Special report: Strong Earthquake Jolts SW China

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) salutes with the students to pay tribute to the quake victims during his visit to the makeshift tent school at Jiuzhou Stadium in Mianyang City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, May 23, 2008. Wen Jiabao went to the temporary schoolhouse of Beichuan Middle School and the makeshift tent school established at Jiuzhou Stadium in Mianyang on Friday to visit teachers and students who survived the May 12 earthquake.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

People holding candles mourn during a silent tribute in Beijing, capital of China, on May 21, 2008. A memorial ceremony was held by the Export-Import Bank of China on Wednesday night, the last day of a three-day mourning for the victims of the 8.0-magnitude quake on Richter scale hitting southwest and northwest China's regions. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    YINGXIU, Sichuan, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Saturday the massive May 12 earthquake has claimed more than 60,000 lives in Sichuan Province and other affected regions in the country.

    Nearly 30,000 people remained missing, and nearly 300,000 others were injured in the earthquake, Wen told United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a meeting at Yingxiu Town in the epicenter Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province.

Millions mourn China earthquake dead with air sirens wailing in grief

    BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Millions of people in China and overseas observed three minutes silence at 2:28 p.m. Monday to mourn thousands of people killed in an earthquake which hit the nation's southwest a week ago.

    Chinese President Hu Jintao, top legislator Wu Bangguo, Premier Wen Jiabao, and other top leaders including Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang also stood in silence in the central government compound of Zhongnanhai in Beijing. Full story

Magnitude of SW China earthquake revised to 8.0

    BEIJING, May 18 (Xinhua) -- The China Seismological Bureau (CSB) Sunday revised the magnitude of southwest China earthquake from 7.8 to 8.0 on the Richter scale. Full story

Chinese President expresses gratitudes for foreign aid in quake relief

    CHENGDU, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao Saturday night expressed gratitude to foreign countries and people who have offered aid since a major earthquake struck the country. Full story

President Hu renews call to save lives in remote villages 

    CHENGDU, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Saturday urged rescue teams to reach remote villages that were battered by the strong earthquake in the southwestern Sichuan Province as soon as possible. Full story

Chinese President encourages quake victims to overcome difficulties

    BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao Friday went to Beichuan County of Mianyang City to visit people affected by the southwest China earthquake, encouraging them to be confident in overcoming hardships caused by the disaster. Full story

Chinese Premier stresses all-out efforts to rescue quake victims

    BEIJING, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Saturday underscored unremitting efforts in searching and rescuing people buried in debris in the earthquake in southwestern Sichuan Province. Full story