quake, had spoke highly of the performance of the Chinese peacekeepers.

    ”I have the chance to see the professionalism of China’s police force and a Chinese policeman become director of an important UN police department in Haiti. They are all doing well,” he had told Xinhua in an interview.

    China, as a responsible big nation, has been actively taking part in UN peacekeeping missions in war-torn regions across the world.

    Statistics show that China has so far sent 12,753 troops to 18 UN peace missions. It has also sent 1,571 police on UN peacekeeping missions to East Timor, Bosnia, Kosovo, Liberia, Afghanistan, Haiti and Sudan.

    UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised China’s outstanding peacekeeping efforts. As one of the most important members of the United Nations, “you now rank among our top 10 contributors of both funds and peacekeeping forces,” Ban said.

    UN Under-Secretary-General Alain Le Roy also praised China’s contributions to world peace and expressed gratitude to the Chinese peacekeepers in Darfur for their outstanding performance.

    As the biggest developing country, China holds dear the lofty ideal of lasting world peace and universal prosperity.

    To realize this ideal, the country is making its due contribution to world peace, stability and development. The eight Chinese police officers who died in the Haiti quake sacrificed their lives in following this lofty faith.

    URUMQI, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — Having plagued by blizzards and cold snaps over the past weeks, Altay in the northern part of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, however, is bringing fun to locals with snow nearly 50 cm thick on average on its pastures.

    Altay, boasting one of the longest history of skiing with ancient rock paintings discovered there depicting skiing activities dating back to 12,000 years ago.

    To mark one of the origin places for skiing around the world, awinter ski festival is being held at Mount Jiangjun ski run in Altay. The festival has attracted 105 people of Kazakh and Mongolians ethnic groups from all parts of Altay and neighboring areas to strive for the 5th Champion of the traditional Kazakh-style skiing.

    Last week saw 1 meter of snow fall in some areas of Altay, with temperature touching the low point of minus 42 degree Celsius.

    However, such snow and coldness did not dispel local people’s passion for skiing and other fun in winter. Apart from the above-mentioned contestants, thousands of tourists and ski fans have been tempted to the ski run.

    Guo Dandan, the first Chinese style-ski world champion, said that the ski run was one of the best ones in China, and the snow condition there was of world-class.

    Altay Mountains are situated on the conjunction of China, Kazakhstan, Russia and Mongolia and in the very center of Asia. The far distance away from oceans makes the area cold, but less windy, which allows the perfect conditions for skiing.

    In ancient days, people of the local Kazakh ethnic group used the ski-boards for hunting, and the tradition has been passed on to present day.

    According to Nils Larsen, an American expert having documented skiing in the Altay Mountains since 2005, use of single pole and horse furs in the bottom of ski board make the traditional Kazakh-style skiing in Altay stands out in the sport worldwide.

    ”There are also some traditional ski styles in Russia and some of the Scandinavian countries, but the one in Altay is probably the best retained. And Altay itself is such an interesting and beautiful place, I have kept coming back every year since the first time I was here,” said Nils, who is trying to make his second documentary about skiing in Altay Mountains.

    Actually, there is more than ski in Altay. Since 2003, ice-engraving has gradually become a very important part of life in Altay winter. There are more than 50 pieces of ice-engraving works exhibited this winter. The illuminations at night make the ice sculptures look even more beautiful. Lots of local families enjoy the icy art works on the spot.

    ”The snow this year was probably the heaviest I’ve ever seen. Indeed it has caused troubles to some extent. But I love snow and winter, since it brings more fun,” said Murat, a 17-year old Kazakh who went for the ice-engraving park with his family.

    BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday expressed deep condolences over the death of eight Chinese police officers who died in the Haiti quake and sent words of comfort to their family members.

    Hu, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission, ordered the proper handling of issues arising from the police officers’ deaths.

    Other senior Chinese leaders including Wen Jiabao, Xi Jinping and Zhou Yongkang also gave instructions on the handling the issues.

    Of the victims, four were officers of China’s peacekeeping force in Haiti and the rest were in a team sent by the Ministry of Public Security of China to Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, for peacekeeping consultations.

    The eight were meeting UN officials in the headquarters of the UN Stabilization Mission in Port-au-Prince when the quake struck at about 4:50 p.m. Tuesday local time.

    The CPC Central Committee and State Council urged an all-out rescue for the eight after the quake hit. The bodies were found after 94 hours of search.

    CHENGDU, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu has called for more public resources for rural areas to boost rural and agricultural development.

    Hui made the remarks during a recent inspection tour to Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province.

    Relevant departments should accelerate the building of an incentive mechanism for the transfer of production factors to the countryside, and promote the industrialization and agricultural modernization in rural regions, he said.

