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卡耐基人性的弱点读后感

BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- The State Council, China's Cabinet, has approved a decision to impose harsh criminal and disciplinary penalties on 169 people held responsible for five major work-related accidents over the past two years, the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) announced Tuesday.     SAWS said cases involving 131 people had been handed over to judicial departments for criminal prosecution.     The five accidents included a mine blast in Linfen in north China's Shanxi Province that killed 105 on Dec. 5, 2007, a train collision in east China on April 28 last year that claimed 72 lives, and a landslide at an unlicensed iron ore tailings facility, also in Linfen, that killed 277 people. These five accidents are profiled below.     COAL MINE BLAST, HONGTONG COUNTY, SHANXI PROVINCE, 2007     The blast occurred at 11:15 p.m. on Dec. 5 at the Xinyao Coal Mine, killing 105 miners and injuring 18 others. Losses were estimated at 42.75 million yuan (about 6 million U.S. dollars).     Authorities said 78 people bore some responsibility for the accident, and 39 were referred to judicial bodies for criminal prosecution. Wang Donghai, the ultimate owner of the mine, and Wang Hongliang, legal representative, were sentenced to life in prison. Miao Yuanli, former vice mayor of Linfen, received a 14-year sentence.     The other 39 received internal disciplinary penalties. Wang Guozheng, director of Shanxi Provincial Construction Department, and Jin Shanzhong, then vice governor of Shanxi Province, were given severe inner party warnings. Li Tiantai, deputy party chief and mayor of Linfen, was given a severe inner party warning and demoted.     Ruizhiyuan Coal Mining Co. Ltd., which owned the coal mine, was fined 185.2 million yuan and closed.     TRAIN COLLISION, SHANDONG PROVINCE, 2008     A high-speed train from Beijing to the coastal city of Qingdao in Shandong Province derailed and struck another train in Zibo's Zhoucun District on April 28, 2008, leaving 72 dead and another 416 injured. It was the worst train accident in a decade. Losses were estimated at 41.92 million yuan.     An investigation showed the train was running at 131 kilometers per hour at the time of the accident, while the speed limit of that section was 80 km/hr.     Authorities determined that 37 people bore responsibility for the accident. Six people, including Guo Jiguang, vice executive director of the Jinan Railway Bureau, were referred to judicial departments for criminal prosecution.     Thirty-one people received inner party disciplinary punishment or administrative punishment. Chen Gong, head of the Jinan Railway Bureau, was dismissed. Chai Tiemin, then the Party chief of the bureau, was dismissed. Hu Yadong, vice minister of the Railway Ministry, had a serious demerit entered on his record. Liu Zhijun, railway minister, had a demerit entered on his record.     COAL MINE BLAST, SHANXI PROVINCE, 2008     On June 13, 2008, an explosion occurred in a colliery of the Anxin Coal Mining Co. Ltd. in Xiaoyi City, Shanxin Province, which killed 35 people and injured 12 others. One person has never been found. Losses totaled 12.91 million yuan.     Illegal homemade explosives concealed in the colliery tunnel ignited on their own and triggered the blast, according to investigators.     Fifty people were held responsible for the accident, and 26, including Tian Yun, head of the mine and legal representative of Anxin company, were referred to judicial departments for criminal prosecution.     Twenty-four people, including Zhang Zhongsheng, vice mayor of Luliang City, and Zhang Xuguang, mayor of Xiaoyi City, received inner party disciplinary or administrative punishment.     The company was fined 38.46 million yuan and all its illegal gains were confiscated. The company's business license was revoked and it was ordered to close.     LANDSLIDE, SHANXI PROVINCE, 2008     The collapse of an unlicensed iron ore tailing pond triggered a massive landslide on Sept. 8, 2008 in Xiangfen county of the coal-rich Shanxi Province. The landslide buried an outdoor market near a village of more than 1,000 residents, killing 277 people and injuring 33. Four people were never found. Losses were put at 96.19 million yuan.     Authorities said 113 people had responsibility for the accident. Among those, 51 faced criminal charges and 62 received inner party disciplinary or administrative punishments.     