Two Chinese Confirmed Dead in Attack in US: FM Spokesman

Two Chinese citizens are confirmed dead, another was reported dead by his family, and another is still missing after the terrorist attack in the U.S., said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao Thursday.

Zhu told a regular press conference that as far as the Chinese Government has learned by 8 a.m. Thursday, two Chinese citizens died in the New York terrorist attack, identified as Zheng Yuguang, male, 65 and Yang Shuyin, female, 61. They were both on board American Airlines' flight 77, Zhu said.

Chen Xiaobing, male, 32, was also reported dead by his family but the details of the situation are still unknown. Wang Weibin, male, 41, is missing, Zhu added.

Among the 18 Chinese companies located in the World Trade Center, 11 have confirmed that all their Chinese employees and families are safe. Some people were wounded in one company and another company is not sure if all employees were evacuated safely. Five companies are still unable to be contacted, according to Zhu.

All employees of the other six Chinese companies located near the World Trade Center are safe now, Zhu said.

Chinese Embassy and Consulates in the United States are trying to contact the remaining Chinese companies, he added.

The spokesman said that some parts of New York and Washington D. C. in the U.S. were attacked on the evening of September 11, causing mass casualties.

Since the attack took place, the Chinese embassy in the U.S., Chinese consulate general and permanent mission to the United Nations in New York, and the Department of Consular Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry have taken urgent measures to offer assistance to the staff of the Chinese institutions, Chinese students, overseas Chinese, and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan compatriots in the U.S., and their family members.

Zhu said that the Chinese embassy in the U.S. has made efforts to contact the staff of Chinese institutions located in the World Trade Center, and to learn information from United Airlines about the situation regarding the Chinese passengers.

Zhu said that in order to help the family members learn about the situations of their U.S. relatives, the Chinese embassy in the U.S. and the Department of Consular Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry have been working all night, and have publicized urgent phone numbers through the Internet and media to provide all necessary help and protection.

The spokesman said that the staff of the Chinese embassy in the U.S. have met with representatives of Chinese institutions in the U.S. and Chinese visiting delegations to the U.S. as well as some Chinese students, and conveyed the greetings of the Chinese leaders, and expressed heartfelt sympathy and earnest solicitude to all victims and their family members.

The Chinese consulate general to Chicago has offered assistance to 145 Chinese citizens who are stranded in Detroit due to flight delays, he said.

Full Text

Q: During the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September, how many Chinese were killed or injured? What kind of assistance or measures has the Chinese Government adopted?

A: On the evening of 11 September, New York and Washington came under severe attacks, leading to huge casualties. After the incident occurred, the Chinese Embassy in the United States, the Consulate General in New York, China¡¯s Permanent Mission to the UN and the Consular Department of the Foreign Ministry of China immediately adopted emergency measures and tried every effort to provide assistance to overseas Chinese, compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, members of the Chinese companies, Chinese students and their families in the United States.

After the incident, China's Embassy and Consulate Generals tried their best to get in contact with the members of the Chinese companies in the World Trade Centre. They also got in touch with the American Airlines to learn the situation of Chinese passengers. To facilitate family members to learn about the plight of their relatives in the United States, China¡¯s Embassy, Consulate Generals in the United States and the Consular Department of the Foreign Ministry of China have offered around the clock services and publicized emergency hotline numbers on their websites and the press, in order to provide all necessary help and protection. China¡¯s Embassy and Consulate Generals have also sent people to visit members of the Chinese companies, the Chinese delegations in the United States and representatives of Chinese students to convey greetings of Chinese leaders and express profound sympathy and warm greetings to all the injured and the family members of the deceased. China¡¯s Consulate General in Chicago also timely provided necessary assistance to 145 Chinese citizens in Detroit who were caught there due to flight delays.

According to the latest information at 8:00 am, 13th September, it has been verified that two Chinese citizens unfortunately lost their lives during the terrorist attacks, namely Mr. Zheng Yuguang (aged 65) and Mrs. Yang Shuyin (aged 61), who were both passengers on board the AA77 flight. Besides, Mr. Chen Xiaobing (aged 32) is reported dead by his family. Mr. Wang Weibin (aged 41) is missing.

It is learned that there are 18 Chinese companies in the NY World Trade Centre. It has been confirmed that all members of 11 Chinese companies are safe, a member of a company is injured and a family member of a staff of a company is missing. Five Chinese companies have lost contact. Besides, there are 6 Chinese financial institutions in neighbouring areas of the World Trade Centre. All of their staff are reported safe.






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