    The interests and rights of farmers should be safeguarded in the process to balance urban and rural development, Hui said.

    Although rural residents comprise more than 70 percent of China’s population, public resources conventionally lean to the better-developed urban areas. That leaves a widening gap between the two, a perennial matter the government has vowed to solve.

    The Central Conference on Rural Work, which was wrapped up on Dec. 28, promised more efforts to better coordinate urban and rural development, and guide more resources to the vast countryside.

A group of Chinese personnel greet the rescue and relief goods from China at the airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Jan. 17, 2010. The goods weigh about 90 tons, and are worth about 13 million Chinese yuan(about 1.9 million U.S. dollars), including drugs, tents, portable lamps, water purifying equipments, food and water, and clothing. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

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 China’s relief materials leave for quake-hit Haiti

 Rescue continues for 8 Chinese police officers buried under Haitian quake debris

 China vows all-out rescue efforts after buried Chinese policemen in Haiti quake located

    BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — The first batch of China’s humanitarian aid to quake-hit Haiti has arrived in the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, a Chinese airlines said Sunday.

    China Southern Airlines confirmed that its Boeing 747 cargo plane carrying 90 tonnes of emergency materials reached Port-au-Prince safely after a 19-hour flight from Beijing.

    The materials worth 13 million yuan (1.9 million U.S. dollars) include 1,000 tents, water, food, emergency lights, medicines, clothing and water purification equipment.

    The aid is part of an relief package worth 30 million yuan (4.41 million U.S. dollars) announced by the Chinese government Friday.

Workers unload the rescue and relief goods from China at the airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Jan. 17, 2010. The goods weigh about 90 tons, and are worth about 13 million Chinese yuan(about 1.9 million U.S. dollars), including drugs, tents, portable lamps, water purifying equipments, food and water, and clothing. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

China ready to send more rescue, medical personnel to Haiti 

    BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — While the Chinese rescue team is doing its mission in Haiti, more personnel and materials are ready to back up the rescue and medical aid in the quake-hit country, according to the China Earthquake Administration (CEA) Sunday.
    Miao Chonggang, vice director of the CEA’s department for disaster relief and emergency aid, said the department is keeping close contact with the rescue team at the front and can send more supports immediately if required. Full story

China active in disaster relief in quake-hit Haiti

    BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — China has been engaged in a flurry of efforts to help Haitians and Chinese nationals after the Caribbean island country Haiti was battered by a devastating earthquake on Tuesday.

    Immediately after the quake was reported, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao ordered related Chinese departments to be prepared for assistance. Full story

Chinese rescuers provide much-needed medical assistance in Haiti 

    BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) — Being the only foreign rescue team to run medical-aid stations in quake-ravaged Haiti, Chinese rescuers are giving quake victims what they desperately need: medical assistance, team members told Xinhua via phone Saturday.

    The China International Search and Rescue Team, arriving in Port-au-Prince at 2 a.m. local time on Jan. 14, opened the first medical assistance station at 8 p.m. the next day, said captain Hou Shike. Full story
China confirms death of all 8 Chinese police officers in Haiti quake

Chinese peacekeeping police salute to a vehicle carrying the last body of their buried colleague in Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti, on Jan. 16, 2010. The bodies of all eight Chinese police officers who were buried during the Haiti quake had been found as of early Sunday morning Beijing time, the Ministry of Public Security said. (Xinhua/Yuan Man)

    BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — The bodies of all eight Chinese police officers buried under a collapsed building in the Haiti quake had been found as of early Sunday morning Beijing time, the Ministry of Public Security said.

    The first body was found at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 16 Beijing time after more than 80 hours of search and rescue work, and the other seven were retrieved from 10:42 p.m. to 3:56 a.m. Jan. 17 under the joint efforts of the Chinese rescue team, the Chinese peacekeeping force in Haiti and several foreign rescue teams, the ministry’s emergency response work team announced Sunday. Full story
China’s rescue team finds one Chinese body in Haiti 

Chinese rescuers observe a moment of silence to pay last respects to a dead Chinese colleague in quake-hit Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, on Jan. 16, 2010. Chinese rescue team found one dead Chinese body from the rubbles Saturday.(Xinhua/Yuan Man)

    PORT-AU-PRINCE, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) — A Chinese body had been found among the rubble of a building here destroyed by Haiti’s massive earthquake, Chinese rescue team leader Huang Jianfa said here early Saturday morning.

    The body was found at 03:30 a.m. local time (0830 GMT) among the ruins of the collapsed building of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Full story

China’s relief materials leave for quake-hit Haiti

   BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) — A Boeing-747 jumbo jet carrying 90 tonnes of Chinese government’s emergency humanitarian relief materials took off from Beijing Capital International Airport to quake-hit Haiti at 12:22 p.m. on Saturday.

