"We have the faith, courage and ability to overcome the severe natural
disaster," Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told the country yesterday on board a
train in disaster-hit central Hunan Province.
"I am now on a train bound for Chenzhou City with the accompany of heads of
relevant departments of the State Council. We are helping with the relief work,"
Wen said in his address on China National Radio. He delivered Spring Festival
wishes to all people in the country.
"The general public, especially those who sacrifice their lives in the
disaster relief, are those who moved me most," Wen was quoted as saying in TV
footage from Hunan Economic TV Station. "Inface of the disaster, they show us
composure, bravery and the spirit of sacrifice."
"I often hear people express out of their own will thankfulness to the
government. But those we really should thank are the masses," he said.
It was Wen's second visit to disaster-hit Hunan.
He flew out of Beijing on Monday night to Hunan but had to land at Tianhe
Airport in neighboring Hubei Province because of the bad weather. He completed
his journey by train and arrived in Changsha City, the provincial capital, on
Tuesday morning.
He flew to Hunan for the second time on Friday afternoon shortly after
chairing a meeting that morning in Beijing. For days on end, China's senior
leaders have been leaving the capital to go to disaster-affected regions to
boost public morale amid the worst snow in decades.
China President Hu Jintao made an inspection tour on Thursday to coal fields
in Datong, Shanxi Province, and Qinhuangdao Port in Hebei Province, through
which much of Shanxi's coal is shipped.
Hu entered a mine more than 400 meters underground, taking an elevator down
to meet miners of the Datangtashan coal mine co-op in Datong who had worked
overtime in temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius to increase supply.
Other members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the
Communist Party of China Central Committee also ventured into the field to join
the relief efforts.