Senior Chinese leader Li Changchun on Tuesday visited areas in southwest China's Sichuan province that were hardest hit by the May 12 earthquake, encouraging residents and relief workers on the front line.

On Tuesday morning, Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, arrived at Yingxiu County by helicopter.

He told survivors in Yuzixi village, "You've gone through considerable pain, but you remained strong in the face of disaster. Your spirit has touched all Chinese people. I hope you will soon go back to your normal lives and build a better home."

At Dujiangyan Radio and Television Station, Li urged the technicians to repair the network as soon as possible to ensure that the people in the quake zone could enjoy radio and TV programs.

In the afternoon, he visited patients and medical workers at Huaxi Hospital of Sichuan University, where he spoke words of encouragement to medical workers.

Before leaving Chengdu, Li visited artists who came from Beijing to the quake zone for real-life inspirations. Li hoped they could go deep into the front line of the quake and represent the feelings of the victims, soldiers and other relief workers.

"I believe you can create many artworks that will inspire the people affected by the earthquake," Li said.

He was accompanied by Liu Yunshan, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee.

The death toll in the earthquake that jolted Sichuan Province and some other areas on May 12 rose to 69,107 as of Tuesday noon.

(Xinhua News Agency June 3, 2008)