Speech at Press Conference of the State Council Information Office

(November 21, 2008)

By Wei Hong

Dear friends from the press, ladies and gentlemen:

Good morning!

Representing the entire Sichuan people with a heartfelt gratitude, I and my colleagues are here today attending this press conference. After the occurrence of “5.12” Wenchuan Massive Earthquake, the whole nation as well as Chinese people all over the world have joined hands with us in the most difficult and vital moments to fight against this severe catastrophe. With the generous assistance and help from the international communities, we have together created a miracle in the history of earthquake fighting and relief effort. With relief work being normalized and restoration and reconstruction work being activated, continuous focus and assistance are still given to the disaster-stricken areas. Both domestic and overseas media are also updating information about the reconstruction work conducted by people in the stricken areas, offering a constant and caring coverage. And here on behalf of Sichuan Provincial People’s Government as well as the entire Sichuan people, I’d like to express our heartfelt gratitude for all the efforts you’ve been committing to us!

Next, I’m going to give you an introduction focusing on the post-disaster reconstruction work and the safe winterizing measures in the stricken areas that have drawn a popular attention.

Ⅰ. Progress of post-disaster reconstruction work in Sichuan

After almost hundred days of storming fortifications to rescue lives, offer relief assistance and relocate the grassroots, Sichuan has already waged a full-fledged war of post-disaster restoration and reconstruction that will last thousand days. In accordance with the objective of “completing major works of restoration and reconstruction within about 3 years” issued in General Plan for Restoration and Reconstruction Work after Wenchuan Massive Earthquake by State Council, currently we are speeding up our efforts to compile an improved planning system, focusing on the promotion of “5 major reconstructions”: Firstly, housing reconstruction. Up to November 12, the number of rural housing under reconstruction in Sichuan province amounts to 685000 households, taking up 52.6% of the total; the number of rural housing already completed reaches 195000 households, taking up 15.5% of the total; those with repair and reinforcement work being completed amounts to 1.94 million households, taking up 87.8% of the total; the number of permanent houses under construction in townships totals 39000 sets (households) with 92000 sets (households) already being reinforced. Secondly, facility reconstruction. We have actively pushed forward schools, hospitals and other public utilities reconstruction as well as infrastructure reconstruction such as highway and irrigation projects, of which 4580 reconstruction projects are already in process. Among all the projects, 1363 schools have been reconstructed or currently under reconstruction, taking up 40.8% of the total number to be reconstructed; another 340 medical and health care institutions are under construction; construction of 14 traffic projects including Guang-Shan Expressway and National Highway 317 have also been activated. Thirdly, industrial reconstruction. Of the total 4812 above-scale industrial enterprises that are earthquake-affected, currently 96.4% have basically resumed production; over 94% of commercial circulation businesses and service networks have resumed operation; the efforts of reviving tourism industry has produced initial results. Fourthly, urban and township reconstruction. The compiling work of urban and rural planning is supposed to be completed by the end of this year. A group of urban public utility projects have already been activated ahead of schedule. Site selection for 25 townships to be relocated has already begun. As for the 3 counties of Beichuan, Wenchuan and Qingchuan as well as the 2 townships of Yingxiu and Hanwang that have drawn everybody’s attention, China Academy of Urban Planning and Design has arrived in a timely manner to start compiling after the site selection for Beichuan County was replied to. The initial stage of planning for Wenchuan and Qingchuan counties as well as the 2 townships of Yingxiu and Hanwang has already been completed with good results. Fifthly, ecological reconstruction. Efforts are under way to organize experts and specialists to conduct evaluation of forest, land and plantation losses in Minjiang River and Jialing River areas so that the compiling work of the ecological rehabilitation planning in these river areas, the restoration and reconstruction planning for the natural habitat of giant pandas and the construction of giant panda corridors can be completed at the soonest time possible with effective execution being carried out. In addition, the reconstruction of our spiritual home also stays at the focus of our attention. We have actively implemented psychological rehabilitation projects and carried out over 200000 person-times of mental health service in the quake-stricken areas. Special lectures on mental intervention have been arranged and more than 600 leaders in the quake-stricken areas have received the training and mental intervention. The project of Safeguarding Qiang Nationality Cultures is in nice and orderly progress and the preservation and construction work of earthquake ruins are in full swing.

