During Visit, Rice Praises China On Quake Recovery Efforts

DUJIANGYAN, China — Secretary of State Rice praised China's earthquake recovery efforts during a visit to the disaster zone yesterday, contrasting Beijing's "attentive" response with Burma's reluctance to accept outside aid after a devastating cyclone.

Ms. Rice was the highest-ranking American to inspect damage from the May 12 quake that destroyed a wide swath of southwest China's mountainous Sichuan province. The magnitude-7.9 quake killed almost 70,000 people, including thousands of schoolchildren who died when their classrooms crumbled.

She stopped in Dujiangyan, a badly hit city of 250,000, where officials said 3,000 people died and 90% of the buildings are now uninhabitable.

"My goodness," she said as she surveyed a pile of rubble — once a gym — before heading to a community of thousands of temporary homes and a water purification facility that is run by an American charity.

"I can see that the Chinese government and officials have been attentive," Ms. Rice told reporters after the tour. "I can see how much effort has gone into the recovery. But with a disaster of this magnitude, no one can do it alone."

"We are very glad that the Chinese people have reached out for help," she added.

Ms. Rice said China's efforts contrasted with those of Burma's ruling junta after Cyclone Nargis hit in early May. Burma's government came under worldwide criticism for failing to speed aid to survivors and initially barring foreign aid workers from the hardest-hit Irrawaddy delta.

Two weeks after the cyclone, the reclusive government authorized America to use 10 helicopters inside the country. This past week, the government's official death toll topped 84,500.