Premier Wen Jiabao revealed yesterday the 'heartbreaking moments' during his visits to Sichuan's quake-devastated areas in a show of emotion rare for the mainland's state leaders.
During a visit to Yingxiu town yesterday - nearly four months since the May 12 magnitude-8 earthquake - Mr Wen also pledged to make new school buildings 'the safest places'.
The promise was apparently directed at criticisms against the poor building quality of schools in the disaster zone. Many schools crumbled within seconds when the quake struck. Parents and experts attributed the shoddy school buildings to corruption and lax regulations.
Mr Wen was the first state leader to visit the quake zone. Hours after the disaster, the 66-year-old premier arrived at the affected areas, directing rescue efforts and visiting bereaved families and wounded victims.
Over the past few months, he has visited the devastated sites four times to inspect the progress of the reconstruction. He said yesterday that he felt differently each time.
When asked at a media briefing in Yingxiu how he felt when seeing children from quake-struck areas going back to school for a new school term, Mr Wen replied: 'You've just mentioned what is the most heartbreaking moment of mine.
'I've been to Beichuan [school] four times. I didn't smile the first three times ... I couldn't even ask about the number of school kids killed in the quake because I was afraid it would arouse their sadness.