Among those facing charges were Zhang Peiliang, board chairman of the Xinta Mining Ltd. Co., or the owner of the mine; Kang Haiyin, Communist Party chief of Xiangfen County; Li Xuejun, head of Xiangfen County; Liu Shuyong, chief engineer of Shanxi Provincial Land and Resources Bureau, and Su Baosheng, deputy head of Shanxi Provincial Work Safety Supervision Administration.     Xia Zhengui, secretary of Linfen city's Party committee, was given an inner-party penalty. Liu Zhijie, Linfen's then mayor, and Zhou Jie, then vice mayor of Linfen, were dismissed. Zhang Genhu, head of Shanxi Provincial Work Safety Supervision Administration, had an internal demerit entered in his record.     MINE FIRE IN HEILONGJIANG PROVINCE, 2008     The fire on Sept. 20, 2008 at Fuhua Coal Mine in Hegang City killed 31 people and caused losses of 15.65 million yuan.     The accident was determined to have been caused by the spontaneous combustion of coal, but 22 people were held responsible for bad management.     Nine people, including Wang Qingyun, an investor in Fuhua Mining Co., Ltd., faced criminal charges.     Thirteen people received disciplinary penalties. Wang Rui, then vice mayor of Hegang, was included, among others.     The company's business license was suspended and it was forced to close.

UNITED NATIONS, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The international community should give a more balanced assessment of the political progress Myanmar has made and treat it with less arrogance and prejudice, a senior Chinese diplomat said here Monday.     Liu Zhenmin, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, told an open meeting of the Security Council that "it has been unfair to turn a blind eye to the progress Myanmar has made, or instead, always be picky at its government."     Liu said the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been actively conducted good offices in Myanmar as mandated by the General Assembly in recent years.     "His unremitting efforts and the positive outcome thereby achieved deserve an objective and fair assessment by the international community," he said.     Ban briefed the 15 members of the Security Council at the meeting on his latest visit to the south-eastern Asian country on July 3-4, the second in just over a year. An open Security Council meeting on Myanmar is held at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States, July 13, 2009. China is opposed to putting the Myanmar question on the UN Security Council agenda and is against isolating and sanctioning against the country, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN Liu Zhenmin said here on Monday, stressing the events that happened inside Myanmar were its internal affairsDuring his visit, Ban met with Senior-General Than Shwe, Myanmar's head of state, and people from other political parties including the National League for Democracy (NLD), but was under pressure from some media and certain countries due to his failure to meet with NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi.     Liu voiced China's support to Ban and highly appreciated his recent visit, calling the visit "positive and full of significance."     "Whether or not he met with Aung San Suu Kyi should not be used as a criterion to measure the success of the visit," he said.     Also on Monday, Myanmar's UN Ambassador U Than Swe told the Security Council that his government regretted its inability to arrange the meeting as the special court has its independent jurisdiction over the matter.     "Aung San Suu Kyi was unfortunately involved in the legal proceed. In order to maintain the justice of judicial process, the Myanmar government did not arrange the bilateral meeting. This is totally understandable. The UN should respect the jurisdiction of its member state," Liu said.     He said China has time and again stressed that the secretary-general's good offices are a process and his visit is a part of the efforts.     Ban had in-depth talks with top leaders of Myanmar, directly conveyed to them the concern of the international community and enhanced mutual trust between Myanmar and the UN, Liu said.     "This will play an important role in encouraging the Myanmar side to maintain the current momentum and promote the democratic process according to the established plans," Liu said.

