Chinese President Hu spends first day of Lunar New Year with ordinary people

Source: Xinhua | 01-27-2009 08:59

Video: President Hu Jintao inspects Jiangxi province

NANCHANG, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao visited railway staff and police officers on duty and ordinary people in eastern Jiangxi Province on the first day of the Lunar New Year to extend his festival greetings.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) shakes hands with police officer Qiu Eguo at the Kuaizixiang Police Station in  Nanchang, capital of east China's Jiangxi Province, Jan. 26, 2009. Chinese President Hu Jintao visited railway  staff members, China Mobile branch workers and police  officers on duty and ordinary people in Nanchang Jan. 26, the first day of the Spring Festival, or Chinese  traditional lunar New Year, to extend his festival  greetings. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

At the Nanchang Railway Station Monday morning, Hu talked with passengers and ticket sales staff to check whether travelers had difficulty in buying tickets.

Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, falls on Jan. 26 this year. It is the biggest family reunion time. There is always a travel rush around the festival as a huge population of people migrate and join with their families.

"You've been working hard. I hope you can think of more ways to help more passengers get tickets," the president told a sales clerk in the ticketing hall.

In the railway command center and on the platform, Hu inquired about passenger flow and transport schedule, expecting to see that railway authorities work out scientific transport scheduling, improve service and ensure safety as transport pressure remains serious after the festival.

With the fact that the number of cell phone subscribers has exceeded 600 million in China and there is soaring business volume in the festival period, Hu went to the Jiangxi branch of China Mobile to inspect the company's operation, service and management.

He was happy to learn that the company's call center also offers migrant workers employment information and answers inquiries about agriculture from local farmers.