Chinese quake toll passes 60,000

Mr Wen was speaking in the town of Yingxiu, which was reduced to rubble in the 12 May quake, as he visited with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Mr Ban said the UN was ready to provide further support for the relief effort.

He flew to China from Burma, where he urged leaders to allow foreign aid workers to help cyclone victims.

Mr Ban's visit is supposed to "express his care for those who suffered" in the earthquake, the state news agency, Xinhua, reported.

The secretary general said people all over the world would stand beside the Chinese people and work together to deal with the disaster.

"If we work hard we can overcome this," he said, quoted by the Associated Press news agency.

"The whole world stands behind you and supports you."

More than five million people have been left homeless by the disaster.

On Friday, the vice-governor of Sichuan, the worst-hit province, Li Chengyun, appealed for more tents and set a three-year goal to rebuild towns and infrastructure in the region.

China's leaders have promised a 70bn yuan ($10bn; £5bn) reconstruction fund.