BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday again lodged urgent representations to the Russian Minister Counsellor to China in regards to the sinking of a Chinese cargo ship in Russian waters. The Sierra Leone-flagged vessel named "New Star" sank off the waters near Russia's far-eastern port of Vladivostok on Sunday. Seven Chinese crew members were still missing. China paid great attention to media reports that the ship sank after a Russian Coast Guard cruiser fired at it, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu in a news release. Jiang said China had urged the Russian side to spare no efforts to help search for the missing crew members and make thorough investigations to find out the causes of the incident as soon as possible. The Chinese embassy in Russia and consulate general in Khabarovsk also made representations to Russia at the same time, Jiang noted. "Russia attached great importance to China's concern," said Jiang, adding that relevant Russian department is investigating the conduct of law enforcement agencies involved in the incident and will inform China of the results in time.
BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- China's central bank on Monday warned of deflation in the near term caused by continuing downward pressure on prices. Commodities prices were low and weak external demand could exacerbate domestic over-capacity, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said in an assessment of fourth-quarter monetary policy. "Against the backdrop of shrinking general demand, the power to push up prices is weak and that to drive down prices is strong," the PBOC said. "There exists a big risk of deflation." China's consumer price index (CPI), a major gauge of inflation, rose 1 percent in January from a year earlier. In that period, the producer price index (PPI), a measure of inflation at the wholesale level, dropped 3.3 percent. But the PBOC also warned of medium and long-term inflation risks. As the central banks worldwide injected a huge amount of liquidity into the financial system, commodities prices could repeat earlier rallies if market confidence recovered, it said. The PBOC stated that China's economy faced further downside risks because of slackening external demand, over-capacity in some sectors and increases in urban job losses. The gross domestic product expanded at a slower rate of 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, as exports slumped and the property sector sagged, dragging down growth for the whole of 2008to a seven-year low of 9 percent But China had huge market potential and as the macro controls started to take effect, its economy was likely to maintain stable and relatively fast growth, it said. To spur growth, the PBOC said it would ensure ample liquidity in the banking system and promote the reasonable and stable growth of credit. It also reaffirmed that China would keep the Renminbi (RMB) exchange rate basically stable, while making it more flexible in a self-initiated, gradual and controllable manner.
BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- President Hu Jintao's five-nation "journey of friendship and cooperation" was very successful, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said on Wednesday. The tour, which started on Feb. 10 and ended on Feb. 17, took President Hu to Saudi Arabia, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Mauritius. Hu's visit to the five countries in the first month of the Chinese lunar new year was very successful as it fulfilled its goals -- consolidating friendship between China and these countries, boosting cooperation and reinforcing their will to tackle the joint challenges for common development, Yang said. Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao addresses a welcoming rally attended by people from various sectors in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Feb. 16, 2009 It was also of important significance to further advance the friendly ties between China and Saudi Arabia as well as between China and Africa and to enhance China's solidarity and cooperation with developing countries to stand hand-in-hand in the face of challenges, he said. The visit, a significant diplomatic move taken by China to boost its ties with developing nations, was made at a time when international political and economic situations are undergoing profound change, and while the international financial crisis continues to spread, imposing a negative influence on developing countries, Yang said. Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) meets with Mauritian President Anerood Jugnauth in Port Louis, Mauritius, Feb. 17, 2009.During the eight days, the Chinese president attended more than 50 events in the nations visited. He held talks with leaders in these countries on cooperation and joint development, as well as had extensive contacts with people from various sectors with brotherly interactions and friendship, Yang said. He said the media in these countries and in the rest of the world paid close attention to Hu's tour and gave it abundant coverage with a positive and objective tone. Noting that the tour consolidated and deepened the friendly cooperation between China and countries in Africa and Asia, Yang said it also boosted the friendship between the Chinese people and their counterparts in developing countries. The achievements included: First, a new consensus was reached on jointly dealing with the challenge of the international financial crisis. President Hu made the visit at a time when the impacts of the international financial crisis are gradually expanding, Yang said, adding that such impacts have spread from developed countries to emerging markets and developing nations, and affecting the real economy, posing increasing challenges to developing nations including China, Saudi Arabia and those in Africa. Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) talks with Saudi Arabian King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz during their meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 10, 2009Hu expounded on China's view and position on how to tackle the crisis, stressing the need for the international community to be concerned about and try to minimize the suffering of the developing world, especially the least developed countries in the crisis, and expressed China's will to strengthen cooperation and coordinate actions with the international community, Yang said. Hu extended support for increasing the role and voice of developing countries in reforming the global financial system and called on the international community to provide tangible assistance to help developing countries, especially the African ones, to overcome the difficulties. The Chinese president pledged that China would fulfill policies and measures adopted at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, continue to increase assistance and offer debt relief to African countries within its capability, expand trade and investment toward the continent, and promote China-Africa pragmatic cooperation. Hu emphasized that the harder the situation is, the more China and Africa should support and cooperate with each other to get through the difficulties. Leaders of the host countries highly appreciated and warmly welcomed China's position, regarding it as conducive to strengthening coordination and cooperation among developing countries and building up confidence in jointly addressing the international crisis. Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) meets with Malian President Amadou Toumany Toure in Bamako, Mali, on Feb. 12, 2009. Second, China's ties with Asia and Africa were pushed to a new stage. Yang said the five nations and China enjoyed a solid political groundwork to further promote bilateral relations. During his trip, leaders of the five countries and Hu held discussions and reached broad common ground on such significant issues as how to boost friendly cooperation, implement measures announced at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2006, and forge a new type of strategic partnership with Africa, Yang said. In Saudi Arabia, Hu proposed guiding principles and measures to boost the China-Saudi strategic friendship, promote all-round pragmatic cooperation, as well as deepen cooperation between China and the Gulf Cooperation Council. In the four African countries, Hu met their leaders on the further development of friendship and cooperation. Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) meets with his Senegalese counterpart Abdoulaye Wade in Dakar, capital of Senegal, Feb. 13, 2009They exchanged in-depth views on the current situation in the Middle East and Africa as well as other international and regional issues, and agreed to boost bilateral ties and push forward friendly cooperation to a new stage. The president said as a developing country, China was ready to have closer cooperation and collaboration with the five nations, jointly maintain the interests and rights of the developing countries, and join hands with them to promote the South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue. Third, to promote mutual benefit and win-win cooperation Yang said Hu's tour to the five developing countries further deepened cooperation in various fields with them. During the visit, China signed more than 20 cooperation agreements with the five nations in the fields of economy and trade, investment, energy and quality control, health, culture and infrastructure construction to further extend the depth and width of pragmatic cooperation. During his visit to the African countries, President Hu said China would strengthen cooperation with them in agriculture, textile and infrastructure construction on the basis of mutual benefits, and a win-win principle. Hu visited some China-aided projects, as part of follow-up actions to the Beijing Summit of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum. Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) meets with his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Feb. 15, 2009Such projects will help improve the general living standards of the local people. In Saudi Arabia, Hu visited a cement production line in the capital of Riyadh, and the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology. In Mali, Hu inaugurated a China-aided bridge construction project in the capital of Bamako and attended the inauguration of the China-Mali anti-malaria center. Hu also attended the completion ceremony of Tanzania's state stadium and the Chinese culture center in Mauritius. He put forward new measures to enhance China-Africa cooperation, such as offering more chances for personnel training and scholarships to the four countries. Yang said that China had developed comprehensive friendly relations with the four countries and provided unselfish assistance. During Hu's visit, China reached consensus with the four African countries on enhancing bilateral trade and deepening pragmatic cooperation, which fully demonstrates the China-Africa cooperation has great potential and broad prospects based on equality, mutual benefits and a win-win principle for all. Fourth, to create fresh highlights of friendly exchanges with local people. President Hu received an abundance of warm greetings from the local people, an indication that Sino-Saudi and the Sino-African friendships were deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, Yang said. At airports, meeting venues, stadiums, construction sites, hospitals and even classrooms, Hu talked with the local people from various walks of life in a gentle and friendly manner. Despite a tight schedule, Hu managed to meet with the media in all the countries he visited and, on behalf of the Chinese people, extended good wishes and friendship to the local people. In the Malian capital of Bamako, tens of thousands of local people, from the outskirts all the way to Hu's downtown hotel, waved the national flags of both countries and chanted "Thank you, China," and "Long-live China-Mali Friendship" in a voluntary yet grand gesture of welcome for Hu. During the completion ceremony of Tanzania's state stadium, a Chinese assistance project, more than a hundred teenagers performed Chinese martial arts and acrobatics, and sang popular Chinese folk songs such as "Na Ni Wan" which is about a great production campaign near Yan'an during the revolutionary 1940s. Hu also showed his concern for Chinese aid workers in Africa. He met with a Chinese medical team in Mali and encouraged them to make further efforts to help their Malian counterparts to develop the country's medical and health industry. In Tanzania, Hu paid tribute to a cemetery for Chinese experts who had worked and died in the country in honor of pursuing China-Africa friendship.
