Chinese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Hu Jintao (R, front) shakes hands with a man during his meeting with the representatives of the rescue workers of the catastrophic earthquake 30 years ago and builders of new Tangshan, in Tangshan City, north China's Hebei Province July 28, 2006. Hu Jintao made an investigation tour in Tangshan from July 28 to 29.(Xinhua Photo)

    TANGSHAN, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Hu Jintao visited Tangshan, a city rebuilt on the ruins of a catastrophic earthquake30 years ago in Hebei Province, north China on July 28-29.

    On Friday night, President Hu visited the city's sanatorium for people who became paraplegic in the earthquake, where he met with the chiefs of the sanatorium and kindergarten and extended his best regards to the paralytics and children there.

    On July 28, 1976, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake leveled the industrial city of Tangshan, killing 240,000 people and seriously injuring over 160,000 others.

    The sanatorium, built by the fund from all walks of life, has a special name called "the recovering village". About two weeks ago, more than 40 paralytics in the village wrote to President Hu requesting his visit to Tangshan and "listen to what the paralytics have to say from the deepest of their hearts."

    In the meantime, children from the "Little Doctor" kindergarten also wrote a letter to President Hu, inviting him to listen to the stories made up by the kids. Together with the letter, was a drawing by the kids of blue sky, flowers in blossom, flying little birds, high buildings, and children playing merrily.

    During the visit, Hu called on the 55-year-old village chief Yang Changlu. Yang told the president that the paralytics live a good life in the sanatorium and many have learned the skills such as lock-reparing and key-making.

    "Your strong spirit is truly respectable," Hu commended.

    The president said that 30 years ago, the earthquake turned the city into ruins. The people in Tangshan had worked assiduously to rebuild a new dynamic city. He was pleased to see those who were injured in the earthquake are well taken care of and the new generation of Tangshan is growing happily.

    Earlier Friday, President Hu presented a basket of flowers at the Earthquake Monument in downtown Tangshan. During his stay in the city, the top leader had a meeting with representatives of the rescue workers and builders of new Tangshan and extended lofty respects to them on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. He urged them to make greater contribution to building a new Tangshan.

    Hu also told local government and Party committee officials to continue assisting people who were injured in the earthquake.