Reuters AlertNet Full site
Homepage | Newsdesk | NGO Latest | Crisis briefings | Country profiles | MediaWatch | Jobs | Alerting | Login

NEWSDESK

China pays atomic blast participants -Xinhua
27 Jan 2008 01:36:08 GMT
 Source: Reuters
BEIJING, Jan 27 (Reuters) - China has started paying "subsidies" to participants in its past nuclear test explosions as part of a general rise in welfare for former military staff, state media reported.

China exploded its first nuclear test device in 1964 and continued test blasts until 1996, when the government announced a moratorium on the programme based in the far western region of Xinjiang.

But only now has China said that people close to the radioactive explosions have begun receiving subsidies.

The Minister for Civil Affairs, Li Xueju, said "participants of nuclear tests", military and civilian, had begun receiving the payments from 2007, the official Xinhua news agency reported late on Saturday.

The ministry handles some of China's welfare policies for former soldiers.

China shrouds its atomic weapons programme in secrecy, and it is unclear what prompted the announcement or whether the payments cover medical costs for civilian residents and military personnel possibly affected by the blasts.

But in recent years, retired military personnel have petitioned and sometimes protested, complaining of poor job opportunities and welfare after they have left the People's Liberation Army.

Li said that last year the government allocated about 1 billion yuan ($139 million) to help former soldiers open businesses or receive job training, Xinhua reported. (Reporting by Chris Buckley; Editing by David Fogarty)


AlertNet news is provided by
Email this article       Send comments

NGO latest

•  NRC Launches Asian emergency roster
NRC - Norway

•  Children recognised in anti-trafficking policy
WV - Asia Pacific

•  Protective action: Incorporating civilian protection into humanitarian reponse
HPG - UK

•  World Vision Urges U.S. Congress to Reauthorize AIDS Relief Plan
WV - USA

MORE >>

Latest news

•  China pays atomic blast participants -Xinhua

•  Iran to face travel bans, more asset freezes-draft

•  TEXT-Key excerpts from Iran sanctions proposal

•  FACTBOX-Proposal for 3rd round of U.N. Iran sanctions

•  New Iran sanctions urge travel bans, asset freeze

MORE >>

AlertNet news is provided by

Related articles

Breaking stories
Iran to face travel bans, more asset freezes-draft (1 minute ago)

TEXT-Key excerpts from Iran sanctions proposal (1 minute ago)

AlertNet insight
Climate change and conflicts: Is there a link at all? (1 minute ago)

Aid agency news feed
NRC Launches Asian emergency roster (1 minute ago)

Blogs
Seven security barriers you might want to know about (1 minute ago)

Maps
Typhoon Krosa (1 minute ago)


Country information

Facts & figures
China

Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-25T090809Z_01_PEK06_RTRIDSP_2_CHINA-FOOD_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/PEK06.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-24T004535Z_01_DHA02_RTRIDSP_2_USA-ENVIRONMENT-PLASTICBAGS_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/DHA02.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-24T004306Z_01_MAR01_RTRIDSP_2_USA-ENVIRONMENT-PLASTICBAGS_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/MAR01.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-24T003753Z_01_PEK202_RTRIDSP_2_USA-ENVIRONMENT-PLASTICBAGS_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/PEK202.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-22T103758Z_01_PEK08_RTRIDSP_2_CHINA-SAFETY_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/PEK08.htm

Employees make dumplings at a restaurant in Shenyang, in Liaoning province, January 25, 2008. China sought on Thursday to reassure the public about rising food prices and growing safety concerns ahead ...


More pictures | Galleries
Disclaimers |  Copyright |  Privacy |  Contact Us |  Feedback |  About Us |  RSS XML

Last updated:Sun Jan 27 01:34:17 2008