Despite the devastation of the worst flood waters in 50 years, the President, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, daughter Chelsea and a host of top US cabinet officials flew into the city on an eight-hour stop enroute to Hong Kong.

Guilin is the last mainland China stop on Clinton's tour. With its jagged peaks, calm lakes and lush fields, it is described by many Chinese as ``paradise on earth'' and has been the focus of thousands of Chinese paintings and literary works.

Guilin's beauty lies in its several rivers which meander through breathtaking countryside, ringed by mountains in bizarre rock formations that have created a host of fairy tales and legends.

Clinton immediately headed for the Guilin's largest public park, the Qixing (Seven Star) Park, to take part in a round table discussion with environmental experts before delivering a public speech onthe same subject.

He was due to highlight several accords agreed between the two countries on the environment during a summit with President Jiang Zemin on Saturday.

The United States has agreed to help Finance an Air quality control system, as well as a 50 million dollar loan from the Exim Bank to fund development projects for ``clean'' energy sources.

A contract was also signed between US and Chinese companies on joint drilling for methane gas in coal deposits in northern Shaanxi province.

Following the one-hour environment session, the Clintons were to head to the scenic river for a boat tour on the Li river to view the stunning picture-postcard peaks rising out of the water.

The party, which includes Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, will stop at avillage, before continuing the four-hour cruise.

``The President will highlight our efforts on working with China on issues of energy and the enviroment. This is an issue which is very much on the President's mind ,'' said Deputy NationalSecurity Advisor James Steinberg.

``If we are going to have any solution to global climate change, China must be at the heart of that,'' he said.

US officials said on Wednesday that the flooding appeared to be subsiding, but they were monitoring the situation closely.

At least four people have lost their lives in the floods and many have been Lefthomeless.

Clinton was to fly to Hong Kong late on Thursday on the final stop of his nine-day China tour. He was to be the first person to fly into the new 20-billion dollar Air Port of Chek Lap Kok, which officially opens to the public on Monday.