0:03 Is anyone there? >> At the Gyirong Port in Tibet, the scene was reduced to a field of ruins with mud and debris piled everywhere. Chinese government rescue teams were seen clearing away rubble and twisted steel bars with their bare hands while repeatedly shouting in hoarse voices, "Is anyone there?" On August 26th, a devastating mudslide struck the area along the China-Nepal border bearing Gyirong Port in Shigaste, Tibet. The port building has been completely flattened, but it was not until the third day after the disaster on August 29th that Chinese rescue teams entered the core area of Gyirong Port to begin search and rescue operations. In natural disasters like this, the first 48 to 72 hours after the event are known as the golden window for
0:49 rescue efforts. During this critical period, rescuers have the highest chance of finding and saving survivors trapped under debris. By August 29th, that golden window has already closed. A ex-user shared a video and wrote, "This is unbelievable. Rescue workers arrive at Gyirong Port, lined up, walked a few steps, and shouted, 'Is anyone there?' Can you really find survivors in the ruins after a mudslide like this? No matter what happens, they never forget to go through the motions. Is this just for CCTV footage?" One commenter wrote, "This is how rescue teams from the Chinese Communist regime, representing the world's second largest economy, respond to disasters. Do you understand now? It's truly shameless." Another user said, "Put simply, it is all just a performance because everyone knows they
1:36 are all dead." Chinese democracy activist Teng Biao said, "After being buried under tens of feet of mud for two days, could anyone still respond? What is going through these people's heads? There is no need to put on such an absurd display of low IQ. Even a comedy writer couldn't come up with something this ridiculous. The CCP is truly finished. Another video shows Chinese rescue teams 1.8 km away from Gyirong Port. Their clothes were still clean and they were carrying buckets and sticks stopping to inspect even small rocks. One commenter mocked, "Red flags in the background, love songs in the video. The port building was completely swept away by the mudslide showing up on a shallow riverbank 2 km away won't save the
2:23 people inside the building." No one doubts the firefighters who are working. The question is, "Why is the search and rescue being filmed like this?" One person wrote, "This is shameful. Only a small part of China was affected yet with the level of development your country has achieved you are making propaganda videos instead of seriously trying to save people. Even Nepal, a small country, has put in more effort than you." Another one commented, "They are so used to putting on performances in normal times that they brought the same act onto the international stage. Can they learn from Nepal and release the actual casualty numbers? Can they publish a list of missing people? Why did domestic media keep reporting Nepal's death toll? What about our own people?"
3:08 Nepalese official data shows that the death toll in disaster area in northern Nepal was risen further to 675 while the number of missing people has reached 2,426. As of August 30th, Chinese authorities reported that the death toll on the Chinese side had risen to 16 with another 546 people missing. Nepalese police publicly released a list of missing foreign nationals and provided unconfirmed body photos and identification information through their Facebook page. Chinese authorities, however, have not released a single list of missing people only stating that the transfer of remains and identification work are being accelerated. Another video showed Chinese rescue using basic ropes to cross rivers and
3:55 navigate valleys. They wore clean, bright uniforms without mud stains, climbing up and down rocks and steep slopes. Meanwhile, inflatable rescue boats that would normally be used in the water were instead carried by hand. The footage also showed rescue personnel marching through streets while shouting slogans. In another scene, armed military personnel appeared during anti-riot training exercises. People commenting online criticized the footage saying the entire video shows almost no sign of them actually reaching the core disaster area. It looks like they were working several kilometers away from the reported disaster center with movements that were slow and overly organized. They worked so hard carrying the inflatable boats. What exactly were they trying to do? Not a single person was rescued, but
