Chinese workers walk off the Greek ferry Venizelos after arriving Wednesday at Heraklion, on the Greek island of Crete. They had boarded Monday in Misurata, Libya’s third-largest city.[Photo/China Daily]

Signals at sea

The Chinese frigate Xuzhou had been providing anti-piracy escort in the Gulf of Aden when Libyan unrest broke out, and it joined the evacuation efforts. It crossed paths with the ferry midway on Venizelos' trip to Crete. The frigate whistled a friendly greeting to the Greek vessel, and both ships raised and lowered flags to signal respect.

The action buoyed the evacuees and the Greek crew members. "We are very excited, and this is my first time to see a Chinese frigate in my sailing life," said Rallis Minas, the Greek captain. "I am quite emotional."

The frigate and the ferry then sailed in tandem, separated by 300 meters, for 90 minutes. A Chinese helicopter flew over both vessels. "We salute the Chinese frigate the same as when we see a Greek warship," Minas said.

The captain said he had rescued more than 5,000 Chinese. "We love the cooperative Chinese people, even as they are in hardship."

Impressions

Help also came from some Libyan citizens. They offered food, tents, quilts and temporary lavatories to stranded foreigners. Moufth Shkeh, a 55-year-old lawyer, built a line of tents for 500 Chinese workers in the Raser Ahamed district of Misurata, which is 2 km from the port. And when the Chinese were leaving, he helped arrange for buses to take them to the port. Sobbing with sadness as he saw them off, Shkeh said Chinese workers had been in his city building universities, residential houses, roads, office buildings and railways. "Once the situation has stabilized, I hope they can come back."

The conflict in Libya has brought death and hardship to the local people, and frightened some of the Chinese. One of them is Fu Zhiguo, 36, who was performing sales service in Libya for a heavy machinery company in Shandong province. Fu had been assaulted by local robbers and needed four stitches in his head. "If there is no stability, I will not go again," he said aboard the Venizelos. "I am urging the return of order in Libya."

Some of the Chinese aboard the ship, especially those from rural regions, were filled with questions: Will the subcontractors pay the unpaid wages? Will the labor service companies return their deposits? And how will they use their Libyan money? But they knew it wasn't the right time to ask.

The interpreter, Yang Jiaqi, who graduated from college in July 2010, is eager to reunite with her parents. She describes her experience in Libya as "a bitter lifelong memory". But she's not giving up. Her company basically finished the structures of the 5,000 apartments, and they'll soon be ready for interior decoration, she said. "I hope I can come back, to see how joyful the ordinary Libyans are, moving into the apartments we built. I hope this day can come sooner, rather than later."

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