UPDATE: 11 hours after this story was posted, The People’s Daily has posted a story about plane that is bringing relief supplies from China to Japan. Let’s hope there will be plenty more.
The catastrophe that has befallen Japan is almost beyond comprehension. The loss of life and the destruction of entire towns is overwhelming. It is only because I have immense respect for the character and determination of the Japanese people that I know they will rebuild.
The United States is half way around the world and China is close by. But who is helping? The United States is supposed to be on the decline while China, it is said, will soon replace us at the top. But thus far, China has sent, according to People’s Daily, a single 15-man rescue team to Japan. The United States is using thousands of Marines and Navy personnel in addition to dozens of rescue teams that are en route.
Now admittedly the United States has military personnel in the Pacific and Japan would not be thrilled at the prospect of Chinese military personnel walking on Japanese soil, even providing rescue assistance. But you can measure the difference between the two powers in other ways. Look at the lead stories on China’s People’s Daily. At the top: Premier Wen Jiabao’s pledge to control inflation. Next story: an editorial hailing the end of the Communist Party Central Committee session. Only after these stories do they finally get to Japan’s tragedy.
Contrast that with America’s largest paper, the New York Times. The top three stories are about the disaster in Japan.
The American people. We’ve been beaten down by economic troubles and get sick and tired of being bashed around the world. But when you need help–I mean really need help–no one is more concerned and giving than us.
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