Chinese government: we cherish life of each individual

With the landing of a roaring Chinese plane at the Changbei Airport in Nanchang, Xu Pinpin, a typical Chinese woman, was getting closer to her 56-year-old father again since he left home, a poor small town in east China's Jiangxi Province, for Afghanistan last week.

He went to work at a construction site to support his family, but was killed shortly after arriving.

"Catch the murderer," Xu cried out when she got the sad news last Thursday that a group of terrorists raided a Chinese project compound in Jelogir area, 36 kilometers away of Kunduz city in Afghanistan, killing 11 Chinese workers, including Xu's father Xu Qitai, and injuring five others, most of them sleeping at the time.

Chinese President Hu Jintao, top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao condemned the attack, requiring Chinese government agencies to spare no efforts to help the relatives and to properly handle the aftermath.

"I knew my father...the remains...would be back home sooner or later, but it really surprised me when I knew that my father would be back home in such a short time aboard a charter plane and covered by the national flag," Xu said, sobbing. "The government officials were working hard in helping us, as well as the society."

Huo Jingui, senior director of the China Railway Construction Corporation, parent company of the China Railway Shisiju Group Corporation, Xu Qitai's employer, said Tuesday early morning that the company will offer their own compensation to the families and will negotiate with the Afghan side on the compensation at an early date.

In fact, with the increase of Chinese abroad, new problems also emerged.

Statistics from the Ministry of Education indicate that 117,300 Chinese students are studying abroad, for a total of 527,400 since 1978. The Ministry of Commerce figures show that about 525,000 Chinese workers were scattered in 189 countries or regions worldwide by the end of 2003.

In the first half of this year, at least five major incidents have killed over 30 Chinese in England, New Zealand, Kazakhstan, Bengal Bay and France.

Upon being notified of those incidents, Chinese leaders and concerned government agencies adopted effective measures to help the relatives to relieve their pain both spiritually and in daily life.

Chinese President Hu Jintao told overseas Chinese during a meeting in Hungary last Friday that they were always missed by their compatriots.

The Foreign Ministry is also increasingly giving tourism advice or notice to Chinese at home and abroad via its website or news media, which was rare only years ago.