BEIJING, April 30 (Xinhua) -- China hopes to increase cooperation with Vietnam to push forward comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, said top Chinese political advisor Jia Qinglin on Thursday.     "Stronger Sino-Vietnamese cooperation is significant when facing with international financial crisis," Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top advisory body, told Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan in Beijing.     China and Vietnam would hold a friendship year in 2010. "We should grasp the opportunity to promote our friendship," Jia said. Jia Qinglin (front R), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference meets with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan (front L), who is also Vietnam's Minister of Education and Training, in Beijing, China, April 30, 2009    The establishment of comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership last year lifted bilateral ties into a new height, said Jia.     Frequent high level contacts, economic cooperation and increasing exchanges brought concrete benefits for the two peoples, he said.     Nhan is also Vietnam's Minister of Education and Training.     Jia hoped the two nations would further expand cooperation in education.     Nhan said Vietnam was ready to work with China to promote cooperation in education, culture, science and technology,.     Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong also met with Nhan later Thursday.

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BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese top political advisor Jia Qinglin met with Taiwan-based Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung and his delegation at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Monday afternoon.     Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said the cross-Straits relationship had made breakthroughs after a historic turning point in the past year.     Improved relations had yielded practical benefits for people on both sides, and cross-Straits peace and stability had been highly praised by the international community, said Jia. Jia Qinglin (R), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, shakes hands with Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 25, 2009    The KMT and the Communist Party of China (CPC) had shouldered greater responsibility in promoting the cross-Straits relationship, said Jia, also member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau.     At the invitation of CPC Central Committee General Secretary HuJintao, the KMT chairman arrived in Beijing on Monday and will meet Hu on Tuesday to exchange ideas on the cross-Straits relationship.     Jia said Wu's meeting with Hu would promote political mutual trust.     Jia proposed that the two sides enhance exchanges and intensify trust to make more practical achievements for the public interest.     He stressed that interaction and inter-party dialogue would play an irreplaceable role in keeping the development of cross-Straits relations on a peaceful track and building trust.     Jia said dealing with the challenges of the global downturn was an issue calling for cooperation.     Further, both sides should find opportunities in the crisis to promote the normalization of the cross-Straits economic relationship through more institutionalized economic cooperation, Jia told the KMT chairman.     Jia said the Straits Forum held in the mainland's Fujian Province had become a new platform for communication by people on both sides, who were the driving force of cross-Straits relations.     Wu said that the great progress of cross-Straits relations in the past year had proved that the common prospects for peaceful cross-Straits development, agreed by leaders of the two parties in2005, fully met the needs of people on both sides.     The two parties had achieved unprecedented interaction and should unswervingly continue their exchanges in a proper direction, Wu said.     Both the people in the mainland and Taiwan were Chinese and responsible for the revitalization of the nation and its culture, Wu said.

MOSCOW, May 13 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Wu Bangguo said here Wednesday the strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Russia is currently showing a momentum all-round and rapid growth, as high-level contact remains frequent.    Wu said in recent years, China-Russia relations have been lifted to new stages as cooperation in all fields reached an unprecedentedly high level. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (R) shakes hands with Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China, in Moscow, capital of Russia, May 13, 2009Wu made the remarks as he met with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev Wednesday afternoon. Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) arrived here for an official goodwill visit Wednesday.     Wu conveyed Chinese President Hu Jintao's greetings to Medvedev. He highly appreciated frequent contact between leaders of the two countries, saying Medvedev's visit to China last year contributed to the continuous growth of the strategic partnership between the two countries on a high level.     Medvedev said he and Chinese President Hu Jintao had held their first meeting this year during the London G20 summit in April. He expressed the wish that the presidents of the two countries will have more meetings later this year, saying he expects President Hu to pay a state visit to Russia in June. Medvedev also expects to meet with President Hu during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and the summit of "BRIC" countries, namely Brazil, Russia, Indian and China later this year.     