By Ben Blanchard

BEIJING, May 18 (Reuters) - China is handing out praise to its soldiers for their quick response to the Sichuan earthquake, seizing on a chance to improve the image of an institution badly tarred by the Tiananmen Square crackdown 19 years ago.

Military officials have emphasises the speed and scale of the army response to the massive quake and their success in rescuing tens of thousands from the rubble of shattered buildings.

"They will come to where they are most needed, they are fighting where things are most dangerous, and they are making every effort to save people under very harsh conditions," said Guo Zengkui of the military's General Political Department.

"Our officers and soldiers fear no challenge, no matter how daunting, and are making every effort courageously to save people," he added.

More than 110,000 soldiers and paramilitary police have been operating in the disaster zone, helping to pull 21,566 people from the rubble and taking more than 200,000 to safety, Defence Ministry spokesman Hu Changming told a news conference.

In fact, China's military has increasingly been involved in disaster relief as part of efforts to change its image since the 1989 army crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing's Tiananmen Square when hundreds, perhaps thousands, were killed.

The military lent a big helping hand to combating devastating floods in 1998, and were praised by state media for forming human walls to hold back the surging waters.

Now they are once again on the frontlines, dealing with a natural calamity which has killed at least 32,500.

"Some soldiers have been battling the disaster for several days in a row and some refuse to leave even if they have been injured themselves. Some of them have lost loved ones themselves, but continue with rescue operations nonetheless," Guo said.

"Many of the officers and soldiers have given their own supplies of food and water to people in affected areas."

Gushing praise of the army has also appeared in China's enthusiastic blogging and online community.

"Long live our boys!" wrote one poster called "Eastern brightness" on the website of the Communist Party's mouthpiece newspaper the People's Daily (www.people.com.cn).

"You are a great example! China can't live without you, and we can't live without you!" wrote "czjjj2005" on popular Chinese portal www.163.com.

Ma Gaihe, Director General of the Operational Logistic Support Bureau, denied that troops had been poorly equipped to help in rescue efforts, following pictures of soldiers digging through ruined buildings with their hands.

"Because roads were destroyed and the weather severe, it was hard to get in some heavy equipment in time," he said.

"Under these conditions soldiers overcame tremendous difficulties and could only walk in carrying the simplest of tools in their hands and on their backs," Ma added. (Editing by Jeremy Laurence and Richard Balmforth)

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