Rescue and relief efforts have been carried out in a timely and orderly manner after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, said a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.
The strong earthquake struck Dingri County in the city of Xigaze Tuesday morning, leaving 126 dead and 188 others injured.
"Relevant authorities of the Chinese government has launched a level-II emergency service response and the disaster response and relief work is proceeding in a timely and orderly way. As we speak, the first batch of relief supplies sent by the central government has arrived in the quake-hit region; all roads damaged by the earthquake in Dingri County have been repaired and able to be open to traffic; power has been restored to the county center and multiple towns and villages of Dingri County; and telecommunication has been restored in the region affected by the disaster," said spokesman Guo Jiakun at a regular press briefing in Beijing.
"We believe that under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the people there will overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes," continued Guo.
Earthquake relief efforts carried out in timely, orderly manner in Xizang: spokesman
Starting from Jan 1, "Beijing Service," a service platform backed by the Beijing municipal government, extended its coverage to the city's two international airports, setting up 24-hour kiosks to facilitate visitors from abroad.
On the first day of 2025, two Beijing Service kiosks near the international arrivals areas of Beijing's Capital International Airport and Daxing International Airport were put into use, with well-trained staff providing 24-hour multilingual services for global travelers.
"This year we have set up service stations in Beijing's Capital International Airport and Daxing International Airport to provide travelers with one-stop services including payment setup, mobile phone services, and transport and tourism consultation, covering four categories of more than 20 convenient services. The services aim to further facilitate foreigners to study, travel, or live in Beijing, and to upgrade the level of Beijing's international services," said Zhang Li, division chief of the Beijing Municipal Administration of Government Services and Data Management.
The move came after the city's recent poll with international visitors on what could be done to improve their experience in China, aiming to better support the surging global visitors brought by the country's visa-free policies.
The Beijing Service platform can now provide a one-stop solution to newcomers, and address most of the common concerns of foreign travelers.
"So far, I haven't had any problems, and it seems quite straightforward and it's easy to follow the instructions, everyone gives clear instructions, so it's quite easy to follow. So far everyone I have talked to is able to give feedback (on) what I needed, so it's been good," said Rahima Siddiqui, a traveler from New Zealand.
Beijing Service platform offers one-stop solutions to int'l visitors
