Commissioned by General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Hu Jintao, senior Chinese official Xi Jinping paid a visit to southwest China's snow and ice hit Guizhou Province on behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council .'

Xi Jinping, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, distributes quilts and edible oil to local residents plagued by freezing weather in Yuping County, a Dong ethnic group residential area in Guizhou Province January 31, 2008.

During his visit to Guizhou from Jan. 31 to Feb. 1, Xi, who is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, urged local officials to take disaster relief work as the most urgent task at present.

Snow and ice has been falling in east, central and south China for more than a fortnight. Guizhou is one of the provinces that have been worst hit as water supply shortage, blackout and communication obstacles in the province affected 2.49 million people from 57 counties, cities and districts.

Xi visited snow-hit villages and the provincial capital Guiyang to make sure that common people could have a safe and happy Spring Festival.

He told the accompanying officials that the snow and ice disaster has been a test of the ability of governments at all levels to cope with emergencies.

Local officials should go to the front line to meet common passengers, farmers, drivers and other disaster-affected people, Xi said.

Xi also urged repairing the damaged electricity transmitting equipment as soon as possible and speeding up ice-cleaning work on roads.

(Xinhua News Agency February 2, 2008)