Chinese Give Skeptical Welcome to Singapore Rescuers
The Chinese government has given a skeptical welcome to a Singaporean
disaster and rescue team arriving in Chengdu to help find survivors of
the recent earthquake.
"We welcome everybody who wants to help," said Mr. Da Dizhen, the deputy mayor of Shifang in Sichuan province. "But of course, we don't dare to get our hopes up."
"I mean, we're very grateful to the Singaporean team," he explained, "but if the whole of Singapore still cannot find one guy who escaped from a toilet cubicle into a country only 672 sq. km. in area, we really don't think a small team can find thousands of people buried under tonnes of rubble in a city of over 12,000 sq. km in time."
However, Major Tao Kah Chew, a spokesman for the SAF's Disaster, Rescue and Assistance Team (DRAT), pledged that the Singapore team would do their best.
"Obviously, it's a complicated job," he said. "And we might not succeed in the mission. But I want to reassure everybody that in the event of failure, no Ministers will resign. That's what's really important in the end"
In addition to an array of high tech equipment, special vehicles and four specially-trained sniffer dogs, the team has also brought along a State's Times journalist to ensure that only good things are reported back home.
"We welcome everybody who wants to help," said Mr. Da Dizhen, the deputy mayor of Shifang in Sichuan province. "But of course, we don't dare to get our hopes up."
"I mean, we're very grateful to the Singaporean team," he explained, "but if the whole of Singapore still cannot find one guy who escaped from a toilet cubicle into a country only 672 sq. km. in area, we really don't think a small team can find thousands of people buried under tonnes of rubble in a city of over 12,000 sq. km in time."
However, Major Tao Kah Chew, a spokesman for the SAF's Disaster, Rescue and Assistance Team (DRAT), pledged that the Singapore team would do their best.
"Obviously, it's a complicated job," he said. "And we might not succeed in the mission. But I want to reassure everybody that in the event of failure, no Ministers will resign. That's what's really important in the end"
In addition to an array of high tech equipment, special vehicles and four specially-trained sniffer dogs, the team has also brought along a State's Times journalist to ensure that only good things are reported back home.
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