Cross-Straits ties 'must meet expectations'

The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Kuomintang (KMT) should firmly maintain peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and live up to the expectations of people, Jia Qinglin, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, said Tuesday.

"The two sides should live up to the expectations of people, safeguard the good trend in cross-Straits relations, grasp and make good use of the rare opportunity, and make persistent efforts, so as to jointly open up a new chapter for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations," said Jia, while meeting with visiting KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung in Beijing.

Jia also said that the two parties should intensify communication and strengthen the interaction of grassroots organizations in order to push forward exchanges in all aspects.

Jia, also chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, highlighted the importance of Wu's visit, who is here at the invitation of the CPC Central Committee and General Secretary Hu Jintao.

Wu arrived in Beijing on the second stop of his six-day mainland trip Tuesday afternoon.

He was welcomed Tuesday at Beijing's Capital International Airport by Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee.

In his speech at the airport, Wu said that as new opportunities appear across the Straits, "we should not waste these opportunities but instead make continuous efforts for positive interaction".

He wished the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games a great success.

In a welcoming speech, Chen spoke highly of Wu's mainland visit, saying it showed "the two parties are willing to shoulder the major historic task entrusted by people of the two sides to jointly create a great future for our nationality".

Leading his 16-member delegation, Wu also paid homage to Dr Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province.

Wu laid a floral wreath at Dr Sun's statue in the memorial hall and made bowed for a minute in reverence.

Sun Yat-sen, a founder of Kuomintang, or the Nationalist party of China, died in 1925 in Beijing and his coffin was moved to and buried in Nanjing in 1929.

In his speech at the mausoleum, Wu stressed that both the mainland and Taiwan belong to the Chinese nation, and are "closely tied by blood", which no one could obliterate. He said that both sides across the Taiwan Straits should face history directly, reality squarely and open up to the future.

He said Kuomintang will send a delegation to Nanjing next year to attend memorial activities of the 80th anniversary of Dr Sun Yat-sen's internment at the mausoleum.

Wu is scheduled to meet Hu Jintao, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, today, and fly to Shanghai tomorrow to visit Taiwan businessmen based there.

Xinhua contributed to the story

Millions mourn China earthquake dead with air sirens wailing in grief

Millions of people in China and overseas observed three minutes silence at 2:28 p.m. Monday to mourn thousands of people killed in an earthquake which hit the nation's southwest a week ago.

Across the country, air raid sirens, cars, trains and ship horns wailed in grief as the people fell silent.

Chinese bourses and commodities exchanges also suspended trading for three minutes in remembrance of the earthquake dead.

The three-minute remembrance is part of three-day national mourning for those who died in the 8.0-magnitude earthquake. More than 32,000 people have been confirmed dead and the estimated death toll could top 50,000.

National flags flew at half mast, public entertainments were cancelled and the Olympic torch relay was suspended during the three-day mourning period.

On foot, bike, Chinese offer aid to quake survivors

Chinese volunteers trooped into quake-hit areas on Wednesday on foot, bicycle and in their cars in an outpouring of generosity toward those left homeless and grieving by Monday's 7.9 magnitude earthquake.

At the edges of the worst-hit region, many who narrowly escaped disaster themselves descended on the Sichuan city of Mianyang, where about 10,000 survivors gathered at a sports ground seeking food and shelter.

"We just have to help," said one woman, dishing out rice porridge to anyone who asked from the back of her pedicab. "We live just around the corner from the stadium," she said.

Around the grounds, residents had left plastic bags and fertilizer sacks of donated clothes that survivors picked their way through.

"We feel very moved that people are looking after us and that so many have come here to support us," said Li Bowei, 34, from the nearby area of Beichuan.

The rural county has seen some of the worst devastation from Monday's quake that has killed nearly 15,000 people.

Pictures from Beichuan showed streets where not a single building stood. Survivors lay dazed on the ground next to the dead and army rescuers struggled to reach the mountainous area.

Authorities closed the road to Beichuan to inbound traffic to allow survivors to leave and many streamed toward Mianyang.

State radio broadcast appeals for people to give food, water, equipment, and blood, as well as appeals for people to be patient and wait for aid.

Taxi drivers also joined the rescue efforts.

"I dropped everything to get over to Dujiangyan," said driver Ran Ruimin, referring to the town about 50 km (30 miles) from the provincial capital Chengdu where some 900 students were buried in the rubble of their collapsed school.

"I took water up there and brought back survivors to the hospital (in Chengdu). The person I took to hospital was covered in blood," he said.

"PLEASE BE PATIENT"

But in case anyone forgets the government and ruling Communist Party's role in providing aid, state radio was quick to remind them and call on people yet to receive help to be patient.

"The people and the Party breathe as one to overcome the disaster," public service announcements said, backing by stirring patriotic music.

"Please be patient. Those behind the scenes are working as hard as possible to get aid to you."

Despite the generosity and goodwill across what is a poor area of steep hills, where farmers grow oranges, peppercorns and vegetables, the needs are massive.

In the worst-hit areas - Beichuan, as well as Wenchuan county to the southwest - blocked roads mean aid has been slow to arrive, and army troops have to hike in on foot.

State-run Xinhua news agency said Beichuan was in urgent need of 50,000 tents, 200,000 blankets and 300,000 coats, as well as drinking water and medicine.

The air force dropped 9.1 tonnes of medicine, quilts and radios to Wenchuan and neighboring areas on Wednesday, Xinhua reported.

Efforts to parachute soldiers in the day before were stymied by heavy rain, which has left survivors huddled under muddy tarpaulins.

Paramilitary People's Armed Police soldiers said Wenchuan needed 35 tonnes of food per day, as well as 12,000 tents to shelter the homeless. Helicopters were expected to drop the aid later in the day, Xinhua said.

The first batch of international aid, a donation from Russia, was expected to arrive in Chengdu on Wednesday, Xinhua said.

An aid worker with the agency Mercy Corps said they had had requests for protective clothing, and that medicine and surgical supplies were likely to be among the most urgent needs.

In Mianyang, people gave what they could.

Li Jing, an 18-year-old student, arrived with a group of friends, lugging bottles of water to distribute.

"I wanted to help," she said. "I feel great pain for the victims."

(Writing and additional reporting by Lindsay Beck; Editing by David Fogarty)