China's Wen thanks world for quake help

CHENGDU, China - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Saturday thanked the international community for its help in fighting the devastating earthquake that hit southwest China, and pledged openness in his government.
"I would like to sincerely thank the international community, the leaders of the world, the governments and people of every nation for their concern and the materials and the help they have offered," said Wen during his first press conference with the foreign and domestic media.
"In this disaster, we have maintained a policy of openness (because) this earthquake disaster is not only a disaster for the Chinese people, but it is a disaster for humanity."
Wen made the comments in Yingxiu, a town in Sichuan province at the epicenter of the May 12 quake, ahead of a visit by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
"Faced with such a disaster, we welcome journalists from all over the world to come and report," Wen said.
"We believe you will use your conscience and humanitarian spirit to fairly, objectively and truthfully report the real situation of the disaster and the work we are doing."
Foreign journalists have not reported any major obstacles to their coverage of the disaster, implying the government wants to show a degree of openness after international condemnation of its handling of the Tibet crisis.
Nearly 87,000 people are dead or missing after the quake, in which more than 350,000 people were injured and over 11 million either left homeless or evacuated from dangerous areas.
Asked if the government would continue to maintain such openness after rescue and relief operations had ended, Wen replied:
"In this disaster, since it began we have maintained the policy of working for the people and placed priority on saving the lives of the people. Our leaders were on the scene when the disaster was at its worst," he said.
"As we handle sudden incidents like this and other domestic problems, we will see to it that the policy of working for the people never changes, that the policy of opening and reform never changes."