The devastating floods have hit both Nepal and Tibet, but the flow of information coming from Kathmandu is painting a far clearer picture of the ordeal in the Himalayan nation than in China.
The report noted that a journalist conducting one of the broadcasts from a relief centre in Tibet did not speak to any of the people seated behind him.
But according to a report by The Guardian, although state media in China carried several broadcasts about the floods and dispatched their own journalists to the area, the reports focused on rescue efforts rather than the scale of the devastation.
Journalists on the ground cannot report a higher toll until an official statement confirms it, even if the reporter witnesses more dead bodies than reported. No international journalists are allowed in Tibet apart from those on what many call tightly choreographed government tours. Many Tibetans are not allowed to hold passports and can be punished for speaking to journalists. Human rights groups have for years criticised Beijing’s policies on Tibetan language and culture, which activists say are under attack. Chinese emergency services, including the People’s Liberation Army, are vastly better resourced than their Nepalese counterparts. Navigating the difficult, mountainous terrain where conditions are still unsafe requires specialised expertise. China has dispatched hundreds of emergency service personnel, but there is scant detail on what they are doing. The Chinese leader also dispatched Premier Li Qiang to visit the affected area.
Xi reportedly also called on the authorities to “make every effort to search for missing people from China and abroad”. Li “emphasised that General Secretary Xi Jinping is deeply concerned about the people in the disaster-stricken areas”, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. State media reported on Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired a meeting to direct rescue work.
