This terse, one-line report on QQ tells us that foreign relief workers have finally been allowed access to the region surrounding the epicentre of the earthquake which has devastated Sichuan. It gives few details, merely stating that the Foreign Ministry has announced that a Japanese team have been granted access. The Japanese government, with their expertise on dealing with earthquake aftermaths, had been one of the first foreign governments to offer China assistance following the initial 7.8 quake on Monday.
The head of China's Civil Affairs Ministry had previously cited poor travel conditions in the Sichuan area as the reason for not allowing foreign rescue teams access. Despite tens of thousands of people still believed to be buried and/or missing following China's biggest earthquake in several decades, The Times reports that
'Wang Zhenyao, the head of the Ministry’s Relief Department told a press conference: “Transportation in affected areas is obstructed and it is impossible for our rescue teams to reach the disaster-hit areas. So the conditions are not yet ripe for us to allow international rescue teams into China.”'
The government had thanked the international community for its monetary support whilst still resisting offers of personnel, as the
Times of India reported on Tuesday:
'"The competent authorities of China in charge of disaster relief works and civil affairs welcome the aid from international community and we are ready to make contact with the relevant countries and organisations," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said'
While time is running out for victims of the quake, the remarkable story of a
pregnant woman rescued after spending 50 hours trapped under earthquake rubble may offer a slight glimmer of hope that more people can still be found alive.
Photo of CHINESE aid workers dealing with the earthquake aftermath from szbluewater