'We can overcome disaster,' says Premier Wen
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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Friday told quake-affected people in Yushu of northwest China's Qinghai Province to "help and care for each other, fight shoulder to shoulder and unite as one to overcome difficulties."
Wen, who concluded a two-day visit to Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai Friday, said: "We can overcome the disaster and improve national unity in fighting the calamity."
In his visit to Yushu, Wen visited quake-devastated schools, orphanages, monasteries and camps for quake-displaced people, conveying his utmost sympathy and concern on behalf of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council to the quake victims.
A 7.1-magnitude quake hit Yushu in southern Qinghai early Wednesday. By Friday, at least 791 people were dead, 11,486 were injured, and 294 were missing.
The quake also flattened 15,000 residential buildings in Gyegu town near the epicenter and many people are believed to still be trapped under the rubble.
In wee hours Friday, Wen had set out to visit orphans in the orphanage of Yushu prefecture. Most of the 208 orphans there were Tibetans.
The orphanage's gate and dormitory were destroyed by the quake. Fortunately, the dining hall, where 202 children were having breakfast when the quake hit Yushu, had remained intact.
Teachers and students successfully rescued six children who were under dormitory debris.
Holding the children's hands one by one, Wen told supervisors that cold-proof clothes must be first handed out to the children. He encouraged the children to be strong, saying "difficulties will be overcome."
Inspecting students' tents and inquiring about their meals, Wen said they must be given nutritious food.
Comforting them, Wen said, "Life is full of hope and no matter how big the difficulties we encounter, the sun will rise as always."
"No matter whether you are Tibetans or Hans, you are all in one family," he said and told local officials that saving children was a priority.
Wen promised that the government would build a better and more solid school for them.
At the Yushu race course where tents dominated the sight, Wen comforted 1,000 quake-displaced people there and inquired about supply of food and clothing for them.
"Facing the disaster, Tibetans and Hans as well as rescuers coming from outside, unite as one to participate in the disaster relief work, which is very touching and which our power of overcoming difficulties resides in," he said.
In an immigrants' village of the Yushu prefecture where villagers moved to from 70 km away in 2004 for the protection of the origin of the Yangtze,Yellow, and Lancang rivers, Wen told villagers that they had made great contribution to the protection of the source of the three rivers, but their income is still relatively low and life difficult.
He said the reconstruction work must be combined with poverty alleviation through development and ecological protection.
"The best way to commemorate the quake victims is to make their hometown better," he said.
Wen said he was impressed by many Tibetan monks who came all the way from other provinces to join in the quake relief work.
He made a special visit to Yushu's Trangu Gompa which sits at more than 3,900 meters above the sea level. The temple was seriously damaged and a few monks were still trapped under the debris.
"It is prime time to save people," Wen said, asking the rescuers from neighboring Gansu Province to put all efforts into saving the monks in danger.
He said many monks had volunteered to form rescue teams, which reflected the spirit of unity, and efforts should be made to build better temples once reconstruction started.
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