Western media frequently portrays China negatively, and they never cease to shock the world by descending to new lows, such as burying China"s efforts to aid earthquake-ravaged Türkiye.

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Despite being one of many countries that have sent several governmental and civilian teams, and provided assistance supplies to Türkiye and Syria in the aftermath of the earthquake, Western media has intentionally ignored China"s contributions in their coverage.

Unwelcome details blanked out

On February 9, CNN released a photo report with multiple images of rescue workers from different countries. These photos were accompanied by captions that detailed the rescue crews" nationalities and provided specifics about the missions they undertook. Rescuers from countries including Japan, South Korea, Hungary, and the Czech Republic are depicted, but Chinese rescuers are noticeably absent.

There is no reason to criticize CNN for leaving out Chinese rescue workers from their report on the worldwide rescue squad, as it is reasonable to assume that the network could not include all countries in its coverage.

However, on the same day, CNN published a photo shot by Reuters showing a Chinese rescuer looking on as his colleagues searched amid the rubble. The words "China Search and Rescue" were barely legible in English but noticeable in Chinese on his jacket. Unlike his international colleagues, the Chinese man in the backdrop of this photo receives no mention in the caption.

The photo was published by CNN without any mention of the Chinese rescuers. (Photo taken from CNN"s website)

When it comes to reporting on China, Western media tends to exaggerate and twist anything "Chinese" so that it can be used to criticize the country. Furthermore, crucial details that could help foreigners get a better understanding of the country are routinely covered up.

Over the past few days, western media outlets have produced countless pieces highlighting rescue operations from countries like the US in Türkiye while ignoring the fact that US sanctions are the main reason international rescue personnel have encountered problems reaching Syria, another country that was affected severely by the earthquake. Some western media outlets have prioritized their political bias, excluding countries like China from their coverage rather than fostering global cooperation at this crucial moment.

The truth behind the veil

A Chinese rescue team and a Turkish local rescue team work together, successfully rescuing a pregnant woman from the ruins of a collapsed eight-story building in Türkiye at around 1:30 a.m. local time (0240 GMT) on Thursday. (Photo courtesy of China"s Ministry of Emergency Management)

China has been sending rescue workers and other supplies to Türkiye since the earthquake struck the country. By Thursday, the Chinese government had dispatched 82 rescue experts to Türkiye, while 12 non-governmental rescue teams, numbering 250 individuals in total, had also arrived in the country to aid with rescue efforts.

The Chinese government"s expert rescue crew has pulled at least three people, including a pregnant woman, from the debris in just two days. China has announced it will provide 40 million yuan ($5.9 million) in emergency aid to Türkiye and 30 million yuan to Syria.

China’s Ministry of Commerce is preparing disaster relief materials urgently needed in Türkiye and Syria and arranging transportation, said Shu Jueting, a ministry spokeswoman, at a news conference on Thursday. "We will strive to transport the materials to the affected areas as soon as possible."

Shu said the ministry is also accelerating the implementation of an ongoing food aid program to Syria. About 220 metric tons of wheat have been sent to the country and more than 3,000 tons of wheat and rice will be shipped very soon, she said.