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SINGAPORE : The Chinese government has handled information surrounding the quake in a timely manner, said Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo who is on official visit to Beijing.
He said that not only were news released within a few minutes, there were also minute-by-minute accounts in its aftermath.
"All these is beamed to the Chinese people, giving them a sense of common cause, and it has also aroused in them a tremendous sense of solidarity of working together, feeling as one," said Mr Yeo, after visiting several Beijing Olympics venues.
Turning to certain negative foreign comments surrounding the Olympics Games, Mr Yeo noted that these have aroused a fierce nationalism in the Chinese of wanting to rally around their country.
But he said there is also a need for the country to find a right balance, especially in learning how to manage the western media.
Referring to the apology by international broadcaster CNN after one of its commentators earlier described Chinese leaders as thugs and goons, Mr Yeo said this was a new experience for China - not just in learning how to deal with the western media, but also on their own terms.
Earlier on Friday, Mr Yeo also met China's state councillor Dai Bingguo. Both sides discussed, among other things, the Sichuan earthquake and the rise of China.
During his visit to the Central Party School, Mr Yeo noted that China had entered a creative phase in history where it is able and willing to accept differences in the world.
On the contrary, he said western countries had become very ideological and could not seem to accept that others could be different, and yet still succeed. - CNA /ls
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