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With details of the death toll and devastation caused by Monday’s quake still emerging, I would point readers the way of Richard Spencer, who is on his way to Sichuan.

In the meantime, sympathy to the victims of this disaster and praise to the Chinese media for the speed and openness of their reporting from the affected region.

Update

This blogger was in his 26th floor Mianyang apartment when the quake struck. He’s been back up there against orders a few times to report on the situation as news filters in from neighbouring towns.

A good question for many - if not most - people living outside China, for whom ‘Everest’ is a household name that conjures up images of Hillary and Tenzing, Mallory and Irvine as they braved inhospitable conditions on route to the summit. But China wants nothing to do with such days of ‘imperialist’ mountaineering glory, stubbornly refusing to use ‘Everest’ in their English language media sources. Until today, that is.

Before I get bombarded with calls to get my facts straight, I’m sure that ‘Everest’ must have been uttered or written before by China’s state manacled information outlets; it’s just that on all previous occasions that I’ve seen or heard their references to the daddy of the Himalayas, it has always been called the tongue-twisting ‘Qomolangma’. Quite right, too, I might add, although Tibetans prefer ‘Chomolungma’ and the Nepalese have a fondness for ‘Sagarmatha’.

Today, however, marked a new milestone of symbolism that called for the world to know exactly what had been achieved. The only way to convey this important message was to grudgingly acknowledge that the world’s highest peak has a more recognisable and less phonologically challenging moniker: Everest.

So, what was this remarkable feat that the Chinese wished communicated to the English-speaking world? It could only be the latest claim to greatness of the torch relay. China’s very own superlative-laden global tour (longest, angriest, loudest, most protested, most politicised etc) came of age this morning at approximately 9am local time when it also became the highest.

Once the summit had been achieved, all that remained to do for China’s Olympic PR machine in order to secure the positive coverage and global accolades it desired, was to get the word out. Unfortunately, ‘Qomolangma’ is not a word that currently has any hope of achieving such an objective. To secure the prize, therefore, it was necessary to swallow the bitter pill of imperialism and utter the hitherto unthinkable ‘E’ word.   

Australian anchorman Edwin Marr made a valiant effort with his pronunciation of ‘Qomolangma’ before adding an officially sanctioned “…known in the west as Everest.” His relief was palpable.

Not so clear were the pictures of the torch expedition’s assault on the summit. I guess that’s not surprising given the unpredictability of conditions at 29 000 feet. The perfect propaganda shot would have been a gallant climber astride the roof of the world holding aloft a flaming torch against a stunning backdrop of blue skies and lesser Himalayan peaks. As it was, we saw a dozen people in climbing gear struggling against the elements in a nondescript icy wilderness.

It really could have been anywhere, and it didn’t look like anyone was standing on top of anything. There’s certainly nothing conclusively ’summit’ about the pictures at China Daily. Let the conspiracy theories begin. For the record, I’m prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt. After all, it’s been done a thousand times (without the torch) in the last 55 years.

One nagging question: having gone to all that trouble, why not plant an Olympic flag atop the world’s highest peak and give us a picture like this. Nagging questions could be avoided, of course, if members of the international media had been allowed a little more access to information than this diary of events on the mountain indicates.

50 000 dead and rising. Still there is no answer in Beijing.

As southern Asia’s powerhouse and self-appointed guardian of peace, harmony, and regional stability, where the hell is China when their neighbours need them?

State media have been updating on the climbing death toll as the scale of the cyclone disaster unfolds, but in the same manner that they might report a minor landslip on the other side of the planet. Newsflash: this is happening next door - so pull your fingers out!

If China was sending in bundles of aid, we’d have heard about it. And even if they can’t spare the manpower or rice, why not whisper in their friend the Junta’s ear about letting other foreign aid workers in to help alleviate some of the suffering? Or would that be interfering in another county’s internal affairs? You’re damn right it would, and in a most positive, humane, and responsible way.

The Chinese government have influential relationships with many of the world’s despots, including Burma’s (or Myanmar’s, if you will) brutal leaders. For China to earn universal plaudits they need only use their leverage to intervene on purely humanitarian grounds. The people of Burma are waiting for their big brother to step up.

China is on the doorstep, yet the pleas for entry and offers of assistance, at time of writing at least, are coming mainly from countries thousands of miles distant from the disaster zone.  I understand Hu Jintao is a little tied up in Japan right now, but he watches the news, doesn’t he? 

It’s tiresome to be accused of ‘China bashing’ at the slightest deviation from genuflection towards, or superlative-laden compliments about, the Motherland. Still, lest there be any doubt concerning my affection for both the country and its people, here are ten things, in no particular order, that I love about living in China: 

1. The abundance, despite over a billion mouths to feed, of an amazing array of fresh, cheap fruit and vegetables.

2. The overwhelming hospitality of students, friends, and colleagues and the undying enthusiasm with which they insist I should eat more.

3. The ubiquitous scene of cyclists giving a lift to friends sitting on the saddle rack. In this regard, given that boys are usually expected to do the pedalling, small partners and friends are a bonus.

4. The staggering variety of inexpensive food available from street vendors. It’s an experience just to watch them prepare their offerings.  

5. The sheer scale and rate of development that is happening at every turn in the cities, and the contrasting lifestyles of those living in the countryside. Of course, I don’t ‘love’ the fact that hundreds of millions are still waiting for their slice of modern, prosperous China; but the contrast that a short bike ride can present to you is fascinating. 

6. The traffic. Again, I don’t ‘love’ the shocking casualty figures on the Chinese highway, but you have to be enthralled by the culturally distinct way that Chinese motorists, bus drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians conduct themselves on (and off) the road. The novice observer would be forgiven for frequent wincing at the number of near misses, and for describing the scene using the language of chaos. Once acclimatised, however, it really is compulsive viewing.

7. The incredible number of temples, monuments, ancient sites, and stunning natural beauty that can be found in a huge country with a long, long history.

8. The faces of young children, especially outside the big city, and their innocent curiosity at discovering that foreigners really do exist. Naturally, a few run screaming in panic to their mothers, who have no doubt told their offspring not to get too close in case the laowai bites them.

9. The strong exercise ethic that is evident each morning and evening everywhere in China. Young and old alike flood to the parks, playgrounds, and subways to dance, jog, stretch, practise tai chi, or engage in any number of other traditional activities and games. Many older residents subscribe to the health benefits of walking backwards; for the young and agile, basketball never stops. 

10. The opportunity to work in an extraordinary and diverse country during a period when China is redefining its role in the world.

There are many more reasons why living and working in China continues to be a rewarding experience for me; these are just a few items off the top of my head.