Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visits disaster-hit Jiangxi

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-08-2008 12:08

Special Report:   Winter Storm Relief

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao who spent New Year's Eve in the province of Jiangxi. During his stay, he met local farmers whose villages were still without power and students who couldn't return for home for the holidays because of the worst snow in decades.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao who spent New Year's Eve in the province of Jiangxi. (Xinhua photo)

As most Chinese families were preparing dinner on the eve of the Lunar New Year, Premier Wen Jiabao was busy touring some of the disaster areas in Jiangxi.

The province has been affected badly by the snow and freezing weather. Many areas in the province have been without electricity for weeks. One of Wen's top concerns was power supplies.

Wen Jiabao was told that electricity was expected to be restored in the afternoon, so that local people can celebrate the new year's eve in brightness. He urged local authorities to overcome all difficulties in restoring power supplies to the whole province as soon as possible.

On Wednesday afternoon, the premier went to Fuzhou in the east of Jiangxi. Four of the twelve counties here were still without electricity, but he was told power will be restored that evening. He encouraged local farmers to gather their strength to prepare seeds and fertilizer for the spring planting season so that agricultural production could recover.

There were special greetings from local children.