Chinese chairman meets children from Sichuan invited to Russia

BEIJING, July 17 (Itar-Tass) -- Chinese Chairman Hu Jintao on
Wednesday has met Chinese children from the quake hit territory of Sichuan who are going to Russia on vacation. The Chinese chairman called these children "little ambassadors of friendship".

Russian Charge d'Affairs in China Igor Morgulov told Tass said that
during the meeting with the Chinese children the Chinese chairman
reiterated his gratitude to the Russian people for assistance in
elimination of after-effects of the quake.

At times of hardship Russia immediately offered a helping hand to China , the Chinese leader said.

China is sincerely grateful to the leadership and people of the Russian Federation for their support, Hu Jintao said. The Chinese children's vacationing at Russian rehabilitation centers will promote growing friendship between the two countries.

Contacts between the Russian and Chinese youth will help hand down the feelings of friendship from generation to generation, the Chinese leader said.

A total of 1,000 children from China will be airlifted to Russia.
Some of the children were injured during the devastating quake, others lost their parents. Next year 570 more children from Sichuan will be able to go on vacation to Russia in summer.

The Chinese children will be accommodated at fifteen best
rehabilitation centers in Russia - in the Krasnoyarsk, Maritime regions,
Tuapse on the Russian Black sea coast, the Novosibirsk, Kemerovo and Omsk
regions and Okean Children's Center near Vladivostok. The Chinese children
will undergo a special course of rehabilitation treatment and enjoy a
special cultural program. Special attention will be paid to catering,
taking into account the Chinese specific cuisine.
The Chinese children's vacation in Russia is part of an extensive
program of support Russia gave to China after the Sichuan quake, Igor
Morgulov said.