In order to push for long-term, healthy and stable growth of China-Russia relations, Wu suggested that the two countries should enhance political trust and share mutual understanding and support on major issues concerning each other's core interest. The two countries should maintain consultation and cooperation on regional and international affairs so as to push for multipolarization and democratization of international relations.     Wu said the two countries should also strengthen cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, energy, investment and local exchanges. He said the two sides should earnestly carry out the cooperation agreements they have already signed. Wu expressed the wish that the two sides should actively overcome difficulties in progress and practically resolve existing problems in their cooperation so as to secure bilateral trade from the impact of global financial storm this year.     Wu said the two countries should step up dialogues and cooperation on financial issues. He said they should maintain close contact and coordination at bilateral and multilateral levels. The two countries should exchange views on maintaining stability of their own financial market and pushing forward reform of the international financial and currency systems, Wu said, adding that China and Russia should join hands to promote the stability of international financial market and rally of global economy.     Medvedev said under the current situation, strengthening cooperation between Russia and China is not only conducive to the development of both countries, but also to resumption of world economy and establishment of a new, just and rational international political and economy system.     Medvedev said Russia places importance on expanding relations with China and is ready to deepen mutual trust and expand cooperation with China in such fields as energy, trade, investment and local contact.     China and Russia are to hold a series of activities to mark the60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic links this year. High-level contact has been growing closer in recent years, as President Hu and President Medvedev met four times last year.     Wu and Medvedev jointly stressed the importance of parliamentary exchanges between the two countries, saying the exchanges reflect the high level of development of China-Russia partnership of strategic cooperation.     Wu said the high level of China-Russia partnership is fully reflected in such areas as frequent contact between top leaders of the two countries, the staging of "Russian Language Year" in China, the signing of an oil cooperation agreement between the two governments and the exchanges between the NPC and Russian parliament.     Medvedev said Wu's visit to Russia reflects the momentum of fast growth in bilateral links. Under the current environment of international financial crisis, coordination between the parliaments of the two countries will be conducive to advancing bilateral cooperation. He said Russia places high importance on parliamentary exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

L'AQUILA, Italy, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo on Thursday called for concerted efforts to tackle various global challenges at the leaders' meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) and five leading emerging economies (G5).     Dai, who attended the summit on behalf of Chinese President Hu Jintao, delivered a speech entitled "Striving to push forward global economic recovery and enhance regulation of the world economy" to the meeting held in the quake-torn Italian city of L'Aquila, according to a press release issued by the Chinese delegation.     Hu cut short his stay in Italy and skipped the G8 meeting due to the situation in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. He returned to Beijing Wednesday.     In the speech, Dai expounded China's position on major international issues.     Dai called for more international efforts to push for recovery of the world economy, saying that against the backdrop of economic globalization, the macro-economic policies adopted by one country, especially by a major economy, would exert an impact on other economies.     "So when we promulgate a policy aimed at economic recovery, we should not only put into consideration our own interests, but also have to cast eyes on the interests of other countries," Dai said.     The international community should strengthen communication in this regard, he said.     The state councilor said the "primary task" now was to implement the results achieved at the G20 summits in Washington and London, so as to ensure the momentum and effectiveness of economic stimulus packages.     He also urged the international community to abide by the principle of opening markets, opposing protectionism in various forms and safeguarding the normal and orderly movement of goods, services and personnel across borders.     Dai also appealed for an accelerated process of the Doha Round talks of the World Trade Organization, said the press release.     Leaders of the G8 industrialized countries and five leading emerging economies -- India, China, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa -- met on Thursday to discuss economic issues, climate change, trade and other international issues.     On the current international financial crisis, the state councilor said the international community has already reached consensus on reforming the global financial system, but the key lies in the implementation of the consensus.     In the short term, the reform is aimed at stabilizing the international financial market and boosting the growth of real economy, but the reform should be far-sighted, he said.     In the long run, the reform should be aimed at enhancing regulation of the international financial system and safeguarding order of the global financial market, so as to avoid the recurrence of a similar crisis, he added.     The state councilor stressed that representation and voting rights of developing countries should be increased in the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.     