Premier Wen Jiabao has chaired a State Council meeting on rescue operations. While traveling by train on Thursday, he acknowledged that the relief work is a significant task, with implications for China nationwide. He also stressed that success, depends on the efforts of the entire country.

Premier Wen Jiabao has chaired a State Council meeting on rescue operations.(Photo: CCTV.com)

Premier Wen Jiabao returned to Beijing Friday morning. He'd remained in Sichuan Province, since Monday, taking the leading role in directing rescue and relief operations.

Thursday was the fourth day after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Wenchuan.

Premier Wen Jiabao held a meeting of the State Council rescue headquarters on Thursday night.

He said Monday's earthquake was the most destructive tremor and had the most wide-spread impact since New China's founding in 1949. Wen called on all people of the country to combat the effects of the disaster.

He praised rescue efforts over the past 80 hours, calling them effective and orderly. He said the country has focused its resources on saving lives and disaster relief work for victims, saying the quick response helped reduce casualties to the greatest extent possible.

The premier stressed that saving lives remains the top priority, as long as hopes for survival still exist.

He said the government will continue to stick to its "people-first" policy in its future rescue operations and reconstruction works. He warned relevant authorities to pay special attention to the prevention of an outbreak of disease. He said supplies of food, medicines, and tents must be ensured.

As water is becoming a more and more urgent issue in the disaster-hit areas, the meeting also decided to form a new water resources work group. The group is in charge of safety for reservoirs, problems caused by the altered course of rivers in the quake area, as well as drinking water and water supplies.

During an interview with Chinese media on Friday, the premier vowed "to pour out whatever the country is capable of" to combat the massive disaster and fight till the end.

Wen Jiabao said, "The relief work still needs confidence, determination, powerful organization, and effective work. We strongly believe that with all the people behind our work and with cooperation between the people and the army, the people and officials, we can work together to make the relief and rescue work a complete success."

The Premier said that latest reports indicate the Wenchuan earthquake has affected an area of more than 100-thousand square kilometers, and that it was even more powerful than the Tangshan earthquake in 1976.

Although the "golden 72 hours" for survival defined by many experts has already passed, the premier insisted authorities won't give up hope. He said if there is even the slightest hope of finding more survivors, the government will spare no effort.

He also called for a concerted effort from the whole country to respond to the worst natural disaster in decades.

(CCTV May 17, 2008)