By English edition staff
Published: 2008-05-19

Highlights from the EO's print edition, issue no. 368, May 19, 2008

A Scarred Nation
Cover
This week the EO dedicated a 16-page special on coverage of the devastating earthquake that struck Sichuan on May 12, with 50,000 people feared death. The cover is filled by a blown-up picture of many pairs of hands trying to reach out to support an earthquake victim being carried on a door board. The theme of the special – 國殤 (guo shang) – spread across the centre of the front page. The words traditionally have two-fold meaning, that of dying before one's age or sacrificing for one's country. The foreword accompanying the title of the special reads: "If it is fated that calamity must dawn on us, let's face it with courage and confidence; if the pains must be endured, let's be collected in our show of strength. Let's reach out and bear the weight together."
Original article: [Chinese] 

God Blessed China
Foreword to the special, page 3
The nation has no time to be drowned in sorrow or crushed by the catastrophe, as positive thinking and energy must be channeled into rescue efforts and the rebuilding of quake-stricken areas, said EO's vice-chief editor Wen Zhao. He stressed that in times of disaster like this, it was all the more urgent and necessary to have open and transparent information flow, which were crucial in helping the public to make rational judgments and decisions. He suggested that the best way to console the dead would be to help the survivors to rebuild their courage and confidence to face the future.
Original article: [Chinese]  

Beichuan: A City in Pain
Special, page 4
About 70% of the houses in Beichuan collapsed during the earthquake, and 7,000 out of the 11,000-strong population were trapped. Rescue efforts in this town surrounded by mountains were hampered by constant tremors, landslide, and the risks of the bursting of the river and nearby dam.
Original article: [Chinese]

The Aftermath in Pengzhou
Special, page 5
A town famed for its blossoming peony exposition in the spring, Pengzhou now lies in ruins. Rescue and relief efforts have arrived in time and strength, helping to evacuate some 100,000 residents from the mountains to shelter in six different spots.
Original article: [Chinese] 

One Hundred Minutes of a Hospital
Special, page 6
When the earthquake struck at 14.28 on May 12, the management of Chengdu 's Huaxi Hospital had decisively evacuated some 4,000 patients into open space, save for those performing critical surgery in the intensive care unit. The hospital building remained intact after the quake, and hospital staff immediately mapped out strategies to make space for the anticipated influx of earthquake victims. As all the beds in the hospital were occupied, medical staff had to go around and request those with minor and less critical illnesses to check out earlier than expected. All patients were cooperative and in fact, some had voluntarily given up their beds. In the following days, the hospital's emergency room was packed, and ambulances carrying the injured arrived at 20-minute intervals.
Original article: [Chinese] 

Walking Out of the Death Zone
Special, page 9
Some of the earliest discovered survivors from the epicenter of Wenchuan county were those who have walked for days out of the death zone. When an EO reporter trekked for hours trying to reach Wenchuan but were impeded at the Zipingpu Reservoir, where the access road was blocked by a landslide, he crossed paths with a middle-aged man from Wenchuan's Yingxiu town, one of the worst hit areas. The man had initially walked with a few other survivors but lost sight of his companions after a landslide, he then pressed on alone and after two nights of walking before he finally reestablished human contact.
Original article: [Chinese]


Food Delivery Covering 1,500km
Special, page 11
The co-ordination that went behind delivering additional food and water supplies to earthquake-hit Sichuan was equally challenging and a race against time like other rescue missions. With lessons learnt from the snow storm disaster earlier this year, the Ministry of Commerce managed to consolidate data and mobilize resources from across the country to gather 4,400 tons of supplies, including instant noodles, milk, water and ham. The first delivery was transported from Hubei province via train to Sichuan.
Original article: [Chinese] 

Urgent Government Procurement
Special, page 12
Government procurement procedures have been simplified to speed up purchases of tents, blankets, medical supplies, mobile toilets and other necessities to be sent to earthquake-stricken areas. The emergency procurement standard was activated on May 15, three days after the quake struck.
Original article: [Chinese] 

Earthquake Adds to Inflationary Pressure
Special, page 15
Market analysts have anticipated heightened inflationary pressure following the May 12 earthquake, citing disruptions in agriculture production and massive demands for food and daily necessities in the aftermath of the disaster would likely push up prices. The subsequent rebuilding process might also require adjustments in macro economy policies, such as loosening credit controls to finance post-disaster projects.
Original article: [Chinese]

Restraint in the Stock Markets
Money & Investment, page 17
Though the Chinese stock markets dipped right after the news of earthquake broke, the indexes rebounded in the following days and by the week's closing on Friday, the overall indexes had increased by 10.74 point as compared to the previous week. The turn of the events, according to market sources, was a coordinated understanding between fund managers and the Securities Commission to maintain stability to prevent panic-driven transactions.
Original article: [Chinese] 

Suspended Sichuan Listed Companies
Corporation, page 25
Following telecommunication breakdown in the aftermath of the earthquake, management of companies with bases in Sichuan have been scrambling to establish contacts to assess life and property losses. On May 13, 66 listed companies from Sichuan were suspended from trading in the Chinese stock markets due to communication disruptions. These companies covering 23 types of industries scattered in 15 different cities in Sichuan , including some of the severely hit areas. More than half of these companies are in the fields of public facilities, construction, medicine and chemical productions.
Original article: [Chinese] 

Lukewarm Response to Short-term House Renting for Olympics
Property, page 33
Many house owners have been banking on renting out their property at exorbitant prices for quick returns during the Olympics, however, not many deals have been sealed as the Game are closing in, according to real estate agents. In the past months, some house owners have stopped entertaining long-term tenants, instead advertising for short term rental during the Games up to six times normal market prices.
Original article: [Chinese]