China joins together in silent memorial

Xining residents gather in snow to pay their respects to quake victims

XINING - Tens of thousands of local residents in the capital of Northwest China's Qinghai province gathered in heavy snowfall to mourn for the victims of the Yushu earthquake.

Xining has been wrapped in heavy snow since Tuesday night, but the snow did not stop people from paying their respects to the victims of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake. While the memorial ceremony began at 10 am, many participants had already shown up before 9 am.