BEIJING, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing mansion of former Chinese Honorary President Soong Ching-ling reopened to the public on Sunday after a two-year renovation and restoration project. Rebuilt as a museum and memorial, Soong Ching-ling's former residence will have on display more historical artifacts used by Soong and her husband Sun Yat-sen, the pioneering Chinese revolutionary and political leader. Jia Qinglin (R Front), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, visits the former residence of Soong Ching Ling in Beijing, capital of China, May 31, 2009Top political advisor Jia Qinglin Sunday paid his respects at Soong's statue at the former residence. Soong (1893-1981) married Sun Yat-sen in 1915 and fought for China's independence and liberty. She devoted herself to education and health affairs for children and women after the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949. Jia Qinglin (C Front), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, poses with guests for a group photo ahead of the re-opening ceremony of the former residence and life exhibition of Soong Ching Ling in Beijing, capital of China, May 31, 2009Du Qinglin, head of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said Sunday at Soong's former Beijing residence that the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation should continue to promote China's social progress and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait.Jia Qinglin (L), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, talks with guests ahead of the re-opening ceremony of the former residence and life exhibition of Soong Ching Ling in Beijing, capital of China, May 31, 2009.
BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) -- More than 900 scholars, experts and representatives from business circle from around the world have gathered in Beijing to discuss remedies for the global financial crisis and the future development of the world economy. They are attending the Global Think Tank Summit, which opened here Thursday evening. Attendees to the summit included former President of the European Commission Romano Prodi, former Secretary of State of the United States Henry Kissinger, and Muhammad Yunus, laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize. Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger delivers a keynote speech in Beijing, capital of China, July 2, 2009. The global think-tank summit opened here Thursday. Scholars, experts and business leaders attending the summit will discuss issues including global consumption, savings and the financial security, trade and investment liberalization, as well as sustained development and macro-economic policies in the coming two days. The summit is organized by China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE), a non-governmental research and consulting organization created in this March and headed by former Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan
MOSCOW, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday that he is looking forward to meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao next month during the Chinese leader's trip to Russia. Medvedev, who met with Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo on Friday, said he and Hu will exchange views on major international and regional issues of common concern during their June meeting. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (L, front) shakes hands with Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo (R) while meeting with security representatives of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) in Moscow, Russia, May 29, 2009In addition to meeting with Medvedev, Hu also is scheduled to participate in summits of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) in Yekaterinburg. Meanwhile, Medvedev said Russia-China relations enjoy sound momentum and that Russia is satisfied with the current state of bilateral ties between the two countries. Dai, for his part, said Hu's state visit to Russia and attendance at the summits will be of great significance. China, Dai said, is willing to work with Russia to take their strategic partnership to a higher level.
st groups travel to the island after a meeting between the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait chairman Chen Yunlin and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation chairman Chiang Pin-kun in June last year. The first tourist group arrived in Taiwan on July 4.
ZHENGZHOU, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang has urged economic restructuring to tap the growth potential as the nation copes with the impact of the global downturn. Li made the call during a four-day tour ending Saturday in central China's Henan Province. He said that with the concerted efforts nationwide, China's economy was turning for the better. He nevertheless warned of difficulties ahead citing the complicated world economy and called for confidence and more coping efforts. Visiting local companies, Li urged the remolding and upgrading of traditional industries and the development of new sectors including new energy, environmental protection, new and high-tech and modern services. Li's trip also highlighted the importance of agriculture and encouraged renovation and the development of modern agriculture. Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang (R), who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, talks to local residents of Mazhuang village, Qiaobei town, Yuanyang county, central China's Henan Province, June 19, 2009. Li Keqiang made a four-day tour in Henan Province that ended Saturday.
BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Rainstorms since early the week have swept a wide swathe of south China, leaving dozens people dead or missing and forcing hundreds of thousands to evacuate. In Jiangxi Province, two people were killed, three more were missing and more than 100,000 have been evacuated following the heaviest rain this summer, local flood control authorities said. The rain damaged 178,000 hectares of crops, caused 8,231 houses to collapse, and incurred a direct economic loss of 1.31 billion yuan (191.7 million U.S. dollars). Flood submerges houses at the Xinyuan village in Ruijin, a city of east China's Jiangxi Province, July 3, 2009. More than 60,000 people have been transfered due to the flood caused by heavy rainfall in south Jiangxi Province By 3 p.m. Friday, average rainfall in the province was 97.4 millimeters, while the maximum topped 540.8 millimeters in Niedu town of Chongyi County. The province, for the first time in history, issued the highest level of rainstorm alarm on Friday. Many reservoirs were swollen because of the rain, among which six were discharging water, while levels in the rest were under the alarm line. In Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, four were missing and 11,845 were evacuated. The torrential rain also damaged 12,440 hectares of crops and killed 53,300 head of cattle. People walk on a flooded street in Guilin, a city of southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, July 3, 2009. Due to heavy rainfall, the water level of Lijiang River which passes Guilin reached 147.5 meters at 17:00 pm on Friday, 1.8 meters over the alert level. Some scenic spots in Guilin City has been closedBoats have been banned on the Lijiang River as water levels rose to alarming levels, Chen You, head of Guilin maritime bureau, told Xinhua late Friday. In Hunan Province, seven were killed and one was missing in rainstorm-related disasters. The rainstorms damaged 113,000 hectares of crops, killed 6,500 head of cattle. The rains also disrupted traffic on 79 roads and forced 152 businesses to halt production in Hunan. In north, Beijing is plagued with higher-than-normal temperature and it is forecast to receive less-than-normal rainfalls. The Chinese capital on Friday issued an orange alert for hot weather, the third of its kind this summer. Temperature in parts of the city exceeded 37 Celsius degrees Friday. Halted bamboo rafts are seen on the Lijiang River in Guilin, a city of southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, July 3, 2009. Due to heavy rainfall, the water level of Lijiang River reached 147.5 meters at 17:00 pm on Friday, 1.8 meters over the alert level. Some scenic spots in Guilin City has been closed
成都优化排名
BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Natural disasters killed 88,928 people in China last year, according to a report released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The number is the highest since 1976, when the 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Tangshan City in north China's Hebei Province and killed more than 242,000 people, according to the report on the statistics of the country's civil affairs in 2008. In addition, a total of 480 million people were affected by natural disasters, with direct financial losses of 1.175 trillion yuan (about 173 billion U.S. dollars). In 2008, major natural disasters were frequent in China, with the unexpected strike of snows in the south and the devastating May 12 earthquake in Sichuan Province, the ministry said in the report. The 8.0-magnitude earthquake left more than 87,000 people dead or missing and more than 374,640 injured in Sichuan and neighboring provinces. Before that, the blizzards that struck much of central and southern China in early 2008 left 129 people dead and losses reached 151.65 billion yuan, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
VIENNA, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The Head of the Chinese delegation and Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Office in Vienna, Tang Guoqiang, stressed on Wednesday on behalf of the Chinese government that the nuclear issues of Korea and Iran should be solved in a peaceful way through diplomatic talks. In a speech at the board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday, Tang pointed out with regard to the Korean nuclear issue that the Chinese government "firmly opposes" another nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and requires the DPRK to "stick to the denuclearization commitments, stop relevant actions that may further deteriorate the situation, and return to the six-party talks." However, Tang also pointed out that "the sovereignty, territorial integrity, reasonable security concerns and development benefits of the DPRK, a sovereign state, and a member state of the U.N., should receive due respect. The DPRK should have the right to peaceful use of nuclear energy after it returns to the treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)." He also stressed that political and diplomatic means is the"only right way"to solve the relevant issues on the Korean Peninsular including the nuclear issue. Therefore, he called on relevant parties to "focus on long-term benefits and maintain calm and restraint so as to avoid any action that could lead to further tension." A peaceful solution to the Korean nuclear issue "accords with the common benefit of all the parties,"Tang said. He pointed out when discussing the Iranian nuclear issue that there is currently new opportunity to promote a solution through negotiations, so relevant parties should "seize the opportunity and step up diplomatic efforts, so as to resume talks as soon as possible and seek a comprehensive and long-term solution to the Iranian nuclear issue." Iran, as a party to the NPT, enjoys the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, but should also fulfill corresponding international obligations he said. China is concerned that Iran has not suspended uranium enrichment as requested by the U.N. Security Council and hopes Iran will take measures to "comprehensively fulfill the relevant resolutions of the IAEA and the Security Council," Tang said. He also stressed that China adheres to "the international nuclear non-proliferation system, and the Korean and Iranian nuclear issues must be solved through negotiations. China will "work with all the parties" and make further efforts to solve relevant issues by diplomatic means "based on the overall situation of maintaining the nuclear non-proliferation system as well as regional peace and stability," Tang said.