Up to the end of October, RMB34.49billion of post-disaster restoration and reconstruction funds from central financing has been channeled to Sichuan province; State Development Bank of China and other 4 major state-owned banks have granted a total loan of RMB64.73billion as relief and reconstruction funds; provinces (cities and districts) of pairing-assistance as well as Hong Kong and Macau special administrative regions have reached 1152 project agreements with Sichuan province with the total funds for reconstruction assistance amounting to almost RMB27billion. Currently, 341 aid projects have been activated with 171 projects already under way. Meanwhile, we are seeing positive results in organizing 13 less affected cities and prefectures in pairing-assistance to the 13 severely affected villages and townships.

Ⅱ. Measures to ensure safe winterizing in affected areas

This winter is the first after the happening of “5.12” Wenchuan massive earthquake. Expert predicted that the climate of this winter in quake-stricken areas features rainy and cold days with average temperature likely to drop by 0.5-1℃ then previous years and some local areas can be hit by low-temperature rain and snow and witness freezing hazards. Wenchuan massive earthquake has destroyed or caused damages to over 3.5million rural households, of which about 530000 households will have to go through the winter time in makeshift houses reinforced with cold prevention measures; another 1.66million sets of urban houses were also destroyed and damaged during the earthquake, of which 370000 sets need to be reconstructed with issues of thermal protection still being a prominent issue for them. In total, affected people in quake-stricken areas, remote and cold mountain areas and minority nationality regions need 3.6 million (sets of) cotton quilts and 3.6 million pieces (sets) of cotton clothes and pants. Some senior citizens and kids are in need of basic equipments to keep them warm. People in some quake-stricken areas even face the tough problem of provisions for this winter and the coming spring as well. In view of the above mentioned, Sichuan provincial Party committee and provincial people’s government have given high priority to making sure that people, especially those affected during the earthquake, get through this winter period safely and clearly stated the 4 “guarantees”, namely, the guarantee of livable houses, warming clothes and quilts, provisions for the winter and spring as well as hygiene and disease control, so that each single of the affected population will have sufficient amount of food to eat and clothes to keep warm. During post-disaster period of relocation, we have placed at core the work of making sure that thousands of affected people, especially those living in extremely cold and remote rural areas, will live safely and warmly through this wintertime. As a result, we have given sufficient consideration to and early preparation of the construction of makeshift houses and gathering of materials and supplies. In early October, we have conducted activities for the “month of storming fortifications” to get through the wintertime safely in these extremely cold and remote rural areas. Again in early November, we have organized and focused our efforts on independent construction of makeshift houses with thermal protection measures in rural areas. The provincial government has conducted special superintendence twice to guide relevant work in different areas in time.

Guarantee of houses for the wintertime. We have built up more than 3000 settlements for affected people in the province, constructed 659900 sets of movable plank houses and offered financial assistance to 530000 rural households in their independent construction of makeshift shelters. Before the opening of Beijing Olympic Games, governments at various levels in the affected areas organized reinforcement on those makeshift houses to ensure a safe and warm winter for each of the affected population. In October, for extremely cold and remote rural areas at 1500m above the sea level, inspection of a net-spreading style has been carried out to see if measures of reinforcing independently constructed makeshift houses for the wintertime have been implemented. Victims of the earthquake are encouraged to rely on themselves instead of waiting for assistance and make full use of all usable local resources to reinforce their makeshift houses through measures like fixing, intensifying, laying tarred felts, building up retaining walls, adding thatched roofs and encircling thatched hangings. As a result, these houses will be in better conditions to stand against earthquakes, rainstorms, severe winds, heavy downfalls and extreme cold weathers. Currently, 503500 out of the more than 530000 rural households living in self-constructed makeshift houses have taken proper measures to keep warm, registering a 78% of the total. The work will be finished by the end of November. Up to November 18, there are still 6489 households living in temporary tents in some localities (mainly Beichuan and Anxian) of the affected areas due to the difficulties of site selection and the fact that rainstorms, floods and mudflows have worsened the situation. Simply equipped houses are under construction in these areas and warming and thickening measures have been taken. We’ll try to move this part of affected population into makeshift houses by the end of November.

