Aid finally reaches China's remote quake zone

JIEGU, China - China said yesterday that a flood of badly needed aid had finally reached this quake-shattered town, including food and shelter for tens of thousands, though some complained about chaotic distribution of the supplies.

The surge in aid coincided with the arrival of President Hu Jintao, who cut short a trip to South America to deal with the disaster in this remote Tibetan region where residents have frequently chafed under Chinese rule. Wednesday's quake killed 1,706 people and injured 12,128.

The president's carefully scripted trip included visits with displaced families living in tents and rescue teams digging through debris looking for 256 people still missing. He promised that the Communist Party and the government was doing everything they could to help.

Tibetan anger over political and religious restrictions and perceived economic exploitation by the majority Han Chinese have at times erupted in violence.

China Central Television showed Hu sitting with an injured student at a field hospital and comforting her. "Rest assured, you will have a full recovery," he told the girl. "You will have a bright future. Grandpa will be thinking of you."

Hu and Premier Wen Jiabao, who visited Thursday, have cultivated compassionate images in a bid to portray the leadership as putting people first.

Yesterday, after days of sleeping in makeshift shelters, with ice forming on blankets during frigid nights, nearly all survivors finally had proper tents and food and clean water for a few days. - AP