President Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders including top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao on Tuesday visited an exhibition which pays tribute to victims of the May earthquake in Sichuan Province and the nation's concerted efforts to assist the disaster-stricken areas.

Photos and videos showing the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake, as well as items that were used to rescue victims drew attentions of the leaders.

They were also briefed on how the people from all walks of life had made donations and contributions to help the earthquake-stricken areas recover from the country's worst disaster in the past 30 years.

Carrying on the great spirit displayed in the quake rescue and relief efforts, the nation would be able to overcome all difficulties on its way of development, Hu said during his visit.

State and Communist Party leaders Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang also visited the exhibition at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in Beijing.

The exhibition, which featured pictures and objects collected in the quake, aimed to serve as a lively lesson to promote patriotism and the selfless spirit displayed in the quake-relief work.

It has received more than 300,000 visitors since it was opened on September 20.

The exhibition was jointly sponsored by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the National Development and Reform Commission and the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army.

On May 12, a quake measuring 8.0 on the Richter Scale struck Wenchuan County in the southwestern Sichuan Province. The quake, which has left more than 80,000 dead or missing, was the deadliest and strongest tremor to hit China since the 1976 Tangshan earthquake.

(Xinhua News Agency October 7, 2008)