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In sadness, worries over war, Chinese pray for peace
( 2003-03-21 08:33 ) (8 )

Waking up to a rain-soaked morning in early Spring, Beijingers started another normal, busy workday on Thursday. Nothing was unusual in the bustling capital of China, it seemed, until the news of war came from the faraway Gulf region.

At 11:01 am Beijing time, a short message popped up on Cao Jun' s mobile phone as he was busy working in his office. "The United States has launched strikes on Iraq," it said.

"Suddenly, the war is so real," said the 25-year-old, who has grown up in an era of peace. To the young generation in the world' s most populous country, war is just pictures on movie screens.

China's booming Internet industry, now with more than 60 million subscribers, reacted immediately, with major news websites like Xinhuanet.com updating the news second by second. Websites including Sina and Sohu almost crashed due to excessive hits and viewing speed slowed down visibly.

Chen Tong, chief news editor at Sina, said over 30 million users clicked news bars and more than 10,000 items of online comments were posted within three hours.

In an Internet cafe, Wang Wuyan looked eager to get the latest developments on military action launched by the United States and its allies.

"There's only one computer with Internet access at my office. So I have to come here to keep up to date with the changing situation," he said. "I want to express my prayer for peace on the net."

Wang was not the only Chinese who, in a mood of sorrow and worry, wished a halt to the military action while praying for Iraqi civilians in danger.

Inside Sogo, a glossy department store in downtown Beijing, Sun Handong was among customers browsing through new arrivals for the spring season.

"I hate war," said Sun, an insurance broker. "I think there are always better ways than war to solve problems in any country or region."

He had just learned the news from the radio in a taxi. He said the United States and its allies took military action solely for their own benefit, not in the interests of the entire world.

"It will do no good for the peace and development of mankind," he said.

The Chinese media has given full coverage to the developments in Iraq. Although the Xinhua New Agency has evacuated all its correspondents from that country, it is still releasing stories based on information from a local reporter. China Central Television has also broadcast a live show for domestic viewers. And China's major Internet websites lost no time in rolling out the latest developments.

Most websites carried the Foreign Ministry's statement in eye- catching headlines. Web users were greeted with comments like: " War will inevitably lead to humanitarian disasters and undermine the security, stability and development of the region and the world at large" and "The Chinese government is always committed to peace and stability in the world. We stand for settling international disputes by political means and reject the use or threat of force in international affairs."

"Each nation has its own stance. We support China's position," said Ran Huan, who works in an agency helping people study overseas.

Zhou Zunnan, an expert on international relations, said war was distressing and to be regretted, and people worldwide longed for peace. Compared with the last Gulf War, the US military actions had won far less global support. What's worse, such unilateral actions would escalate conflicts between the west and the Islamic world, and magnify the contradictions between the United States and those pro-multipolarization countries.

China has never stopped its diplomatic efforts even though war has broken out in Iraq. During a Thursday evening phone call with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan once again stressed: "The common aspiration of the international community is to safeguard peace and oppose war." He urged an immediate halt to the US military operations in Iraq to avoid hurting innocent people and bring the Iraq issue back on the right path of a political solution.

Beijing is noted for its dry climate, but on Thursday afternoon it was suddenly caught in another cold downpour. "Is peace also feeling the cold?" a college student, Li Xuanna, asked herself.

Staying in Beijing for a couple of days, Scgretti said he felt very safe in China. "But I definitely wouldn't dare to visit countries in the Middle East now."

In Beijing's bustling subway, many passengers buried their heads in the morning newspapers, which due to their publication time did not carry the latest news on the Gulf region. When someone learned of the war news via short messages on mobile phones and read it aloud, there was a moment of concern and unease in the carriage.

A soldier told a Xinhua reporter he was not surprised at all, because he thought the United States had planned it for a long time and the war was inevitable.

"But I think the United States has gone too far. How can a country attack another independent one whenever it likes? " said the serviceman, who chose to be anonymous. "Soldiers should fight for peace, not for aggression."

In a busy restaurant, almost every diner's attention was glued on a TV set broadcasting breaking news of the war on Iraq. Some were too absorbed to finish their lunch.

"It is too late to say anything now. The only thing we can do is to pray for the Iraqi people. I hope the war ends as early as possible," said supermarket attendant Ai Qi.

Her view was shared by Zhang Ye, a sophomore at the Beijing No. 2 Foreign Languages Institute.

Watching the live coverage on the Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV with her classmates, Zhang said she hoped casualties would be kept to a minimum.

Meanwhile, millions of Chinese people were praying for peace, from the Muslim communities in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, to the metropolis of Shanghai in the east.

Li Bin is an employee at a real estate company in Henan Province. He was spending his holidays in Beijing with his wife and 15-year-old daughter.

"I can't imagine how the Iraqi people are now with bombs dropping at any time. I feel sorry about kids there because they won't be having fun like me," Li's daughter said seriously. "I really hope there won't be any war."