4:41 they filmed the entire journey. Helicopters and drones, not a single one was seen. Do rescue operations need guns? Why stage these scenes? Chinese rescue teams have drawn ridicule for planting flags wherever they go. Independent commentator Xiao Yang shared a video. When the first Chinese rescue team arrived at the core disaster area in Gyirong County, Tibet, if you didn't know they were there for disaster relief, you would think they were filming a moon landing. Everything is staged. Other countries plant flags during disaster relief to mark the dead. China plant flags to make propaganda videos. Before August 28th, Chinese military rescue efforts mainly focused on command operations, aerial surveys, supplies, road access, and searches around the outskirts without entering the
5:27 hardest-hit core area. Chinese state media reported on the evening of August 28th that the first professional rescue team had reached the core rescue area of Gyirong Port at 4:30 p.m. that afternoon, more than 2 days after the mudslide struck. The team consisted of 21 firefighters and one search and rescue dog. The rescue team did not use modern equipment such as helicopters. Instead, they walked through muddy roads and climbed a long destroyed slope towards the border gate area. Images from the scene show that the team carried almost no rescue equipment. State media said the first team only conducted manual searches and search and rescue dog operations in surface areas after arriving, but did not disclose the results. According to Chinese state media Xinhua at around 6:00 p.m. on
6:13 August 28th, all rescue personnel and reporters at the scene were ordered to evacuate urgently due to the risk of the barrier lake collapsing. Currently, the main rescue forces entering the hardest-hit core area are still firefighters and other emergency departments. State media reported that the rescue plan involves inflatable boats entering by water and rescuers crossing mountains on foot. The operation involves 681 personnel and 113 vehicles from the Tibet fire and rescue corp, Sichuan mobile corp, and Sichuan fire and rescue corps. By comparison, after struck Gyirong Port on the China-Nepal border on the morning of August 26th local time, extensive news reports and images from the Nepalese side quickly showed casualty figures and rescue efforts. The
6:58 Associated Press reported that the Nepalese military was quickly deployed to help rescue people in the worst-hit areas. Nepal said it would allow foreign rescue teams and experts to assist with the operation. On the afternoon of August 27th, Chinese authority announced that Premier Li Keqiang had arrived in Gyirong Town, Gyirong County, Tibet to inspect the mudslide disaster area. But on August 28th, Li Keqiang was already back in Beijing attending a Politburo meeting. Regarding Li Keqiang's brief visit to the disaster area, China expert Chen Pokong said that when Chinese premiers previously visited disaster zones, state media would quickly release footage of inspections and condolences. This time, only a written announcement was released initially with photos appearing the next day. He said, "The CCP turns many things
7:46 into a performance. In fact, similar staged disaster scenes have repeatedly appeared in China." Chinese state media filmed a disaster relief scene in Fuxing County, Chongzuo, Guangxi on August 26th. A Chinese soldier wearing a camouflage hat and a dark short-sleeve shirt was shown waist-deep in muddy yellow water surrounded by tall reeds and weeds holding a lunchbox. He used chopsticks to pick up rice and food while quickly eating with his head lowered. The caption reads, "This scene is heartbreaking." To race against time and protect the dykes, flood control militia members hurriedly eat in the water. It emphasized that the danger had not yet passed and that they had no time to find a clean, flat place, so they simply sat
8:31 in the water to eat. However, several other soldiers and staff members wearing similar camouflage uniforms were seen standing neatly along a concrete embankment placing the lunchboxes on the wall with some eating and others chatting. Water bottles and plastic bags were nearby and much more relaxed scene. The video ended with emotional captions such as "A different kind of dining table brings tears" and "Salute to those holding the line on the flood front." Ex-blogger Jennifer Zeng shared a video on August 29th and wrote, "Amazing CCP propaganda. The PLA soldiers can get their food at a dry place, but have to jump into the water to eat so they can look more heroic for the CCTV audience." The post sparked some people wrote, "They didn't even have soup, only dry meals." Others criticized the propaganda as cheap as treating people like fools.
