A senior leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has urged the media to report the quake relief work in northwest China in a timely, accurate and transparent manner.

Li Changchun, a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, gave the instruction in a telephone call during his diplomatic trip to Turkey that he cut short as the devastating quake on Wednesday in Yushu, Qinghai Province has left more than 1,000 people dead.

He also postponed visits to Saudi Arabia, Romania, Ireland and Montenegro.

Li said measures must be taken to salvage and preserve the cultural heritages of ethnic minorities in the quake-hit area.