China's top legislator Wu Bangguo on Wednesday continued his inspection tour in southwest China's Sichuan Province by overseeing relief and epidemic prevention work in the hard-hit towns.

On Wednesday morning, Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, visited a steam turbine production base in Hanwang, Sichuan, one of the worst hit towns in the devastating May 12 earthquake.

He inquired about the damages the factory suffered and told the staff not to lose hope and resume production with assistance from the outside as early as possible.

Later he went to a hospital in Deyang City, extending condolence to the patients and appreciation to hardworking medical workers.

Wu chatted with seven-year-old Qi Yang, who was receiving treatment for her broken leg at the hospital, encouraging her to pursue her dream to be a dancer.

His next stop was Pingtong Town where most of the buildings were flattened.

Wu met with soldiers and medical workers who were cleaning up the rubble and implementing hygiene measures in the town, telling them to take care of themselves and work harder.

He also dropped by a temporary shelter camp. In seeing that each tent was crowded with more than 10 persons, he said, "You have suffered. The government has tried its best to ship temporary houses here. The hard time will pass soon."

Wu also visited the temporary classrooms of Beichuan middle school in Mianyang. The school buildings collapsed in the quake and about 1,200 students and teachers died.

He told the students to take care of each other and be brave in such a special moment and promised them that there will be a better school.

Wu left Beijing on Monday to direct disaster relief work in quake-ravaged Sichuan.

Wu is also member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

(Xinhua News Agency May 29, 2008)