Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R Front)
embraces Wang Shichen, a 12-year-old primary school pupil of grade six,
when he inspects the resettlement at Meirui Textile Company in Mianyang, a
city in quake-hit southwest China's Sichuan Province, June 6,
2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
MIANYANG, Sichuan Province, June 7 (Xinhua) --
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Saturday visited with some earthquake survivors
who had resettled in public camps in Sichuan Province's Mianyang City.
For refugees staying in low-lying lands in the
southwest Chinese province, they were also at threat from the huge "quake lakes"
bursting their banks.
The 8.0-magnitude tremor on May 12, which had claimed
at least 69,134 lives to date, had created the threatening 200 million cubic
meter Tangjiashan quake lake which overlooks Mianyang, about 70 meters above the
city.
The local government is currently relocating more
than 210,000 people to safer grounds.
In his third visit to the province since the quake,
Wen said ina camp harboring hundreds of the quake homeless, "I hope you would
understand our efforts to resettle you away from your home to a relatively safe
place because the swelling quake lake is so dangerous."
"Yes, we understand," the locals replied.
"We are trying all out to drain the quake lake in
accordance with our contingency plans but anything could happen under such
complicated climatic, geologic and environmental conditions," Wen said.
"We appreciate all your efforts and cooperation with
the government to defuse this time bomb."
"We are grateful to you, Mr Premier," 60-year-old
villager Wu Xiaofeng said.
"The priority of our resettlement task is to make
sure everyone will be safe," Wen replied.
"You visited Sichuan thrice, and you should take good
care of yourself," a young man chimed in.
"It's my duty," Wen said. "I'm less unsettling after
hearing your consideration. I'm afraid people suffering from so much might
become jittery and impatient. Are you?" he asked.
"It's okay," one woman replied.
"This is a massive disaster to not only the nation,
but also to everyone here," he said.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (2nd R)
visits quake-affected people at the resettlement in the Mianyang Branch of
Sichuan Conservatory of Music, in Mianyang, a city in quake-hit southwest
China's Sichuan Province, June 6, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
Wen then walked into a makeshift police station to
ask the officers to be extra alert while patrolling the residence camps at this
unusual time.
After shaking hands with an old woman who was sitting
on the lower part of a bunk-bed in a big tent, Wen asked whether she felt
uncomfortable staying with others.
Showing consideration for others, 87-year-old Mao
Fengying said, "Rescue workers from the armed forces are really exhausted. They
need better living conditions in the tents."
Touched by this request, Wen then passionately asked
the armed forces commanders to improve the living conditions of soldiers.
He then bid farewell to Mao to leave for the next
site.
Twelve-year-old Wang Shichen raised a question for
Wen. "How long do we have to stay here and when shall we go back home?"
"I think you might go (home) after the drainage," he
said.
"Could I hug you?" the boy said after his question.
Wen hugged him immediately.
At a temporary retirement home in the camp, Wen
greeted 100-year-old Chen Jiazhen. "You would work hard," the centenarian told
Wen. "Of course, I will," the premier responded with sincerity.
Seeing an old man writing a letter of gratitude to
the armed forces rescuers and volunteers, Wen said he was also willing to write
some words.
"Respect and strength," he wrote on the reverse side
of the old man's letter.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (front)
inspects the Tangjiashan quake lake in Mianyang of Southwest China's
Sichuan Province, June 6, 2008. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Photo
Gallery>>>
MIANYANG, Sichuan, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao continued his tour of the Tangjiashan quake lake on Friday, encouraging
soldiers, local residents and engineers for further drainage preparations.
Following yesterday's inspection, he stressed three
principals in easing the quake lake pressure: safety, science and speed. Full story
MIANYANG, Sichuan, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao went to oversee the safety of the Tangjiashan quake-formed lake by
helicopter on Thursday afternoon.
"Now it's a critical moment for the Tangjiashan quake
lake, and the most important thing is to ensure there is no casualty of the
people," Wen said. Full story
