PLA excels in humanitarian mission
By Sun Shangwu (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-08-01 05:26

China's Constitution and Law on National Defence regard emergency handling and disaster relief work as part of the army's duties.

President Hu Jintao chats with veteran soldiers at the site of the Eighth Route Army Headquarters at Wangjiayu, Shanxi Province over the weekend. This year marks the 60th anniversary of Chinese people's victory over the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. [Xinhua]

According to Major General Chang, 24,000 PLA soldiers and officers as well as 120,000 militia-in-reserve, have helped half-a-million civilians endangered by flooding, geological disasters and forest fires, this year.

"Quick response is the basic principle observed by the PLA in disaster relief work," Chang said.

Encountering calamities such as typhoons and floods, the PLA must rush to disaster-hit areas "with the quickest speed and in the shortest period of time," the general said.

To save time, PLA officers have been authorized to make prompt decisions to mobilize soldiers in emergency situations, he added.

The State Council and the Central Military Commission jointly released the PLA rules on dealing with emergency and disaster relief work, which took effect one month ago.

According to the rules, the PLA are allowed to use military hardware such as aircraft and military vessels in rescue and disaster relief work.

In June, flooding of the Xijiang River threatened the city of Wuzhou in Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

More than 4,700 PLA soldiers and officers joined the rescue operation, using three helicopters and two transport airplanes to airlift food and materials, Chang said.

When Typhoon Haitang battered the coastal provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang two weeks ago, millions of local residents were forced to evacuate, and more than 6,000 businesses were temporarily closed down.

The Fujian provincial military region mobilized 3,000 soldiers to take part in the relief work and set up 10 quick-response contingents equipped with life preservers and boats.

Pictures showing PLA soldiers in action rescuing civilians from Haitang became popular on the Internet.

"I am really touched by their heroic deeds," said a netizen with the name of Jiaojitaoqiao.

One picture showed a PLA soldier collapsing from exhaustion during the rescue operation.

When natural disasters occurr, as well as launching rescue operations, the PLA is also assigned to protect the safety of important facilities, such as large water control projects, communications hubs, power facilities and telecommunications infrastructure, Chang said.

On June 2, the Hengyang section of the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway was destroyed by flooding, but thanks to quick action taken by more than 1,700 soldiers and militia from the Hunan provincial military region, the railway quickly returned to normal operation.

(China Daily 08/01/2005 page1)

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