National Observance of Three Minutes Silence for Earthquake Victims

An unexpected earthquake occurred in Wenchuan county, Sichuan province, Southwest China at 2:28 P.M.on May 12th, 2008. The magnitude of the earthquake was 8.0, during the earthquake, 28 provinces had the feeling of shaking, too. Up to 2:00 P.M. of May 18th, the Wenchuan earthquake has caused 32,476 people death, 220,109 injuries and millions homeless. The country is making every effort to save the people lives, armies, polices and even common people joined in rescue, altogether 113,080 people, and 36,563 people have been saved so far. Money and life necessities have been raised all over the country to help people suffering from the catastrophe. So far, a total fund of RMB 8.9 billion has been raised.

As a member of the society all Hongyue people are very active in donating money to help the rescue. Total donation from the company has exceeded RMB 32,008. Money and rescue from international has also helped Chinese in fighting against the disaster. In order to express the national people's profound condolence to the dead in the Wenchuan earthquake, the State Council decided May 19th-21st 2008 as national Mourning Day.

Millions of people in China and overseas observed three minutes silence at 2:28 p.m. Monday to mourn thousands of people killed in an earthquake which hit the nation's southwest a week ago.

Across the country, air raid sirens, cars, trains and ship horns wailed in grief as the people fell silent.

Chinese bourses and commodities exchanges also suspended trading for three minutes in remembrance of the earthquake dead. In the Shenzhen bourse, stock traders stood near

their office desks for the remembrance. Some of the traders said people have volunteered to buy stocks of Sichuan-based listed companies to show their support. Cars, motorcycles and bicycles in capital Beijing and other cities stopped in the road and sounded their horns. Pedestrians stood with their heads bowed.

The China Central Television blackened its screen for the three-minute silence. In some of the Chinese embassies overseas, employees wore white paper flowers on their chests while standing in silence in honor of the dead.

"The earthquake took away people's lives, but it will not frighten the brave Chinese people into retreat. We will get over the hardships and a stronger China will have a better future," said He Bin, a police officer of the Anhui Provincial Public Security Department. After the three-minute tribute, thousands of people at the Tian'anmen square in Beijing, shouting "Brave and strong, China!" and "Brave and Strong, Wenchuan!" with some waving the national flags.

The three-minute remembrance is part of three-day national mourning for those who died in the earthquake.

National flags will fly at half mast, public entertainments will be cancelled and the Olympic torch relay suspended during the three-day mourning period.

Hongyue staff and nursery workers mourning the earthquake victims