Guarantee of clothes and quilts of thermal protection. At the call of CPCC and State Council, the activity of “showing loving and warming hearts----donation of clothes and quilts to Wenchuan and other quake-stricken areas” has been extensively organized and Party members, cadres and all walks of life have been mobilized to donate winter clothing and warming equipments to people in the affected areas. Up to November 18, the total donation of cotton quilts received within and outside the province and newly purchased by the province has amounted to 3.274million pieces, cotton clothes and pants 3.658million pieces (sets) and electric carpets and warming devices 300000 pieces. Of such an expense, the provincial financing-supported purchase accounted for more than RMB65million and governments at various levels in affected areas also allocated funds to purchase a batch of cotton clothes and quilts as well as warming equipments. To protect against possible extreme weather conditions and make sure people at affected areas can get through this wintertime safely, we are right now speeding up the delivery of materials and supplies and at the same time dispensing 128000 pieces of cotton quilts as cold-fighting material reserves from the total amount of provincial procurement.

Guarantee of provisions for the winter and coming spring. Efforts should be focused on the organic connection of provisional assistance policies with the system of life assistance in winter and springtime, system of subsistence allowance in urban and rural areas and system of “five guarantees” in rural areas. Provisional life assistance alms delivered during the first 3 months within the province amounted to RMB6.38billion, processed grain 280000 tons and recipients of these assistance over 7 million. Follow-up assistance has been secured for “the orphaned, disabled and aged without families”, family members of those badly hurt or deceased, relocated victims and those in a difficult living situation because of their houses being destroyed in 51 severely affected counties. After follow-up assistance policies expire, those still living in difficulties will be covered by the systems of minimum living standards for the urban and rural poor, rural five guarantees and life assistance during winter months and spring famine to guarantee their basic life level.

Guarantee of hygiene and disease control. Emphasis should be given to the prevention and control of aspiratory infectious diseases. We are giving free flu vaccine shots to 1.75 million kids, aged people and medical workers in the affected areas and providing big-pot service of Chinese herb soup to people at the centralized settlements in 18 counties of pairing-assistance. We have organized experts to compile and write books on how to prevent from getting possible diseases in wintertime and the knowledge to protect people from being poisoned by carbon monoxide; public service advertising on the prevention of wintertime diseases and relevant interviews with specialists are also in preparation; 2200 sets of pages on winter disease prevention and 100000 copies of health protection posters are in printing stage and will be handed out to communities free of charge afterwards. Intensify monitoring and supervising efforts on drinking water and food hygiene. Inspection work has been carried out on the regular indicators of water quality in severely affected counties. United inspection activities on drinking water and foodstuff in the schools of affected areas are also conducted and dining hygiene management in dining halls at construction sites are standardized. Make active reserves of medical supplies and allocate special funds for medical institutions at basic levels in extremely cold and remote rural areas to purchase necessary medical materials. Training sessions on key disease prevention during winter period are conducted to further improve disease control capability of medical staff.

Dear friends from the press, the above is the general introduction and our main work of post-disaster reconstruction and measures taken to help people in affected areas get through the wintertime safely. What is worth mentioning is the central government has recently unveiled 10 policies and measures to expand domestic demand and fuel economic growth, of which the most important ones focus on accelerating post-disaster restoration and reconstruction as well as implementing livelihood projects. Sichuan Provincial Party Committee and Provincial People’s Government have decided to center on the rebuilding of beautiful homes after the disaster to expedite the construction of a highland of economic development in western China, fully implement the spirit of the Central Committee and try to accomplish a total investment of over RMB3000billion by 2010, of which about RMB790billion will be in place in 2008 and about RMB1200billion in 2009. Provincial Party committees and governments at various levels have the determination and confidence to successfully lead the cadres and masses of Sichuan province in solid work and make firmer strides on the long journey of post-disaster restoration and reconstruction, constantly improving the living standards for the affected people and striving to win both battles of post-disaster reconstruction and economic and social developments.

Thank you for your attention!

Next, my colleagues and I will be ready to answer your questions regarding the post-disaster restoration and reconstruction work under way in Sichuan province.