China's territory is vast and frequently hit by disaster. Standing shoulder to shoulder is the only way to pull through each crisis. The flooding of major rivers in China has not sparked ethnic division. Rather, such floods have shown the necessity of surviving major disasters together.

Ethnic unity is not an empty slogan. It signals a determination to act together and combine the advantages of each minority group to present united strength. The government's rescue efforts are not flawless, though it is trying hard. But there is no ground to question the Chinese government's keenness to save lives. In the still-cold weather of Yushu, rebuilding efforts are underway. The compassion and unity the nation has shown will not fade.
Each disaster in China, though heartbreaking, is also a chance for the world to see the way the country pulls together in times of crisis.
The rescue efforts at the scene of the Yushu earthquake are worth applause. The efforts have been called the largest rescue operation at such an altitude in human history.
Located 4,000 meters above sea level, the quake center is difficult to access. The remote area is a 16 hour drive from the provincial capital, Xi'ning, and has only one road connecting it to the outside world. The only airport, put into use just last year, has become crucial to the rescue work.
Compassion knows no boundaries. Even the critical foreign media has given a thumbs-up to the post-quake relief work of the Chinese government. But it has not stopped a few from scavenging for evidence to prove their long-held assumptions. Criticism is part of journalism. But there are always extremes.
Yushu, home to a predominantly Tibetan population, is assumed by some to be a victim of government policy.
Some begrudged words from a few survivors were amplified as complaints of a large swath of the Tibetan population against the government. Intentionally, some reports have sought to draw a division between the Han ethnic group and minorities. The presence of a large number of soldiers and police, crucial to any disaster-hit zone, is hinted to be a sign of suppression of ethnic minorities.
Both prejudice and sloppy reporting have caused some journalists to reach the conclusion that the Chinese government is launching authoritarian rule in the region and is not supported by the local population.
But this time, reports like this have found few adherents.
(Source: globaltimes.cn)