9:18 Regarding the Tibet mudslide, China expert Cheng Po Kong said that although Chinese state media claimed that the military and other rescue forces had been deployed, limited public footage makes it difficult to judge their actual actions and effectiveness. He said CCP disaster relief often involves staged publicity. Xinhua reported that during his visit to the disaster zone, Chinese Premier Li Qiang also instructed local officials to maintain the so-called overall social stability. Wang Junzheng, Tibet's Communist Party Secretary who accompanied Li Qiang on the visit, is considered a hardline CCP official. He was sanctioned by the European Parliament for his role in human rights abuses in Xinjiang while serving as the region's political and legal affairs
10:03 chief. Videos show that the moment he noticed the camera, he immediately stepped forward and pretended to lift a map in front of Li Qiang. But the golden rescue window has already passed and Gyirong Port has now become a scene of devastation. Satellite comparison images released by Tibetan authorities show that Gyirong Port was completely flattened by mud and debris. A report by the Tibet Daily on August 29th showed branches along the riverbank covered with various debris, especially mud-stained pieces of clothing. One tree branch alone had more than 10 pieces hanging from it with different colors and textures suggesting they may have belonged to different victims. As of the early hours of August 30th, Chinese public reports still contained very few accounts from disaster victims in Tibet
10:50 or families searching for missing relatives. After the disaster, an alleged internal directive ordering media outlets to follow a unified narrative circulated online. The document said media could only repost official central media reports and should place a mudslide occurring on the Nepal side in the opening sentence, highlighting casualties in Nepal while downplaying the disaster in China. The British newspaper The Guardian reported that although Chinese state media sent reporters to the Tibet disaster area, their coverage focused mainly on rescue operations rather than the impact on victims. The newspaper cited one report from a shelter in Tibet in which the journalist did not speak to any of the people sitting behind him. Foreign journalists cannot freely enter Tibet and local residents may face punishment for contacting overseas media
11:36 without permission. As a result, it remains difficult for the outside world to independently verify casualties on the Tibetan side. Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at SOAS University of London, said that Tibet-related issues are placed under the framework of national security. Even if people at this scene see more bodies, they cannot release information before authorities adjust the official figures. By contrast, international media have been able to enter disaster areas in Nepal, interview survivors, families of missing people, and rescue workers, and film rescue operations such as helicopter evacuations and searches for missing victims. Chenpo Kong said that although the CCP repeatedly claims that people come first and life comes first, the actual
12:22 disaster situation and rescue results lack public verification. Democratic countries show it through actions rather than slogans. Authoritarian countries rely on slogans. Even when Chinese state media reported on the Gyuron disaster scene, coverage mainly focused on promoting official rescue efforts. On Chinese social media platforms, numerous disaster relief videos and photos released by authorities showed obvious signs of staging. After the mudslide destroyed Gyuron Port in Tibet on August 26, families and friends of missing people used every possible way to search online for information. According to The Epoch Times, many relatives of victims and missing people traveled between Lhasa and Shigatse and other locations for
13:08 days while waiting for updates. Many others were blocked from reaching the disaster site. Chinese authorities also strictly censored disaster-related videos and discussions while once again cracking down on what they called disaster rumors. On August 28th, the Hunan Provincial Public Security Department Cybersecurity and Technical investigation unit announced penalties in two cases. Authorities accused a small number of internet users of ignoring the overall rescue effort, using the disaster as a way to gain attention, and spreading false information in comment sections related to disaster reports. US-based political commentator Zeng Tianxing said that the CCP used to send military forces to major disasters, but now because Xi Jinping does not trust the military, he
13:54 said authorities have stopped deploying troops and instead allow local firefighters and armed police to film a few scenes for appearances. He added that authorities also restrict public discussion and suppress people who raise concerns about disasters by accusing them of spreading rumors. China expert Yang Bo said that the people punished this time likely only shared information from overseas platforms into China's restricted internet environment. Even if some details were inaccurate, he said it was understandable. But he argued that the CCP has repeatedly covered up the truth and blocked information during major accidents and natural disasters. The people who ultimately suffer are Chinese citizens who lose access to information and are unable to learn lessons that could help them avoid
