"Shenzhen is our shared home. I don't feel panic and will remain here enjoying life as I did before," Manfred Jaeger, a German expert with Shenzhen the International Management Service Co., Ltd, told Xinhua in a telephone interview Wednesday.
Even in this special period affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Jaeger still spends his leisure time hiking around the "Shenzhen Window on the World", feeding birds on the outskirts of the city, or collecting sea shells along the shore at sunrise or sunset.
Since the SARS outbreak, Jaeger has received many overseas calls from concerned friends. He explained to all of them that the epidemic is not as severe as it appears in foreign media reports. Shenzhen has established tight control over SARS, as only 47 probable SARS cases have been found among more than seven million residents.
As Jaeger described, most foreign experts in China chose to stay, working and living as usual. According to statistics from the State Bureau of Foreign Experts Affairs (SBFEA), experts from foreign countries and also from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan working in the Chinese mainland number more than 440,000 annually, and those staying more than a year number about 185,000. To date, no foreign experts have been infected by SARS.
Shenzhen, as the first of China's special economic zones, now has more than 1,000 foreign experts in its six districts. The local health administration established a 24-hour hotline, published SARS information in foreign languages and set up special wards to ensure timely medical treatment.
Patrick Simon, director of the Meilin branch of Carrefour in Futian district, said the local government did not cover up any SARS information, as local officials even gave their personal telephone numbers to the foreigners. Even more gratifying is the fact that no SARS cases have been identified in his branch and that sales have remained at normal levels due to the adoption of preventive measures suggested by the government.
William W. Graessley, a US expert with CNOOC China Limited-Shenzhen, said many foreign colleagues sent their wives and children back home upon learning of the SARS outbreak in Guangdong.
"But now, I've learned about both SARS and prevention methods from in-depth coverage of the local media. Most of my friends and I trust the Chinese government and no longer fear SARS," said William, adding that none of the 100 foreign staff members in his company has left.
As Chinese leaders repeatedly emphasized the health and safety of foreign experts, the SBFEA set up a nationwide emergency management network. Local governments also took concrete measures to protect foreign experts, as chief officials in Jiangsu and Shanxi visited experts, Yunnan held SARS briefings for them, and Zhejiang even drafted a SARS prevention plan especially for them.
According to the SBFEA, there were 254 foreigners from 22 countries and more than 200 foreign tourists in Shanxi. To ensure their safety, the local administration has not only designated hospitals, but also arranged special cars, dining rooms, and medical staff for them.
Leprince, the representative of the France-based DMS company toTaiyuan Iron and Steel Company, said the company told its foreign staff about the accurate situation, which immediately dispelled rumors. All offices are disinfected everyday, and workers are provided with protective masks.
"The local government even prepared a SARS briefing in English for each of us. Our life and work will go on as usual, with a calmheart," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency May 29, 2003)
