(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-15 13:52

BEIJING -- News media around the world have lauded the Chinese government's quick reaction to the deadly earthquake that hit China's southwestern Sichuan province on Monday afternoon.

Syria's state news agency and TV station have made an extensive coverage on the quake, saying the Chinese government has set disaster relief work its top priority.

The U.S. newspaper Christian Science Monitor has also spoke highly of the Chinese government's "efficient disaster relief" work.

"They are very good at putting together a disaster relief plan rather quickly," the report quoted Roger Musson, a seismologist at the British Geological Survey in Edinburgh, as saying.

It listed a series of measures China has taken as "vast improvements in disaster relief" such as adopting a special law on emergency management last year, specifying the government's responsibilities and setting up emergency management offices that report to the State Council.

In addition to the thousands of soldiers and police dispatched to the disaster areas, emergency medical teams were sent from major cities to the quake zone, said the report, noting their departure "displayed a speed of official response."

An article titled "Beijing at its best in response to earthquake crisis" posted on the website of the Australian, an Australian daily, praised China's information release after the earthquake.

"In China, information has flowed swiftly"  with details of rescue operations, of missing children and of damaged hospitals, it commented.

"State television has interrupted normal programming to run live updates of the earthquake in southwestern Sichuan province...On the internet, official news agencies have issued report after report to provide the latest death toll."

An article on The New York Times written by Andrew Jacobs said the Chinese authorities "have mounted an aggressive rescue effort, dispatching tens of thousands of troops and promptly sending Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to the disaster zone."

The article quoted a writer who praised the People's Liberation Army, who said "whenever there's a life-or-death crisis, they're the ones on the front line."

It also praised the Chinese media's prompt coverage on the catastrophe. The Xinhua News Agency has offered a "vigorous stream of updates about casualties and problems confronting rescue teams, " while "internet sites have been filled with cellphone videos of the quake and commentary," it said.

A commentary on Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao said the Chinese government's actions to deal with the aftermath of the disaster have been swift, noting Premier Wen arrived at the quake zone hours after the quake and has been staying there to lead the relief efforts for days and nights.

The Chinese media have also given a prompt coverage on the earthquake and relief operations, it said.

An article carried by British newspaper The Times spoke highly of the Chinese government's relief work and its open attitude in releasing quake information, and expressed its belief that China is able to deal with the disaster.

A number of newspapers in Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Romania and Latvia have also devoted a good deal of space to the quake and relief progress and given positive comments on the Chinese government's after-disaster measures.

Death toll from the 7.8-magnitude earthquake has risen to nearly 15,000 people.