He said developing countries should participate as equal partners in the policy-making process in setting international financial standards and regulation.     Dai also urged the international community to improve global financial supervision, the press release said.     The state councilor appealed for maintaining the stability of major international reserve currencies, but he did not mention the U.S. dollar in his speech.     He urged the international community to improve the international monetary system in a bid to make it diversified and rationalized.     The state councilor also briefed the leaders on China's efforts to tackle the global financial crisis, saying the measures taken by the Chinese government have proven effective.     Noting that the international financial crisis has brought considerable difficulties and challenges to China's economy, Dai said the Chinese government has adopted a series of resolute measures to tackle some thorny issues and these measures have seen initial achievements.     The measures include a proactive fiscal policy and a moderately easy monetary policy, a stimulus package worth 4 trillion yuan (about 587 billion U.S. dollars) designed to expand domestic demand, and a tax-cut package of 500 billion yuan (around 73 billion U.S. dollars), Dai said.     China also has striven to readjust its economic structure, accelerate infrastructure construction, seek balanced development between urban and rural areas, and improve social security system and people's life, Dai said.     Thanks to these measures, China's gross domestic product (GDP) rose 6.1 percent year on year in the first quarter of this year, he added.     According to a press release by the Chinese delegation, in the first five months of this year, on a yearly basis, the fixed-asset investment in urban areas jumped by 32.9 percent in China, the retail sales grew by 15 percent, and the industrial output increased by 6.3 percent.     The state councilor said China would continue to cooperate with the international community to fight the international financial crisis, and would continue to make due contribution to the recovery of world economy.     In his speech, Dai also called for joint efforts from the international community to tackle global challenges such as climate change, food and energy security.     Dai said global challenges such as climate change, food and energy security are common problems facing the whole world, and therefore need joint efforts to cope with.     On climate change, Dai said the international community should continue to insist on the core status of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, and abide by the principle of "common but differentiated responsibility" established by the two documents.     The international community should take actions in line with the "Bali Road Map" and take into account different conditions of various countries, so as to push for the success of the upcoming Copenhagen Conference on climate change scheduled for December this year.     On food security, Dai called for increased investment in agriculture, enhanced market monitoring and the establishment of assistance mechanisms.     On energy security, he proposed a series of measures including setting up a system of energy technology research and development, diversifying energy supply, developing new energy and renewable energy, and improving energy efficiency.

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URUMQI, July 8 (Xinhua) -- More than 100 overseas media organizations came to Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to report Sunday's riot, a press official said Wednesday.     "All media organizations are welcome to report the riot," said Hou Hanmin, spokeswoman for the Xinjiang regional government and in charge of the press center in Haide Hotel in downtown Urumqi.     "We will do our best to provide convenience for reporters while ensuring their safety," said Hou.     "We hope every media reports the incident objectively through close observation of the truth," she said.     The riot, which occurred Sunday evening in Urumqi, has left 156dead and more than 1,000 others injured.     Wu Nong, a press center worker, said the center had technicians to deal with communication problems for journalists. It has interpreters of English and Uygur languages.

PRAGUE, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday held the 11th China-European Union (EU) summit here with Czech President Vaclav Klaus and European Commission President Jose Barroso.     The Czech Republic now holds the rotating presidency of the EU.     The three leaders, in a frank, practical and friendly atmosphere, thoroughly exchanged views and reached important consensus on how to further develop the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, and jointly deal with the global financial crisis as well as climate change.     Wen said the development of the China-EU relations embodies the mutually beneficial cooperation between the biggest developing country and the biggest bloc of developed countries, and the friendly exchanges between the two major ancient civilizations.     The summit is a frank dialogue between countries with different social systems, which conforms to the historical trend, meets the requirement of the advancing of the times, and benefits the Chinese and European people and the whole international community, he said. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (2nd R) poses together with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso (1st R), Czech President Vaclav Klaus (2nd L), whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana at the 11th China-EU Summit in Prague, Czech Republic, May 20, 2009The common and harmonious development of China and Europe is fundamentally helpful to the world's harmony and sustainable development, the Chinese premier added.     