Vice President Xi Jinping has called on Communist Party of China (CPC) members to take the lead in relieving the after-effects of the earthquake that has claimed more than 34,000 lives.

Xi, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, made the remark when he presided over a meeting for Party building on Monday.

He said relief work was at a crucial stage one week after the quake that hit southwest China's Sichuan Province, stressing that all Party members should get on the front lines.

All members of China's top decision-making body, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau, except Li Keqiang who was in the quake-hit area, paid a three-minute silent tribute to quake victims in the central government compound of Zhongnanhai in Beijing on Monday afternoon.

The Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee has ordered the Party's organization organs at all levels to quickly mobilize Party members and officials at the grass roots level to devote themselves to disaster relief.

As of Sunday, the central government, Party departments and their affiliates in Beijing had donated 868 million yuan (about 124 million U.S. dollars) to the quake survivors.

"The quake has been a practical and direct test of the Party members, officials and the Party's organizations," Xi said.

Party organs should make comprehensive plans and take all factors -- including saving lives, providing materials, preventing epidemics and rebuilding -- into consideration, he said.

He added that relief work should kept organized.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2008)