Chinese Vice Premier visits China's rescue team back from Haiti

BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu on Wednesday greeted here China's rescue team back from the quake-battered Haiti on behalf of the central authorities.

China International Search and Rescue Team (CISAR) responded rapidly and was the first team to arrive in and offer humanitarian aid to Haiti, he said when meeting with the team in Beijing.

A Chinese emergency rescue team of more than 60 people, including CISAR members and journalists, arrived in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince early morning on Jan. 14 local time, to help the rescue operation after an earthquake hit Haiti on Jan. 12 local time.

The rescue team had accomplished an excellent job by searching for life days and nights and offering immediate medical care. For this they had received a high appraisal from the United Nations and the Haitian government and people, he said.

"Natural disasters are common challenges human beings face," he said, "we have to continue to place protecting people's life safety as the top task."

He also called for enhanced ability to cope with emergencies such as earthquake and reduce damages.

The CISAR, set up in April 2001, have participated in a dozen of rescue operations both at home and abroad.