Tel interview: Chinese team begins rescue mission in Haiti

Earlier, we spoke to CCTV correspondent Xiong Chuan'gang. Xiong arrived in Haiti on Thursday afternoon with the Chinese rescue team. He described how the rescue teams are working, and the condition of local residents.

Xiong Chuan'gang, CCTV correspondent in Haiti, said, "We landed in Port Au Prince, capital of Haiti, at about 2 a.m. local time. After a 20 hour flight, the rescuers were immediately dispatched after landing. They were divided into two teams. One reached the base camp of the Chinese peace-keeping troops in Haiti. They will adjust communication and emergency equipment there. Another team of ten reached the disaster site, and began the rescue work. They were arranged by the UN to rescue survivors at a collapsed building, where about 200 people are buried. They are equipped with life-detectors and three sniffer dogs. The team of ten consists of six rescuers and four medical staff. We can feel frequent aftershocks along the way, and local residents are living in temporary shelters alongside the road."

A Chinese rescue team arrived in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince early  Thursday morning. The 68-strong team brought 10 tons of food, equipment  and medicine. They were among the first group of international rescuers  to arrive at the quake-zone.