Death toll in natural disasters no longer kept as China's state secret http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-09/12/content_3477720.htm
BEIJING, Sept. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- The death toll in natural disasters was no longer regarded as state secret starting from August this year, a government spokesman said here Monday.
(love those one sentence new items!)
also, see: Deadly typhoon slams China http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/09/12/weather.china.typhoon.reut/index.html
The death toll from typhoon Khanun that touched down in eastern China is now at 9, while I've seen figures that more than a million were evacuated before the storm hit. Needless to say, few people in China own cars. Many more will likely perish from flooding caused by the storm, but this can't be welcomed by (certain) spinners in the US.
Any comparisons in the US media?
Jonathan