- Sidelights on the Reporting Tour of Foreign Journalists on the Post-Disaster Reconstruction in Wenchuan on the Third Anniversary of the Disastrous Earthquake

Three years ago, a devastating earthquake hit Sichuan and shocked the world. Towns and villages were torn into pieces, houses were knocked down, homes were destroyed... Three years after the disaster, how is Sichuan now? With these questions, the International Press Centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Council Information Office and other related agencies jointly invited over 60 domestic and foreign journalists on a reporting tour to Chengdu, Mianyang, Deyang, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture and other quake-hit regions from April 18 to 21 to pay site visits to the post-disaster reconstruction projects and partnership assistance projects, witness the miracles of post-disaster reconstruction, and feel the dynamisms of the people in the disaster area.

Having just arrived in Chengdu, the media delegation firstly attended the briefing for both the media on the reporting activities titled "Back to the Disaster Areas to Witness Drastic Changes". Wei Hong, member of the Standing Committee of CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and Vice Governor of Sichuan, updated the media on the latest development of post-quake reconstruction, main problems that have been resolved, as well as the valuable experience Sichuan has accumulated in response to the catastrophe. He also answered questions from the journalists. The briefing contains rich information, which is helpful for their reporting in the following days, according to many journalists.

Witnessing "China Speed" in Mianyang

On April 19, the media delegation first visited Nanshan Middle School in Mianyang, the first leg of their reporting tour. The project was fully assisted by the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR). The journalists were invited into the classroom. They saw the students in the 12th grade busy preparing for the college entrance exams in a relatively quiet area. There were some students playing basketball on the court. The students also greeted the journalist with their smiling faces... The journalists were deeply impressed.

Beichuan County is the only Qiang autonomous county in China and a region where the Qiang people concentrate the most. The "May 12th" earthquake caused catastrophic consequences to Beichuan. The county was razed to the ground. When the media delegation came to Beichuan, they saw the old town restored and protected. The earthquake ruins museum was built up to enable people to commemorate, experience the quake, and conduct disaster-prevention education and scientific research. The ruins could still be seen along the two sides of the main streets, silently depicting the disaster. With a heavy heart, the media delegation held a simple memorial ceremony and presented flowers to the victims. When they passed the original site of Beichuan Middle School and saw the five-star red flag still fluttering in the wind on the ruins of the school, the journalists cannot help being moved.

Gina Qiang Village is a beautiful landscape on the reporting tour. It was learned that most of the houses in Maoershi Village had collapsed after the earthquake. The villagers were reconstructing their village on the original site. Gina Qiang Village was built up in just 8 months, becoming the first settlement to resettle the affected people in their original place. Villagers in Gina Qiang Village tried to develop the tourism centering on Qiang culture. Some made Qiang embroidery. Some opened hotels. Some started restaurants. Some engaged in leisure rural tourism. They are now relying on themselves. The journalists also got a chance to try "Dam Dinner" made by the "Qiang Home Restaurant". They interviewed the remarried couple, Wang Xiaowan and Liu Xianhui. The couple opened a Qiang-style restaurant and could make handsome income. The journalists, who had been to Sichuan to report the earthquake many times, was so touched by their happy faces that they raised the lens to capture the better life of the Qiang people.

The new Beichuan County is the only new town not built up in its original site after the "May 12th" earthquake. Driving on the road in the new county, the journalists saw a fully-equipped new town with strong Qiang characteristics emerged in the shade of flowers and trees. The roads are broad, flat and paved. The shabby rural houses have been replaced by houses with distinctive Qiang features. Walking on the commercial walking street with distinctive Qiang features, which was aided by Shandong, the journalists felt the strong features of Qiang culture and style. Some of them bought their favorite souvenirs and snacks. A Japanese journalist said that he had been the disaster-hit regions in Sichuan many times. On the first anniversary of the earthquake, the new Beichuan County was nothing but a flat land. However, it took the Chinese government only two years to build up a new county. He was amazed by "China Speed".

Feeling the Reconstruction "Miracles" in Deyang

In Deyang, the media delegation felt a series of "miracles". They first came to the new Hongbai Town, Shifang City. The new town was located in a remote mountainous region, where the journalists experienced the miraculous harmony between men and nature. As the cars passed through Chuanxindian Industrial Ruins in Deyang, they saw the collapsed giant equipment producing phosphorus chemicals, which reminded the people of the tragic disaster. However, a few kilometers away from the ruins, Hongbai Town has already been transformed into a beautiful town with the western Sichuan style. The streets are clean, tidy and flat. The two-story buildings on both sides are the new homes of ordinary people. On the leisure square, old men were energetically chatting with each other. Advanced kindergarten, primary school, cultural center, and garbage transfer station have all shown that the town was well-equipped. The board of a thanksgiving supermarket attracted the attention of the journalists. "Why this name?" Liu Anrong, the owner of the supermarket, smiled and answered: "The people in the disaster areas appreciate the loving heart of the society and self-reliance is our best reward!"

