Chinese Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu stressed that China should learn from foreign countries' experience in taking precautions against earthquakes.

"We should learn from the lessons of Indian Ocean's tsunami to improve our early warning, defending, rescuing and coordinating abilities in anti-earthquake work," Hui said at a work meeting in Beijing Thursday.

Hui, also head of the state disaster relief commission, made these remarks after listening to experts speak about current anti-earthquake work. They also watched a short documentary about the work of the Chinese International Rescue Teams in the tsunami-hit countries.

Hui stressed that while strengthening anti-earthquake work in big cities, more attention should be given to the work in rural areas.

China must establish a test ground for forecasting and monitoring earthquakes and a system to tackle with emergencies and potential mishaps, Hui said.

Meanwhile, China should further raise the awareness of earthquakes in its people and have more international exchanges and cooperation in anti-earthquake work, Hui added.

(Xinhua News Agency January 21, 2005)