All military facilities, including nuclear, in earthquake-hit areas are safe and secure, a senior military officer said yesterday.
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 armed police and the PLA.
"There is no problem at all."
In the quake-hit zone, President Hu Jintao yesterday urged rescuers to use "every available means" to reach all villages affected by the quake.
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.
At yesterday'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, buried in rubble when the quake struck.
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 yesterday 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.
Questions:
1. What is the name of the deputy director of the Combat Department of the General Staff Headquarters of the People's Liberation Army who was cited in this story?
2. How many soldiers and armed policemen have been mobilized for the rescue operations?
3. How many soldiers were killed when the quake struck?
Answers:
1. Ma Jian.
2. 113,080.
3. 7.
（英语点津 Helen 编辑）
About the broadcaster:
Jonathan Stewart is a media and journalism expert from the United States with four years of experience as a writer and instructor. He accepted a foreign expert position with chinadaily.com.cn in June 2007 following the completion of his Master of Arts degree in International Relations and Comparative Politics.