The journalists then came to the Comprehensive Service Center for the Disabled in Deyang and interviewed physically disabled, who are receiving the rehabilitation. They deeply felt the miracles created by the wounded in the fight against the disaster. To help the physically disabled recover and reintegrate into the society as soon as possible after the earthquake, Hong Kong Red Cross used the donations from Hong Kong to construct the comprehensive rehabilitation and prosthetic center with first-class hardware and services. Three years after the earthquake, there are still many professionals from Hong Kong Red Cross and Hong Kong Polytechnic University staying here and providing services for over 1,300 physically disabled. One of the wounded told the journalist, "Since we had survived the quake, we should live a more exciting life! Since we had stood up, we should take bigger steps!" The journalists were greatly touched by her tough and optimistic spirit.

In the new base of Dongfang Steam Turbine Co. Ltd in Bajiao, Deyang, the media delegation saw the miracles created by the company in the reconstruction of industrial facilities. The two-kilometer road runs from the north to the south, with white plants towering along the two sides. The new base covers an area of 2,600 mu and is equipped with world-class facilities. The journalists were amazed by the new base.

Experiencing Xiqiang Cultural Revitalization in Wenchuan

On April 21, the journalists went to Yingxiu Town, the epicenter of Wenchuan earthquake. They visited Zhongtanbao Village, the Ruins Park and the ruins of Xuankou Middle School. Yingxiu is located in the southeast of Wenchuan County and is the intersection of Tibetan, Qiang, Hui and Han. It is known as "Xiqiang portal". It is learned that the earthquake caused direct economic losses of 4.5 billion yuan. Three years after the quake, a new Yingxiu town stood up before the eyes of journalists. After the earthquake, Yingxiu proactively avoided reconstructing the town on the earthquake fault zone. The town built up 6 evacuation squares. Once the disaster comes, thousands of people can be evacuated to safe areas within 2 minutes. A Japanese journalist commented that Yingxiu has very strong disaster prevention and mitigation abilities.

Subsequently, the media delegation came to Shuimo Town, which is neighboring Yingxiu, the earthquake epicenter. Shuimo Town is both an agricultural town and an industrial town, where the Qiang, Tibetan, Hui, Han and other ethnic groups inhabited. Chanshou Ancient Street in Shuimo caught the eyes of the visiting journalists. Along the reconstructed street, one could see the exquisite pavilions with white ridges and grey tiles and the simple and elegant carved windows, which fully embodies the architectural features of the people in the western part of Sichuan. Qiangcheng in Shuimo is a natural extension of the traditional fabric of Chanshou Ancient Street, drawing on traditional styles of Qiang's architecture and fully integrating the deep cultural connotations of Xiqiang. It inherits the Xiqiang culture and develops into a village with strong characteristics of Qiang ethnic group. The journalists saw an avalanche of visitors to restaurants and shops. A journalist walked into an embroidery shop called Qiang's Embroidery and chatted with the boss. The journalist said that he could feel the confidence of the people to revitalize their hometowns from their optimism.

In Dujiangyan City, a journalist interviewed its comprehensive social welfare institution and Qingcheng Dongguiyuan, Wugui Village, Cuiyuehu Town.

The 4-day reporting tour came to an end. During the tour, the journalists were deeply impressed by the reconstruction model of partnership assistance. The three-year tasks were basically completed in two years' time. They were amazed by "China speed". Japanese journalists said the pace of reconstruction in Sichuan is enviable. Japan is discussing the reconstruction in other places than the original sites. Many people suggested learning from China's model. Through the trip to the disaster area, the journalists witnessed China's institutional advantages in concentrating resources on doing big things. A journalist from the Republic of Korea thanked the organizers for their excellent arrangements and for providing such a rare reporting opportunity.

During the four days, the journalists left the string of their footprints on the land of Sichuan. They used their cameras and pens to record the dramatic changes, the improvement of people's livelihood, the rapid development of disaster-stricken regions, the stories of partnership assistance, and the feelings of gratitude of the people in the disaster-stricken areas over the past three years. Through this reporting tour, we have every reason to believe that: "Any difficulty cannot beat the heroic Chinese people" and we firmly believe Sichuan will continue to take off and continue to create their own miracles in the coming days!