Top Chinese leaders warn worst of the weather crisis not over

BEIJING, Feb.3 (Xinhua) -- Top Chinese leaders warned here Sunday that weather conditions in southern China will remain severe and relief work a difficult task.

The warning came after a meeting of the Standing Committee of Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) here on Sunday. It was chaired by Chinese President Hu Jintao and studied the current relief work.

"We have to be clear minded that certain regions in the south will continue to undergo icy weather caused by rain and snow and severe disasters will continue," said a statement issued after the meeting. "Relief work will remain very grim, posing a tough task on us."

The meeting called on provincial and other local governments, as well as officials, to continue to make the relief work a top priority.

BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Amid China's worst snow disaster in decades, the Chinese leaders have shown the public a hands-on approach by visiting people working on the front lines of the weather crisis.

As of Friday, five of the nine members of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee's Political Bureau had visited people fighting disasters at front line or working in coalmines and ports supporting the relief work.