By Tom Peterkin The Chinese President today flew into Sichuan province to view the devastation wrought by this week's massive earthquake.

MIANYANG, Sichuan, May 16 (Xinhua) - Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Mianyang, a city in the quake-hit southwestern Sichuan Province Friday morning.
During the flight, Hu opened a map, and carefully assessed the quake damage and the progress of relief work with others aboard the plane.
a city in quake-hit southwestern

By Stephanie Ho Chinese President Hu Jintao is urging emergency workers to overcome all difficulties as rescue efforts from this week's powerful earthquake

BEIJING, May 16 (UPI) - Chinese President Hu Jintao Friday assessed earthquake damage in Sichuan province where the death toll may top 50,000.
Hu described the rescue and relief effort mounted by tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians as "forceful, orderly and effective," the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
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May 15: A rescuer checks on Li Yi, 10, who was trapped under the ruins of a collapsed building at Miaoba primary school in Beichuan county, China.

Chinese President Hu Jintao has flown to south-western Sichuan Province, where it is feared up to 50,000 people may have died in Monday's earthquake.
So far almost 20,000 deaths have been confirmed in the region and thousands more people remain missing.
e after being trapped for 80 hours

© AP LUOSHUI TOWN, China (AP) - Chinese President Hu Jintao flew to Sichuan province Friday to offer support to the victims of this week's earthquake as the country braced for a death toll that could soar to 50,000.
Nearly four days after the quake hit, Chinese soldiers and police also finally reached all 58 counties and townships
ate TV reported.

AP BEIJING: A state news agency says Chinese President Hu Jintao has arrived in earthquake-hit Sichuan province Friday to console victims and inspect rescue

By David Blair China's government has given warning that 50000 people may have died in the earthquake that has devastated large areas of Sichuan province.

BEIJING, May 15 (APP):- Over 50000 people are feared dead in Sichuan Province alone after Monday’s 7.8-magnitude earthquake, the offical media reported

China said the death toll of the 7.9 magnitude quake that ravaged the country's central Sichuan Province on Monday could reach 50,000 as the government made a rare appeal to its citizens to help the rescue operation.
Relatives cry at funeral in Dujiangyan; AP photo
d to offer aid to survivors. Officials called for nurses and doctors to help the injured.

MOSCOW. (Vladimir Portyakov for RIA Novosti) - It is too early to estimate the damage done to China's economy by the devastating earthquake in the western province of Sichuan. Home to 90 million people, Sichuan is one of China's fastest growing and most economically important regions.
According to the estimates I have, in 2005 it produced some 4% of China's GDP (or 738 billion yuan - one dollar equaled four yuan at that time). This was more than Beijing.
e Government in the late years of the war - in 1943-1946; it is home to wonderful Buddhist temples of the eighth and ninth centuries in Datsun, and a host of famous mountains. Tourism also plays a major role in its economy.

CHINA says it believes more than 50000 people have died in the massive earthquake that devastated its southwest, state media reported.

Within 24 hours of China's 7.9-magnitude quake in Sichuan province, some 20000 Chinese troops converged on the disaster area to help dig out the dead and

Moscow. May 13. INTERFAX - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has sent a message of condolences to Chinese President Hu Jintao and offered to provide assistance following a powerful earthquake that struck China on May 12.
Medvedev asked the Chinese leader to pass the words of solace to the relatives and friends of those who were killed in the quake and wished speedy recovery to survivors. "We are ready to help if necessary," the message says.
icken areas has been cut off, a spokesman for the rescue headquarters led by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said.