Main focus of Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Earthquake in China - the political fallout

More than 10,000 people have perished and the Province of Sichuan has been devastated by an earthquake. In addition to its humanitarian consequences, the disaster also has political ramifications.

Süddeutsche Zeitung - Germany

The earthquake will undermine the policy of the Chinese government, the daily Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: "The old rules of repression and authoritarian leadership suddenly stop functioning, and the uppermost representatives of the people face new challenges. If they cannot meet them, the nation will turn against its representatives. ... One contradiction is already dissolving: China cannot block international aid for devastated Burma and prevent the UN Security Council from intervening if it itself takes advantage of help from abroad." (14/05/2008)

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Diário de Notícias - Portugal

"China has opted for transparency in reporting on the earthquake in Sichuan province," writes Manuel Queiroz. "China's state television is reporting extensively on the catastrophe, which has cost thousands of lives. There is no alternative, as there are many foreign students and companies in the affected region. ... China can no longer live in isolation like it did 32 years ago, when an earthquake not far from Beijing killed 240,000 according to official reports, while American experts put the total number of victims at over 600,000." (14/05/2008)

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Népszabadság - Hungary

Endre Aczél writes about Chinese sensitivities after the earthquake disaster: "The Chinese adhere to the superstition that every natural catastrophe is just a portent, a 'sign from heaven', so to speak, of much worse things to come. ... In fact, geologists had predicted an earthquake would occur in Sichuan province on May 12. However the regional government then promptly set to work dispelling the 'terrible news' associated with the forecast. Why? Because we are in the year of the Olympic Games. The Chinese perceive themselves as victims of an external conspiracy in which foreign powers are attempting to sabotage 'their' Olympic Games by scattering malicious rumours. ... Today one in two Chinese believes that the powers that be - not only on earth but also in heaven - are conspiring against the 'biggest and best Olympic Games of all times'." (14/05/2008)

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Corriere della Sera - Italy

Chinese journalists in Beijing are questioning the Communist Party of China's "official truth", the Italian daily Corriere della Sera reports: "At the State Council's press conference, two journalists from the China Daily and Sichuan Daily newspapers asked awkward questions: firstly, why houses, hospitals and schools but not government building collapsed. Secondly, a rumour is circulating that the province's earthquake authorities predicted the disaster but the alarm was not raised for fear of destroying the euphoria in the run-up to the Olympic Games. ... What is the truth? New information channels must be opened." (14/05/2008)

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