Transforming public security

E-governance, info-infra projects CEC's priorities in S. America, Africa

In April last year, Ecuador in South America was struck by a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake that killed about 700 people, injured 5,000 others and rendered 80,000 homeless. It was widely reported that casualties could have been higher but for the multipurpose Chinese security technology that doubled up as an alarm telephone line during the quake aftermath.

Many survivors said they owed their lives to the quick response of the authorities concerned to their ECU911 emergency calls. One survivor, Pablo Cordova, was to eventually meet Chinese President Xi Jinping during the latter's state visit in November last year.