Wen said the core of the China-EU ties lies in their strategic importance, while the bilateral relations are featured with comprehensive substance, and the key to their development is to advance with the times.     Under the current complex and volatile international political and economic situations, China and the EU should stick to the basic principle of strategic partnership, and take the expansion of practical cooperation as a major point, he said.     China and the EU should strengthen confidence, jointly move forward, and push forward the sustainable development of bilateral relations in an in-depth and all-around way, Wen said.     Wen said both sides should give full play to the role of the China-EU summit in strategically guiding the development of the bilateral ties. Other dialogue mechanisms, such as high-level economic and trade talks, should further promote exchanges and cooperation in various sectors, he said. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L), Czech President Vaclav Klaus (C), whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso attend a press conference after the 11th China-EU Summit in Prague, Czech Republic, May 20, 2009. Both sides should also give full play to the role of legal framework as a stabilizer, and reach a deal on the China-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) as soon as possible, Wen said.     In January 2007, China and the EU began substantial negotiations on the PCA, which would serve as a framework agreement encompassing the full scope of their bilateral relationship.     The key to China-EU strategic cooperation is the principle of mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs while taking into consideration each other's core concerns and properly handling sensitive issues, Wen said.     The bilateral relations should not be adversely affected by individual incidents, said the premier.     Wen also expressed hope that the EU would recognize China's market economy status and lift the arms embargo against China at an early date, which he said is in the interest of both the EU and China-EU ties.     Meanwhile, the EU side said the EU-China relations are very important, both strategically and comprehensively, and have a huge potential for development.     The EU attaches great importance to its dialogue and cooperation with China and remains actively dedicated to further deepening the China-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, it said.

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CHONGQING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have ordered the local authorities to spare no efforts to save those people buried in a fatal landslide in the southwest city of Chongqing.     Caution must be taken to avoid life losses during the rescue work, the two leaders said.     Chinese vice-premier Zhang Dejiang arrived at the landslide site in Wulong county at 5 a.m. Saturday to oversee the rescue efforts.     At least 80 people are feared buried in the landslide at an iron ore mining area. Firemen search for survivors at the site where a landslide occured earlier in the Jiwei Mountain area, in Tiekuang Township, about 170 kilometers southeast of the downtown area, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, June 5, 2009. At least 80 people were feared buried in the landslide at an iron ore mining area in Chongqing Municipality on Friday, according to the local government    Rescuers had pulled out seven injured people, including four seriously hurt, from the debris as of 8:30 p.m. Friday, according to the publicity department of Wulong County.     The injured were taken to hospital.     The landslide happened at about 3 p.m. in the Jiwei Mountain area, in Tiekuang Township, about 170 kilometers southeast of the downtown area.     Millions of cubic meters of rock filled a valley and buried an iron ore plant and six houses.     The trapped included quarry workers, residents and possibly passers-by.     The landslide also cut off power and communications in many parts of the town.     More than 500 rescuers are searching for the missing.     Investigation into the cause of the landslide has begun. A team of fire fighters await orders before rescue near the site of landslide at an iron ore mining area in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, southwest China, June 5, 2009.At least 80 people are feared buried in the landslide in Chongqing on Friday, according to the local government. Rescuers had pulled out seven injured people, including four seriously hurt, from the debris as of 8:30 p.m., according to the publicity department of Wulong County, the site of the accident

BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Natural disasters killed 88,928 people in China last year, according to a report released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.     The number is the highest since 1976, when the 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Tangshan City in north China's Hebei Province and killed more than 242,000 people, according to the report on the statistics of the country's civil affairs in 2008.     In addition, a total of 480 million people were affected by natural disasters, with direct financial losses of 1.175 trillion yuan (about 173 billion U.S. dollars).     In 2008, major natural disasters were frequent in China, with the unexpected strike of snows in the south and the devastating May 12 earthquake in Sichuan Province, the ministry said in the report.     The 8.0-magnitude earthquake left more than 87,000 people dead or missing and more than 374,640 injured in Sichuan and neighboring provinces.     Before that, the blizzards that struck much of central and southern China in early 2008 left 129 people dead and losses reached 151.65 billion yuan, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.