Delegated by the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Hu Jintao, senior Chinese official Li Changchun visited disaster-stricken central Hubei Province on behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council.

During his visit to Hubei, which started on January 30, Li -- who is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee -- urged local officials to make disaster relief their top priority.

Li visited railway and bus stations in Wuhan, the provincial capital, and greeted stranded passengers. He told passengers that the CPC Central Committee and the State Council were highly concerned over their need to go home for the Spring Festival and had taken measures to help.

At a toll-gate on the Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway, Li urged the staff to be thoughtful of passengers, provide better services and ensure a smooth flow of disaster-related information.

At a supermarket, he urged mangers to ensure a steady supply of daily necessities, especially farm products, amid the persisting snow.

He said that the current priorities were easing passenger build-up on railway lines and highways, ensuring coal and electricity supplies and resolving the problems of passengers affected by the snow.

Li also underlined the importance of information in the fight against the disaster.

(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2008)