By Wu Jiao (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-19 06:42

All military facilities, including nuclear, in earthquake-hit areas are safe and secure, a senior military officer said on Sunday.

Some of the facilities have been only slightly affected, Ma Jian, deputy director of the Combat Department of the General Staff Headquarters of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), told a press conference held by the State Council Information Office.

He said the military has conducted a thorough inspection of all the facilities and garrisons involved and found no major damage.

He stressed that nuclear facilities are under the complete protection of the armed police and the PLA.

"There is no problem at all."

In the quake-hit zone, President Hu Jintao on Sunday urged rescuers to use "every available means" to reach all villages affected by the quake.

"We must try every method to send rescuers to every quake-hit village, instead of just working in towns and cities, since a large number of soldiers have entered the quake-hit regions," Hu said as he visited Yinghua township of Shifang city, Sichuan province.

"We must send rescue teams carrying food and drinking water to the worst-hit villages, even on foot, as soon as possible," he added as he traveled on bumpy roads to visit one quake-hit village after another, comforting victims and encouraging rescuers.

"I know you lost family and property. I share the pain with you," he said. "We will make every effort to save your people once there is the slightest hope and possibility."

Hu hugged an eight-year-old boy when visiting a family in a camp and told him: "You must learn to be brave and not to surrender to difficulties although you are a child. We shall have confidence, courage and strength."

Walking over the rubble of a fertilizer factory building, Hu told the rescuers that every trapped person was counting on them and they should seize every second to work.

Meanwhile, Vice-Premier Li Keqiang arrived in quake-hit Mianyang city to oversee disaster relief work.

Li, also the vice-head of a disaster relief headquarters led by Premier Wen Jiabao, arrived at Pingtong town of Mianyang's Pingwu county to direct local quake relief, rescue operations and plague prevention work.

At Sunday's PLA press conference, Ma said rescue operations by the Chinese military were "orderly" and "efficient".

A total of 113,080 soldiers and armed policemen have been mobilized for rescue operations, Ma said.

The national rescue headquarters is led by Wen while the military has also established a rescue command headed by Chief of General Staff Chen Bingde to direct operations by military personnel, Ma said.

He refuted rumors that two paratroopers had died in airdrops, saying they were completely "fabricated" and "groundless", and no serviceman was killed in rescue operations.

He added that seven soldiers died when they were buried in rubble when the quake struck.

Ma also said the experience Chinese troops had in rescue and relief work in other countries proved helpful.

The first rescue team which moved into Sichuan had helped in joint rescue operations after a massive quake hit Pakistan in 2005, Ma said.

Rescue teams from four countries - Russia, Singapore, Japan and South Korea - and the two regions of Taiwan and Hong Kong have also reached the quake zone.

More international aid was arriving, with two US Air Force cargo planes loaded with tents, lanterns and 15,000 meals landing on Sunday in the Sichuan capital of Chengdu.

Most of the American supplies were to be rushed to hard-hit Beichuan, said Sr Capt Guan Youfei of the foreign affairs office of the Ministry of National Defense.

"China appreciates the assistance from the international community," said Hu Changming, spokesman for the ministry.

"We need help from the international community to overcome the challenges of the catastrophe," he said.

Xinhua contributed to the story