Ban Ki-moon encourages China to play global role

During an interview last week, with New York-based journalists from major Chinese media organizations, the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon recalled his trip to the epicenter of the Sichuan earthquake in late May.

"I was very touched and saddened by what I saw at the epicenter of the earthquake," he said. "At the same time, I was very much impressed by the efficiency in managing and overcoming this natural disaster, through the leadership of President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao" said Ban. "This is an exemplary case. China is a modern country that implemented a formal frame of action." "It is (also) very encouraging that the Chinese government, Republic of Korea and Japan have agreed to a tripartite frame of disaster reduction and preparedness," he said.