Chinese President inspects relief work in Guilin

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Chinese President Hu Jintao visits villagers in southern  Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Wednesday. (Xinhua Photo)

At noon, Hu Jintao arrived at one of the villages in Ziyuan county, where bamboo is the main crop. Most of it was destroyed by the storms - a serious blow to the villagers. Hu Jintao expressed deep concern for their lives at local villager Yan Defa's home.

The arrival of the President soon attracted more and more villagers. Hu Jintao said he was pleased to know that the local authorities had delivered all the subsidies and living necessities to Yan Defa's home, who has suffered serious economic losses.

Hu Jintao said, " The top priority is to ensure that the basic needs of the people are met, particularly those in difficulty. Food, clothing, quilts and medical care must be provided quickly to ensure a happy Spring Festival. Secondly, disaster-relief efforts must continue and reconstruction efforts should also follow. We are absolutely convinced that difficulties can all be overcome and your future will be brighter."

For local villager Yan Defa, this could be the most valuable picture taken in the spring festival. On his way back, a group of military trucks carrying relief materials happened to pass by, and soldiers on the trucks received greetings from the President.

Hu Jintao said, " Today is the eve of the Spring Festival. Tomorrow is the New Year. We must deliver relief materials to people as soon as possible and ensure they can enjoy a happy Spring Festival. Your unit has a glorious tradition. And now you have a glorious task, that is to send the care from the Party and the government to the people in the disaster-hit areas. I hope you will devote yourselves to the relief efforts, and strive to complete the task successfully."

Many rice processing factories have had to close until power is restored. As the emergency supply company, the Guilin Liyuan Food Company is working day and night to provide rice and cooking oil.

Hu Jintao gave festival greetings to the workers in the company. He said food supplies are especially important and thanked them for their contribution to the relief work.

The president also wished local traffic police a happy new year. These officers in the Guilin Police Bureau are in charge of the key sections of roads in the city. They have been working overtime for weeks directing traffic during the disaster. Hu Jintao said they had maintained the honor of the police and would certainly do a good job in the future.

During his visit, the president reiterated that there are still many demands in the work ahead. Governments at all levels must prioritize relief work as the most urgent task and guarantee transport, electricity supplies and people's livelihoods. He urged them to keep their morale high so they could triumph against the disaster.

So far most of the places in Guilin that have been without electricity for over two weeks have had power restored. Many families were able to celebrate the Festival eve in brightness.

Editor:Du Xiaodan