The Communist Party of China (CPC) places great importance on the development of human rights in Xizang and has taken effective measures to safeguard the fundamental interests of people from all ethnic groups, a Xizang official said on Friday.
Wang Haizhou, head of the Publicity Department of Xizang, made the remarks at a press conference held in Lhasa, the regional capital, during the release of a white paper on the progress of human rights in Xizang. The document was issued by the State Council Information Office (SCIO).
The white paper was released to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Xizang Autonomous Region, as well as the anniversary of the liberation of millions of serfs, which fell on Friday.
"The Communist Party of China has always been a party that respects and protects human rights. It attaches great importance to the development of human rights in Xizang, takes practical and effective measures to coordinate and promote various rights, and strives to promote the all-round development of people and the common prosperity of all ethnic groups. Such efforts contributed to the great changes unseen in millenniums taking place in Xizang in just a few decades. The development achievements of Xizang today fully prove that without the Communist Party of China, there would be no New China, and there would be no New Xizang. Only by adhering to the leadership of the CPC can we truly realize and guarantee that the people of all ethnic groups in Xizang are masters of their own affairs, and can we safeguard and develop the fundamental interests of the people of all ethnic groups in the region," Wang said.
The official stated that the essence of the human rights cause lies in ensuring the safety and well-being of the local people.
"There is no universal model for human rights development in the world. The best model is the one that suits you. Based on the actual conditions of Xizang, we will follow the path of economic and social development with Chinese characteristics and Xizang characteristics, focus on the four major issues of stability, development, ecology and strengthening the border security, and continuously enhance the sense of gain, happiness and security of the people of all ethnic groups," Wang said.
"Survival is the basis for enjoying all human rights, and to live a happy life is the greatest human right. We regard protecting the right to survival of people of all ethnic groups in Xizang and realizing their right to development as our top priority, and strive to solve the survival and development issues that are most concerned by the local people, most direct and most realistic, so as to achieve high-quality survival and development," he added.
Highlighting the link between security and human rights, Wang emphasized the importance of stability as a foundation for long-term development in Xizang.
"We regard anti-secession and national security as the basic work to protect people's livelihood, strive to promote the consolidation and security of the region’s border, to ensure the sustained stability and improvement of the overall social situation. With a safe and stable environment, we create good conditions and lay a solid foundation for the development of human rights in Xizang," Wang said.
Xizang takes concrete steps to advance human rights: official
Xizang takes concrete steps to advance human rights: official
Xizang takes concrete steps to advance human rights: 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
