By Li Xing (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-01-31 07:28

I remember sweeping the snow off Chang'an Avenue as the flakes continued to fall for almost the whole morning on Feb 21, 1971, when US President Richard Nixon arrived in Beijing for an ice-breaking visit to China.

The snow almost soaked into my petticoat. But I felt a sense of achievement as I watched Nixon's motorcade speeding past in front of what would become today's Jianguo Hotel.

But my memory of a snowy morning back then does not compare with what I see today as so many street cleaners, police, highway, railway, and power grid maintenance workers, as well as countless others, are working day and night to ease the plight of cities in eastern, central and southwestern parts of China. Their task has been to try and keep at least some sections of transportation moving, and to restore electricity.

The weather has been brutal, disrupting the lives of more than 77 million people and the travel plans of tens of millions. Amid the frustration and anxiety, we have also heard heart-warming stories of how people have been bracing the snow and sleet to relieve others in more difficult circumstances.

Passengers traveling on train N589 from Zhangjiajie in Hunan to Guangzhou were stranded in the middle of nowhere near Wangcheng county without food from the early hours of Monday.

Local police and farmers were mobilized at 1 am on Tuesday. They carried food and water, trekking through snow more than 30 cm thick to reach the 1,600 passengers and attendants on the train.

Because of a power failure, the K301 train, which set off for Guangzhou on Friday morning, had to stop at Liling, Hunan, the next day. For 36 hours, the train attendants had to come up with various ways to ensure that the 1,200 passengers had enough to eat, drink and were kept warm. During the night, the train staff even took turns to patrol outside the train to prevent passengers from leaving and putting themselves in danger.

Similar stories abound - a pregnant women being rushed to a nearby hospital, teams of road patrols combing through a 100-km long expressway in search of an elderly man in need of emergency medical care.

I believe we should not take these tales for granted. Instead, they give us confidence that we will prevail.

We have also read and heard various suggestions on how to deal with the extreme weather, and reduce the huge number of travelers stranded on roads.

Travelers are being encouraged to stay where they are and not to head back home, in order to ease the situation on the already blocked roads, jammed railway stations and airports.

For many, to go home or not is a tough decision. For them, Spring Festival is the only time they can reunite with their loved ones. It is a time-honored tradition that few want to give up. A suggestion on the Internet that people should has aroused anger among some netizens.

However, I believe most of the suggestions were made out of good intentions, and at such a difficult time, what people really need is understanding and tolerance.

I am sure we will be able to overcome the chaos and difficulties wrought up us by the brutal weather through strenuous, concerted efforts by the governments and every one of us.

E-mail: lixing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 01/31/2008 page8)