by Geoff Murray

One thing that stands out in all the coverage of the Asian tsunami disaster is how much it has touched people's lives in so many different countries.

In the past, many thousands have died in tidal waves, earthquakes and floods in various parts of Asia, but these events have often seemed somewhat remote to people living in other parts of the world. As a long-time journalist, I know that for many Western newspapers, such tragedies often mean no more than a small paragraph buried on an inside page of the newspaper. The view seems to be that tidal waves and other natural disasters of this type are something that happens to poor people in less developed parts of the world and do not touch the lives of the rest of people in the world.

This particular tsunami disaster has been different for a variety of reasons. Obviously, the huge death toll ensured that the disaster dominated the television screens and the newspaper front pages throughout the world.

But equally, the story has grabbed public attention because the victims have come from so many different countries. In these days of global travel, it is inevitable that the tourists of many countries are going to get caught up in any disaster that occurs.

Many victims in places such as Thailand, for example, were from Europe and North America. There were even victims from the Chinese mainland, demonstrating how international tourism -- with all its good and bad sides -- is now a fact of life for a growing number of Chinese people.

As a result, many governments around the world quickly found themselves drawn into dealing with the practicalities of aid and relief in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy. There was an immediate need to establish the identities and fate of one's own citizens among the many victims scattered through the appalling debris left by the giant waves. There was also the need to ensure the medical treatment and the ultimate repatriation of the survivors.

Western governments have long been used to this, as well as the more general task of providing financial and humanitarian relief to the stricken countries. This is a tradition that has been witnessed numerous times in recent decades, from earthquakes and floods to famines and refugee crises caused by war.

The public in the West have long been used to public appeals to contribute to such relief efforts, although there have been so many in recent decades as to leave many people exhausted and wondering when the demands will cease.

What particularly stands out in regard to the recent tsunami tragedy, however, is the way that China has stepped forward and demonstrated its willingness to be part of the international relief effort.

As has been pointed out, China was very quick off the mark in offering assistance to the stricken countries, not only in terms of money and relief goods, but also in the dispatch of medical teams and rescue workers. Of course, one could say that it was natural for China to be so quick to respond as the disaster occurred very close to its "back door."

But I think, in a broader sense, it shows a very real maturity and an emergence of China as an important player on the international stage. There is not yet a long tradition of involvement in humanitarian and international peacekeeping operations, but the Asian tsunami tragedy clearly shows that China now has a willingness and a capability to become involved in such programs in a much more organized way.

The Chinese involvement in the rescue and relief work was widely recognized in the Asian region and people at the grass-roots level showed their deep appreciation of the effort. The help also created a good deal of local publicity and has surely promoted a recognition throughout South and East Asia that China is a good friend in time of need.

Another important aspect, to my mind, is that the Chinese relief work has received a great deal of publicity domestically. The domestic media, in fact, has an important role to play, what I might even call an educational role.

The Chinese people as a whole have a greater understanding that they are citizens of a broader, global community; that events that hurt one segment of the community actually hurt us all.

Whenever there is a flood disaster in China, the people as a whole show their generosity in giving aid to the victims. In the future, as a larger number of Chinese become more affluent, I hope more and more people will broaden their horizons and begin helping those who are suffering in other countries far from home.

(China Daily January 25, 2005)