In a renewed residence community, Hu dropped in the apartment of a retired worker Wan Fu.

In the past three years, 52 new apartment buildings have replaced small and shabby cabins in this community, home to 2,200 families including Wan's.

This undated photo shows Chinese President Hu Jintao (2nd,L) talks with an old couple, who just moved into their new house following a residence-rebuild project, in Yingkou of northeast China's Liaoning Province. Hu inspected the province from Dec. 12 to Dec. 14, 2008. [Xinhua]

Wan used to live in a 40-square-meter cabin with seven family members but now in a 54-square-meter new apartment only with his wife. Both his sons have new apartments as well.

"The apartment is comfortable, warm and convenient," he told the president. "To buy this apartment, we did not have to borrow any money, but just with our savings."

"The harder the economic situation is, the more attention we should pay to people's lives. The central government has decided to invest more in public service," Hu said.

He promised that more people like Wan would move into new homes and retired workers would have higher pension.

(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2008)