14:41 future disasters. The multi-story customs building that Gyirong Port was swallowed by the mudslide on August 26th, sending nearby people fleeing in panic. Dramatic surveillance footage from the scene spread around the world, but the video was not available inside China. As global headlines focused on the deadly China-Nepal border disaster on August 27th, CCTV's evening news instead led with the publication of Xi Jinping's new book. After state media reported on August 28th that Xi had chaired a Politburo meeting and issued disaster relief instructions, the disaster once again disappeared from prominent coverage with Xi-related news dominating the headlines. BBC China correspondent Laura Bicker said that Li Qiang's rapid dispatch to the disaster area was
15:26 actually aimed at maintaining stability, which remains one of Xi Jinping's top priorities. A notice allegedly issued by a local CCP office circulated online instructing officials to make every effort to maintain social order in the disaster area and ensure stability and public confidence. It also stated that those who performed well would receive rewards, while those who performed poorly would be held accountable. On August 29th, the Shigatse Public Security Bureau issued a notice imposing traffic controls on all vehicles heading towards Gyirong Town, banning all vehicles from entering the Gyirong area. In fact, on the day of the mudslide, August 26th, the Shigatse police had already announced a 7-day road closure for routes to Gyirong Port. On August 27th, China's National Immigration
16:13 Administration announced that starting at midnight on August 28th, it would suspend issuing travel permits for Tibet's Shigatse electronic border management zone. China expert Yangbo said that the new notice from the Gyirong Port Police Branch of the Shigatse Public Security Bureau showed that Li Qiang had arrived with instructions from Xi Jinping to tighten social controls rather than improve disaster relief efforts. At present, Chinese authorities have emphasized natural causes and attempted to avoid responsibility. China's Foreign Ministry said that the disaster was caused by a high-altitude glacier collapse in Nepal. But many people pointed out that more than a year earlier in the early hours of July 8th, 2025, the same area experienced flooding caused by the collapse of an upstream glacial lake in
16:59 the Paree Chu River Basin. The flood destroyed the China-Nepal Friendship Bridge and left 17 people missing on both sides of the border. This latest disaster was a repeat of the same type of event escalating from a smaller disaster into a much larger one, while China's disaster warning system remained silent. It is worth noting that a report released on July 11th, 2025 by a national key laboratory at Chengdu University of Technology warned that the upstream Puri Khumbu river basin contains 55 glacial lakes with a combined area of about 3.4 square kilometers. The report warned that another glacial lake outburst flood could occur and called for stronger upstream flood warning systems. However, Chinese authorities appear to ignore the warnings. After the Friendship Bridge,
17:46 also known as the Resuo Bridge, collapsed under floodwaters on July 8th, 2025, border operations were suspended for nearly 6 months. A temporary steel bridge reopened traffic on January 1st, 2026, but public information has not shown any risk assessment behind the decision to restore the original crossing. Gyirong Port sits at the intersection of three rivers, making it highly exposed to flooding risk. Above it are 55 unstable glacial lakes, and the area is located on a fault zone. Yet, it was chosen as a location of the main trade corridor between China and Nepal. In 2024, Gyirong Port handled 4.2 billion yuan in import and export trade, accounting for nearly 30% of total China-Nepal trade and ranking first
18:31 among Tibet's border ports. China expert Li Lingyi said a similar disaster at the same location 1 year ago already left 17 people missing. Even after professional institution issued clear warnings, the CCP authorities still failed to act. The result is that Gyirong Port handles 4.2 billion yuan in trade every year. The CCP only cares about the economy and does not value human lives. Taiwan AI Labs founder, Du Yuzhen, recently reviewed aerial footage of Gyirong Port before the disaster and wrote on Facebook that the port was like a large illegal structure built on the river channel, narrowing the flood path and competing with the river for space, making a natural backlash inevitable. At the disaster sites river valley, the
19:18 major buildings on both the Chinese and Nepalese side were built by Chinese companies. >> [music] [music and bell]
