China and Burma -- Two Very Different Responses to Disaster

The difference between China and Burma is specially striking today.

The devastation in Burma has been met with virtually no response by the governing military (actually that's not fair -- 'no response' would have been a vast improvement over what the government has done to block relief). The Burmese government seems uninterested in their people except perhaps as labor units (and even there they seem fairly careless).

China, by contrast, has dealt with today's earthquake with transparency, competence and efficiency. China's emergency response puts that of other first world nations to shame (remember New Orleans).

It wasn't so long ago that China dealt with natural disasters much as Burma is doing now. China's deadliest earthquake in modern history struck the northeastern city of Tangshan on July 28, 1976, officially killing 240,000 people (unofficial reports put that number closer to 600,000). In 1976 China denied problems, hide information and took foreign help only with great hesitation. Much as Burma is doing now (although in truth the Burmese government seems to be creatively incompetent in its management of the disaster -- China was merely being old style Soviet).

China has come a long way in thirty years. There isn't a hint of denial or hiding the scale of the disaster -- Xinhua is running live feeds of the disaster.

Canada has a large and influential Chinese community. Engagement with China is not like "engagement" with Burma or North Korea. Perhaps China will be a nation of free people under the rule of law? Certainly the government's behaviour gives rise to hope. The Liberal policy of engagement seems to be about right.

Regardless all Canadians mourn with China and Burma over their great loss.

James Morton
1100 - 5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4