Blame game erupts as China criticises Malaysia over MH370

Beijing on Monday blamed Kuala Lumpur for a lack of information about a vanished Malaysia Airlines flight, as tearful relatives of the 153 Chinese passengers aboard voiced frustration with all sides of the response effort.

Nearly two-thirds of the 239 people aboard Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 were from China, and if the loss of the aircraft is confirmed, it would be China's second-worst air disaster in history.

The Chinese government "urges the Malaysian side to step up their efforts to speed up the investigation and provide accurate information to China in a timely fashion," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang.

"They should also properly manage work related to family members of passengers and follow-up issues," he added.

Qin noted that "the incident is still under investigation", but China's state-run media minced no words, lashing out at Malaysia and its national carrier over their handling of the missing jet, demanding answers despite the early stage of the investigation and calling for a swifter effort.

Officials said an Italian and an Austrian whose names were on the passenger manifest -- who both had their passports stolen in Thailand -- were not on board.

"The Malaysian side cannot shirk its responsibilities," the Global Times newspaper, which is close to China's ruling Communist Party, wrote in a scathing editorial. "The initial response from Malaysia was not swift enough.

"There are loopholes in the work of Malaysia Airlines and security authorities," it said.

"If it is due to a deadly mechanical breakdown or pilot error, then Malaysia Airlines should take the blame. If this is a terrorist attack, then the security check at Kuala Lumpur airport and on the flight is questionable."

China itself regularly enforces heavyweight security, while authorities are often secretive about real or alleged incidents.

The China Daily newspaper wrote in an editorial that "terrorism cannot be ruled out".

"The fact that some of the passengers on board were travelling with false passports should serve as a reminder to the whole world that security can never be too tight," it added.

"Terrorism, the evil of the world, is still trying to stain human civilisation with the blood of innocent lives," it said.

Malaysia's police chief said Monday that one of the men who used the passports had been identified, after ministers reportedly said they had Asian facial features.

At a Beijing hotel, Malaysian embassy officials were processing visa applications for families wanting to take up an airline's offer to travel to Kuala Lumpur to be closer to the rescue operations.

Scores of relatives made their way into the room, some in groups of five or six, clutching handkerchiefs and wiping away tears from their faces.

Some family members are expected to travel from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur on a 1:30 a.m. flight Tuesday, but many said they would not go.

"There is more we can do here in China," one woman told AFP. "They haven't even found the plane yet."