SHENYANG, May 5 (Xinhua) -- A member of the Japanese parliament(Diet) Tuesday handed over an apology letter signed by 24 Japanese MPs to survivors of Pingdingshan Massacre, in which more than 3,000 Chinese civilians were slaughtered by Japanese soldiers in 1932. Aihara Kumiko, member of the House of Councillors, or the upper house, repeatedly said "sorry" to massacre survivor Wang Zhimei while holding Wang's hands. "My mother had lived in Jinan (a city in east China) for five years and got help from local people. She often told me that war changes people, war is a sin," Aihara told the 88-year-old Wang. "We should take history as a mirror and building a friendly relationship between Japan and China," Aihara said. She came all the way from Tokyo to Fushun, a city in northwest China's Liaoning Province, to present the apology letter signed by10 members of the lower house and 14 of the upper house of the Japanese parliament to the survivors of the tragedy. Part of the letter reads "As a human being, as a Diet member elected by Japanese citizens, we are sorry from the depth of our hearts." The Pingdingshan massacre saw more than 3,000 women, children and elderly of Pingdingshan Village near Fushun killed by invading Japanese soldiers on September 16, 1932. "The Japanese soldiers told us they were going to take our picture and gathered us in a group. But under the black cloth they didn't have cameras, they had machine guns. The soldiers even bayoneted bodies to ensure the villagers were dead," recalled a survivor named Yang Yufen in 2006, after the survivors' 10-year-long lawsuit for an apology and compensation was rejected by the Japanese Supreme Court. Aihara also visited the memorial of the massacre. Silent tears ran along her cheeks, her hands joined and eyebrows wrinkled during the visit. Her face was covered by tears when she saw gasoline cans used in burning the corpses after the massacre. "We will push the Japanese government to offer an apology and compensation for the massacre," she said. Aihara said some Diet members have collect donations and are going to send some money to foster a patch of woods near the massacre memorial. "We hope the trees witness friendship between the two countries," she said. Aihara and the Chinese side planted two pines in front of the memorial. Along with Aihara, four Japanese lawyers who have been trying to help massacre survivors were also present at the hand-over of the apology letter. Shiroh Kawakami, one of the lawyers, told Xinhua that they would continue to demand the Japanese government building an apology monument and cemetery for victims of the massacre. "What we do is not only for the history, for also for the future, the future of both countries," Shiroh said. It's estimated that 20 to 30 villagers survived the massacre, but now only five of them are still alive, all in late 80s. Wang Zhimei came to Fushun from Changchun City in Jilin Province just to meet the Japanese lawmaker and lawyers. "I want to thank you for what you have done. The days of us survivors are numbered, we are counting on you (on the government apology and compensation)," Wang said.
MOSCOW, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Russia and China have agreed to establish a cross-border nature reserve to protect Siberian tigers and other endangered animals, local media reported on Thursday. An agreement on the creation of the nature reserve was signed by Russian Minister of Natural Resources Yury Trutnev and his Chinese counterpart Zhou Shengxian, news reports said, citing the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources. The Siberian tiger, also known as the Amur tiger, is the largest subspecies of the family with a length of more that three meters and a weight of up to 300 kg. There are only about 500 of them left in the wild.