Retired Chinese premier Wen Jiabao lectures schoolchildren on climate

Retired premier Wen Jiabao revisited a rural secondary school in Hebei last week, lecturing pupils on weather and climate in the most recently reported public appearance by a retired top official.

Wen visited Liudaohe Secondary School in Xinglong county, Chengde, last Tuesday and Wednesday, staying overnight at the teachers' dormitory, said the city government's website yesterday.

Photos posted on the website showed Wen on a morning run among students, doing physical exercises during class break, laughing with students and teachers, and writing a diary in his dorm room.

This is the fourth time Wen has visited the boarding school in a mountainous area some 120km from Beijing, and the second time he has given a geography lecture.

His first visit was in 2010, when he was still in office, followed by two visits in April and May last year after his retirement. Wen's visit last week was followed by former president Hu Jintao's rare public appearance in Sichuan on Thursday.

Just days ahead of the anniversary of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, Hu was photographed checking on recovery efforts in Beichuan county along with the county chief.