U.S. ambassador expresses gratitude for Beijing's rescue of Americans

(ECNS) -- U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns on Friday expressed his gratitude to Beijing’s public service departments and presented them banners for their efforts of rescuing more than 10 American campers on the city's outskirts about two months ago.

The Americans suffered an accident when camping in suburban Beijing on Feb. 9, Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve.

Upon receiving an emergency call, local public security, fire rescue, health, foreign affairs, and other departments immediately activated the emergency rescue coordination mechanism and rescued the American campers, providing timely medical treatment.

Burns praised the professionalism, efficiency, and international humanitarian spirit of Beijing's fire rescue and medical teams, according to the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of Chinese Foreign Ministry (MFA).

The successful rescue of the American campers was the result of the diligent and efficient cooperation among various units within Beijing's emergency rescue coordination mechanism, demonstrating a prioritization of human life, according to the MFA.

In recent years, Beijing's public security, emergency management, fire rescue, and health units have continuously improved their emergency rescue coordination mechanisms, prioritizing human life and ensuring the safety of people, including international friends, at all times, the MFA added.