Emergency humanitarian aid cargo is seen before being loaded on a plane at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Jan. 16, 2010. A Boeing-747 jumbo jet carrying 90 tonnes of Chinese government’s emergency humanitarian aid cargo took off from Beijing Capital International Airport to quake-hit Haiti at around 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Ministry of Commerce. (Xinhua/Chen Jianli)

    The 13 million yuan (1.9 million U.S. dollars) quake-relief materials, including tents, stretchers, food, medicines, clothing and water purification equipment, is China’s first batch of relief material to the Caribbean country. Full story

Chinese FM offers deep sympathy to victims in quake-hit Haiti 

    TOKYO, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechion Saturday extended condolences and deep sympathy to families of the victims in quake-hit Haiti.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, is interviewed by Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television (CCTV) in Tokyo, capital of Japan, Jan. 16, 2010. Yang is in Japan for the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC). (Xinhua/Ren Zhenglai)

 
    “We feel great regret over the heavy casualties and enormous damage to properties caused by the major earthquakes in Haiti,” said Yang in an interview with Xinhua and China Central Television(CCTV). Full story
Chances slim for survival of 8 Chinese officers in Haiti 

   PORT-AU-PRINCE, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — Hopes of survival are dwindling for eight Chinese police officers trapped under rubble in Port-au-Prince, chief of the Chinese rescue team said Friday.

  The Chinese rescue team was doing everything possible to speed up the search for the officers, hoping that miracles could happen, Huang Jianfa told Xinhua. Full story

Rescue continues for 8 Chinese police officers buried under Haitian quake debris

   PORT-AU-PRINCE, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — Chinese rescuers were still looking for eight Chinese police officers buried under the debris of the devastating Haitian quake, a Chinese official said on Friday.

Chinese peacekeepers work on the remains of a building in Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti, Jan. 15, 2010. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

    A Chinese rescue team of over 60 members had been dispatched from home, and the Chinese peacekeeping police in Haiti were looking for the eight police officers buried under the local UN building, said Wang Shuping, Chinese business representative in Haiti. Full story

Special Report: Strong Quake Rocks Haiti

Li Shuhong, an officer of China’s peacekeeping force in Haiti, stands guard as the rescue and relief goods from China are unloaded from the plane at the airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Jan. 17, 2010. The goods weigh about 90 tons, and are worth about 13 million Chinese yuan(about 1.9 million U.S. dollars), including drugs, tents, portable lamps, water purifying equipments, food and water, and clothing. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

 

A group of Chinese personnel greet the rescue and relief goods from China at the airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Jan. 17, 2010. The goods weigh about 90 tons, and are worth about 13 million Chinese yuan(about 1.9 million U.S. dollars), including drugs, tents, portable lamps, water purifying equipments, food and water, and clothing. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

Related

 China’s relief materials leave for quake-hit Haiti

 Rescue continues for 8 Chinese police officers buried under Haitian quake debris

 China vows all-out rescue efforts after buried Chinese policemen in Haiti quake located

      PORT-AU-PRINCE, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — The first batch of relief supplies from China arrived in the airport of the capital city on Sunday.

    According to China’s relief officials here, the supplies, which weigh 90 tons and worth over 13 million yuan (about 1.9 million U.S. dollars), include drugs, tents, emergency lights, water purification supplies, food, drinking water and cloths.

    China’s rescue team arrived in Haiti on Thursday, two days after the Latin American country was devastated by a major earthquake measuring 7.3 magnitude. The World Health Organization has estimated that between 40,000 to 50,000 people have been killed in the earthquake.

Workers unload the rescue and relief goods from China at the airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Jan. 17, 2010. The goods weigh about 90 tons, and are worth about 13 million Chinese yuan(about 1.9 million U.S. dollars), including drugs, tents, portable lamps, water purifying equipments, food and water, and clothing. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

China ready to send more rescue, medical personnel to Haiti 

    BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — While the Chinese rescue team is doing its mission in Haiti, more personnel and materials are ready to back up the rescue and medical aid in the quake-hit country, according to the China Earthquake Administration (CEA) Sunday.
    Miao Chonggang, vice director of the CEA’s department for disaster relief and emergency aid, said the department is keeping close contact with the rescue team at the front and can send more supports immediately if required. Full story

China active in disaster relief in quake-hit Haiti

    BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — China has been engaged in a flurry of efforts to help Haitians and Chinese nationals after the Caribbean island country Haiti was battered by a devastating earthquake on Tuesday.

