Beijing has grown more flexible in managing foreign aid groups seeking access to disaster-hit areas, international relief groups say.
Simon Wong, a Salvation Army spokesman, told RTHK's City Forum yesterday that the People's Liberation Army and the Sichuan authorities had offered to help relief workers reach victims in remote areas.
'The mainland authorities have helped us to make transport arrangements and have offered to act as guides to find earthquake victims living in areas which are barely accessible,' he said. Under Salvation Army policy, resources are given directly to victims, but doing so proved impossible in Sichuan.
'Traffic is badly disrupted and it is very difficult for us to reach out to victims in remote areas without help ... we have to give our food and resources to soldiers who help us distribute them,' he said.
Agnes Ting Mei-chu, of World Vision Hong Kong, said moving resources across provinces was much easier this time. 'We do not have to do the paperwork anymore and we can just send our resources in Yunnan to Sichuan directly,' she said.
Miss Ting said Beijing also allowed relief workers to use previously banned wireless devices to stay in touch across remote areas.
