Beijing: The families of Chinese passengers aboard a missing Malaysia Airlines flight insisted that their loved ones could still be alive Thursday, as Beijing said it was following developments closely.
Australian officials said that two objects possibly related to the search had been spotted by satellite in the remote southern Indian Ocean.
But Wen Wancheng refused to accept the announcement meant he had lost his son, who was a passenger on the flight.
"My son is still alive. My son is still alive," said the 63-year-old from Shandong province. "I don`t believe the news."
There are 153 Chinese citizens on board flight MH370, whose relatives have been waiting for news at the Lido hotel in Beijing.
Zhao Chunzeng, who declined to identify his relative on board, said families were seeking a confirmed discovery.
"We are waiting, just waiting and we can`t respond to news until it is definitely confirmed," Zhao told AFP.
Asked if he felt that the Australian announcement had greater significance as it came from the prime minister, he said: "Maybe, but we will still have to wait and see."
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the government was paying "great attention" to the news from Australia.
"The Chinese side is ready to make relevant arrangements based on the latest updates," he said in a statement, without elaborating.
Nearly half of Syrian chemicals removed: Chemical mission
Beirut: Nearly half of Syria`s declared chemical weapons have been shipped out of the country after two more cargoes were loaded onto vessels in the Mediterranean over the last week, the international team overseeing the disarmament process said.
The joint mission of the United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said in a statement late on Wednesday that 45.6 percent of the chemicals had been removed from Syria`s Latakia port for destruction outside the country.
Syria agreed to give up its chemical weapons program last year in a deal with Russia and the United States, but it is several months behind schedule and risks missing a June 30 deadline for the chemicals to be destroyed.
It has asked to be given until April 27 to complete the removal of the chemicals, which would put the mission two-and-a-half months behind schedule.
Syrian authorities, battling a three-year uprising and insurgency against President Bashar al-Assad, blame security problems for the delays in bringing the chemicals to the Mediterranean port Latakia.
Five rockets were fired towards the Latakia port area earlier this month, with one landing near to where the international chemical team were staying, sources said on Tuesday.
The joint UN-OPCW mission said the delivery of the latest two consignments to vessels off Latakia means that 29.5 percent of the `Priority 1` chemicals, considered the most dangerous, have been removed and 82.6 percent of `Priority 2` chemicals.