    Immediately after the quake was reported, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao ordered related Chinese departments to be prepared for assistance. Full story

Chinese rescuers provide much-needed medical assistance in Haiti 

    BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) — Being the only foreign rescue team to run medical-aid stations in quake-ravaged Haiti, Chinese rescuers are giving quake victims what they desperately need: medical assistance, team members told Xinhua via phone Saturday.

    The China International Search and Rescue Team, arriving in Port-au-Prince at 2 a.m. local time on Jan. 14, opened the first medical assistance station at 8 p.m. the next day, said captain Hou Shike. Full story
China confirms death of all 8 Chinese police officers in Haiti quake

Chinese peacekeeping police salute to a vehicle carrying the last body of their buried colleague in Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti, on Jan. 16, 2010. The bodies of all eight Chinese police officers who were buried during the Haiti quake had been found as of early Sunday morning Beijing time, the Ministry of Public Security said. (Xinhua/Yuan Man)

    BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — The bodies of all eight Chinese police officers buried under a collapsed building in the Haiti quake had been found as of early Sunday morning Beijing time, the Ministry of Public Security said.

    The first body was found at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 16 Beijing time after more than 80 hours of search and rescue work, and the other seven were retrieved from 10:42 p.m. to 3:56 a.m. Jan. 17 under the joint efforts of the Chinese rescue team, the Chinese peacekeeping force in Haiti and several foreign rescue teams, the ministry’s emergency response work team announced Sunday. Full story
China’s rescue team finds one Chinese body in Haiti 

Chinese rescuers observe a moment of silence to pay last respects to a dead Chinese colleague in quake-hit Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, on Jan. 16, 2010. Chinese rescue team found one dead Chinese body from the rubbles Saturday.(Xinhua/Yuan Man)

    PORT-AU-PRINCE, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) — A Chinese body had been found among the rubble of a building here destroyed by Haiti’s massive earthquake, Chinese rescue team leader Huang Jianfa said here early Saturday morning.

    The body was found at 03:30 a.m. local time (0830 GMT) among the ruins of the collapsed building of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Full story

China’s relief materials leave for quake-hit Haiti

   BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) — A Boeing-747 jumbo jet carrying 90 tonnes of Chinese government’s emergency humanitarian relief materials took off from Beijing Capital International Airport to quake-hit Haiti at 12:22 p.m. on Saturday.

Emergency humanitarian aid cargo is seen before being loaded on a plane at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Jan. 16, 2010. A Boeing-747 jumbo jet carrying 90 tonnes of Chinese government’s emergency humanitarian aid cargo took off from Beijing Capital International Airport to quake-hit Haiti at around 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Ministry of Commerce. (Xinhua/Chen Jianli)

    The 13 million yuan (1.9 million U.S. dollars) quake-relief materials, including tents, stretchers, food, medicines, clothing and water purification equipment, is China’s first batch of relief material to the Caribbean country. Full story

Chinese FM offers deep sympathy to victims in quake-hit Haiti 

    TOKYO, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechion Saturday extended condolences and deep sympathy to families of the victims in quake-hit Haiti.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, is interviewed by Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television (CCTV) in Tokyo, capital of Japan, Jan. 16, 2010. Yang is in Japan for the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC). (Xinhua/Ren Zhenglai)

 
    “We feel great regret over the heavy casualties and enormous damage to properties caused by the major earthquakes in Haiti,” said Yang in an interview with Xinhua and China Central Television(CCTV). Full story
Chances slim for survival of 8 Chinese officers in Haiti 

   PORT-AU-PRINCE, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — Hopes of survival are dwindling for eight Chinese police officers trapped under rubble in Port-au-Prince, chief of the Chinese rescue team said Friday.

  The Chinese rescue team was doing everything possible to speed up the search for the officers, hoping that miracles could happen, Huang Jianfa told Xinhua. Full story

Rescue continues for 8 Chinese police officers buried under Haitian quake debris

   PORT-AU-PRINCE, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — Chinese rescuers were still looking for eight Chinese police officers buried under the debris of the devastating Haitian quake, a Chinese official said on Friday.

Chinese peacekeepers work on the remains of a building in Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti, Jan. 15, 2010. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

    A Chinese rescue team of over 60 members had been dispatched from home, and the Chinese peacekeeping police in Haiti were looking for the eight police officers buried under the local UN building, said Wang Shuping, Chinese business representative in Haiti. Full story

Special Report: Strong Quake Rocks Haiti

Li Shuhong, an officer of China’s peacekeeping force in Haiti, stands guard as the rescue and relief goods from China are unloaded from the plane at the airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Jan. 17, 2010. The goods weigh about 90 tons, and are worth about 13 million Chinese yuan(about 1.9 million U.S. dollars), including drugs, tents, portable lamps, water purifying equipments, food and water, and clothing. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)