President Xi stresses rehabilitation in quake-hit SW China

CHENGDU, May 23 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping has asked local governments in southwest China's Sichuan Province, which was hit by a strong earthquake last month, to shift their focus to rehabilitation.

During a visit to hard-hit Lushan County, Xi urged local governments to carefully evaluate the damage and draft a rehabilitation plan based on local conditions.

The rehabilitation program should not only consider local economic and social conditions, but also provide a chance for quake-hit areas to upgrade and realize sustainable growth, Xi said.

Local governments should create preferential rehabilitation policies targeting investment, taxation, land use, employment and social security, he said.

Rehabilitation should also include the participation of the private sector and local residents, he said.

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Lushan on April 20, killing at least 196 people.

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