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WASHINGTON - China may allow more countries to help in rescue efforts in the earthquake-devastated southwest region, a Chinese embassy spokesman said Friday.
Beijing has agreed so far to allow rescue teams from Russia, Singapore, South Korea and Japan, as well as Taiwan -- which China considers to be part of its territory -- and Hong Kong.
"I personally expect more foreign rescue teams being allowed into China," Wang Baodong, spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, told reporters.
The offers from the four nations were accepted based on their proximity to China, "which may ensure promptness of the aid," he said.
"As I understand this is the first time in history for foreign professional rescuers to join in Chinese disaster relief work," he said.
The decision to accept the rescuers signals an apparent shift by Beijing, which initially had politely rebuffed such offers despite clearly struggling to reach many devastated communities cut off by quake-damaged roads.
In previous disasters, such as the Tangshan earthquake of 1976 which killed more than 240,000 people, China even refused offers of aid from abroad, insisting the money was more needed elsewhere.
Asked why China decided to accept foreign help now, Wang said, "The strength of this earthquake is very powerful, the devastation is awful and numerous countries have offered to provide assistance to China.
"And I think the Chinese government is taking into consideration the friendly gestures made," he said.
Many foreigners living in China had also volunteered to help Beijing cope with the disaster, China's worst in a generation, he said.
The confirmed death toll stood late Friday at 22,069, Chinese state media said, with officials in worst-hit Sichuan province saying another 14,000 remained buried.
But state television, quoting figures from national quake relief headquarters, said the government estimates the death toll at more than 50,000.
Another 4.8 million people have been left homeless by the disaster, officials in Sichuan said.
- AFP /ls
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