The Headquarters of the General Staff and the General Political Department of the PLA recently issued a circular requiring soldiers to help citizens in typhoon-hit areas cope with difficulties.

The circular said this summer, typhoons hit six provinces and autonomous regions in southern and eastern China, affecting 40.03 million citizens, demolished more than 1.05 million rooms and flooded 1.548 million hectares of cropland.

The circular said the PLA (People's Liberation Army) soldiers and armed police should help local officials evacuate and resettle citizens in typhoon-hit areas, and offer food, potable water, quilt and medicines to victims.

The PLA soldiers and armed police should also shoulder the tasks of repairing roads, telecommunication systems, electricity and water supply systems which were destroyed by typhoons, the circular said.

The PLA soldiers and armed police should exert all-out efforts to help restore production in the disaster-hit areas, the circular said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2006)