The Chinese government safeguards freedom of religious belief in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region by protecting normal religious activities and maintaining related facilities, a local official said on Friday.
Wang Haizhou, head of the publicity department of Xizang, made the remarks at a press conference in the regional capital, Lhasa, held to announce the release of a white paper on the progress of human rights in Xizang, issued by the State Council Information Office (SCIO).
The white paper was released to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Xizang Autonomous Region and the anniversary of the liberation of millions of serfs, which fell on Friday.
"The Constitution of the People's Republic of China clearly stipulates that citizens have the right to freedom of religious belief, and the government protects normal religious activities. In Xizang, we firmly abide by the provisions of the Constitution and consistently uphold the national policy of respecting and protecting freedom of religious belief. Here, we have not only Tibetan Buddhist temples, but also mosques, Catholic churches, and other religious sites. All of these places of worship are protected by law," Wang said.
He noted that the central government has made significant efforts to improve the living and practicing conditions for religious communities in Xizang.
"Since the start of the new era, the central government has invested in the unified maintenance and renovation of temples and monks' quarters, built temple nursing homes, provided medical and health services, and vigorously improved infrastructure. More than 98 percent of temples now have access to roads, communications, electricity, water, and radio and television services. At the same time, the government provides various subsidies to monks and nuns each year, ensuring full coverage of medical insurance, pension insurance, minimum living allowances, accident insurance, and health check-ups. The study, practice, and living conditions of monks and nuns have been significantly improved and are well guaranteed," Wang said.
Freedom of religious belief effectively protected in Xizang: official
Freedom of religious belief effectively protected in Xizang: official
Freedom of religious belief effectively protected in Xizang: official
The China Search and Rescue Team had pulled out four survivors - three adult females and a girl - after 13 hours of hard work in Myanmar's seriously-hit Mandalay City as of 07:15 local time on Monday.
Following the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, multiple Chinese rescue teams have arrived in the disaster-stricken areas, working with local responders around the clock to search for survivors.
Arrived in Mandalay on Sunday evening, the China Search and Rescue Team employed rescue dogs to locate a trapped survivor at the Great Wall Hotel quake site and attempted to searched for the survivor inside the damaged buildings.
Facing the challenge of a collapsed lower floor in the building where the survivor were trapped, the rescue team explored various strategies before deciding to breach from below the survivor's location, clearing the debris to create an exit and carry the survivor out with a stretcher.
At 00:40 local time on Monday, the survivor, an adult female trapped for nearly 60 hours, was rescued after over five hours of relentless work, marking the first survivor rescued by the team in the city.
Without pausing for rest, the rescuers immediately moved to another nearby site at the Sky Villa apartment complex where a girl informed the team of her 29-year-old elder sister trapping in the rubble. Following the girl's guidance, the rescuers located her elder sister, who was conscious and able to communicate.
As the rescuers worked to provide the girl with food and water and strategize the rescue, aftershocks continued to shake the area.
"The building shook noticeably and then we got out," said a team member.
The team soon returned to the rubble for rescue when the aftershock subsided.
"The lives are waiting for us and we can't give up on a single sign of life," said Han Wendong, the deputy team leader.
According to the girl, she was trapped under the rubble with her elder sister in the earthquake. Being smaller, she managed to find a narrow passage to crawl out. The rescuers found the passage and tried to reach her elder sister.
"She was saying 'hurry up' and 'help.' Her younger sister was encouraging her. It's her third day trapped here today and she's been crying. After the doctor gave her some good life support, she calmed down," said Han.
At 07:15 local time on Monday, the elder sister was freed from the rubble after the team further widened the rescue passage.
The Chinese medical team immediately gave her IV fluids and wrapped her in a thermal blanket before transferring her to a stretcher.
"It took three hours to get her out, instead of two as we expected. We kept working at night till getting her out at dawn. She's only got a cut on one leg and her vital signs are very good and stable. I hope our team will continue to do more to found and save lives," said Han.
Another two survivors were rescued by the China Search and Rescue Team in Mandalay at 05:37 and 06:20 local time on Monday, respectively.
The rescued have all been sent to the hospital for treatment.
A total of 91 personnel from five civilian emergency response forces organized by China's Ministry of Emergency Management have arrived in Myanmar, and been participating in rescue operations.
Besides, a rescue team from China's Yunnan Province rescued an elderly man who had been trapped for nearly 40 hours under the rubble of a hospital in Nay Pyi Taw on Sunday. Also on Sunday, members of the Blue Sky Rescue Team from Hunan Province successfully rescued a survivor at the Mandalay Buddhist Hall in Mandalay.
The death toll from Friday's 7.9-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar has risen to 2,056, with approximately 3,900 people injured and nearly 270 reported missing, according to the country's State Administration Council Information Team on Monday.
Chinese rescuers pull 4 survivors from rubble in Mandalay on Monday morning
