In the past five consecutive years, it has been a common sight
for China's top leaders to visit ordinary Chinese on Lunar New Year's eve. This year was no
exception.
Amid China's worst weather disaster for decades, President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao both spent the most important
holiday in disaster-hit regions, directing relief work and greeting
people being affected.
President Hu Jintao visits
villagers in southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on
Wednesday.
Hu was in southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Tuesday
and Wednesday. "Lunar New Year's eve" was his favorite topic
throughout the trip.
Shaking hands with road repair workers en route to Ziyuan, a
county without electricity and telecommunication service due to
severe snow, Hu said he appreciated their work on this special
day.
As he came across an army transportation squad later Wednesday,
he asked them to deliver relief supplies to those in need in time
for them to have a better holiday.
At a farmer's house, Hu said to the family: "We were very
concerned for you when we were in Beijing."
He told officials in company that current priorities were to
have people's livelihood well arranged.
Officials should make sure that local people had enough food,
clothes and quilts, and when they were sick they would be timely
treated, Hu ordered.
On Wednesday afternoon, Premier Wen Jiabao hastened to the
eastern province of Jiangxi and visited Fuzhou City, which has been
in the dark for more than 20 days.
Learning that electricity was expected to be restored at about 8
PM Wednesday, Wen said that he felt reassured. He also showed
concern about agriculture, urging local farmers to prepare seeds
and fertilizer for the spring planting season.
Then Wen visited Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics,
where he had Lunar New Year's eve dinner with students who couldn't
go home.
Both leaders seized every chance to boost public morale on this
special day, something they had been doing in the past weeks.
Hu stressed that the public should hold the firm belief of
victory over the weather disaster.
"We lost much in the weather disaster... but we also got many
things, such as courage, will and the ability to overcome
difficulties. Amid the disaster, relations between officials and
the masses strengthened and people became more united," Wen
said.
President Hu Jintao helps
soldiers load relief supplies to a helicopter on
Tuesday.
Premier Wen Jiabao greets
people at Guanyin Village of Longli County, southwest China's
Guizhou Province, on Feb. 5. Premier Wen Jiabao made an inspection
tour in Guizhou, one of the worst hit provinces amid China's
weather disaster, and extended festival greetings to local people
on Feb. 5, ahead of the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New
Year.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao
tries to climb up a hill to reach a power repair site and see the
workers, in southern Guizhou Province, southwest China, Feb.
5.
(Xinhua News Agency February 7, 2008)
