Chinese President Hu Jintao has urged government officials at all levels to make earthquake rescue and relief work their top priority. Hu made the comments at a meeting of the CPC Central Committee Politburo Standing Committee in Beijing late Monday evening.

President Hu called on the army, armed police and paramilitary forces as well as medical personnel to get to the quake-hit areas as soon as possible and mount all-out efforts to save the injured and reduce the impact caused by the havoc.

President Hu demanded that a sufficient supply of food, medicine, clothes and tents be sent to the disaster-stricken areas. And he also called for telecommunications, power and water supplies and transportation access to be restored as soon as possible.

President Hu urged local governments to keep a close watch on the latest developments concerning the earthquake and its aftershocks and guard against earthquake-induced disasters causing further casualties.

Those who spread rumors to sabotage disaster relief work would be dealt with according to China's laws and regulations.

At the meeting, the Politburo Standing Committee decided to set up disaster relief headquarters with Premier Wen Jiabao as head. and Li Keqiang and Hui Liangyu, both vice premiers, as deputy heads.

The Politburo also called on all party members in the quake-hit areas to devote themselves to protecting the interests of the public on the frontline of disaster relief work.

(CCTV May 13, 2008)