BEIJING, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature approved the Food Safety Law on Saturday, providing a legal basis for the government to strengthen food safety control "from the production line to the dining table." The law, which goes into effect on June 1, 2009, will enhance monitoring and supervision, toughen safety standards, recall substandard products and severely punish offenders. The National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee gave the green light to the intensively-debated draft law at the last day of a four-day legislative session, following a spate of food scandals which triggered vehement calls for overhauling China's current monitoring system. Wu Bangguo (C), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), presides over the concluding meeting of the 7th meeting of the 11th NPC Standing Committee in Beijing, on Feb. 28, 2009. The NPC Standing Committee, China's top legislature, concluded its four-day session on Saturday, after approving the food safety law, an amendment to the criminal law and the revised insurance law. Winning 158 out of 165 votes, the law said the State Council, or Cabinet, would set up a state-level food safety commission to oversee the entire food monitoring system, whose lack of efficiency has long been blamed for repeated scandals. The departments of health, agriculture, quality supervision, industry and commerce administration will shoulder different responsibilities. These would include risk evaluation, the making and implementation of safety standards, and the monitoring of about 500,000 food companies across China, as well as circulation sector. The law draft had been revised several times since it was submitted to the NPC Standing Committee for the first reading in December 2007. It had been expected to be voted by lawmakers last October, but the voting was postponed for further revision following the tainted dairy products scandal last September, in which at least six babies died and 290,000 others were poisoned. "It actually took us five years to draft this law since the State Council first made legislative recommendations in July 2004.It has undergone intensive consideration, because it is so vital to every person," Xin Chunying, deputy director of the NPC Standing Committee's Legislative Affairs Commission, said at a press briefing after the law was adopted. She said although China had certain food quality control systems in place for many years, lots of loopholes emerged in past years, mainly due to varied standards, lack of sense of social responsibility among some business people, too lenient punishment on violators and weakness in testing and monitoring work. China has a food hygiene law, which took effect in 1995, to regulate issues of food safety, but many lawmakers said it was too outdated to meet the need of practice. For example, the law is far from being adequate in addressing the problem of pesticide residue in foodstuff. According to the new law, China will set up compulsory standards on food safety, covering a wide range from the use of additives to safety and nutrition labels. The law stipulates a ban on all chemicals and materials other than authorized additives in food production, saying that "only those items proved to be safe and necessary in food production are allowed to be listed as food additives." Health authorities are responsible for assessing and approving food additives and regulating their usage. Food producers must only use food additives and their usage previously approved by authorities, on penalty of closure or revocation of production licenses in serious cases, according to the law. In the tainted dairy products scandal, melamine, often used in the manufacture of plastics, was added to substandard or diluted milk to make protein levels appear higher than they actually were. "Melamine had never been allowed to be used as food additive in China. Now the law makes an even clearer and stricter ban on it," Xin said. She said the compulsory system to recall substandard food, as written in the law, would also be effective in curbing food-related health risks. Producers of edible farm products are required to abide by food safety standards when using pesticide, fertilizer, growth regulators, veterinary drugs, feedstuff and feed additives. They must also keep farming or breeding records. Offenders can face maximum fines which would be 10 times the value of sold products, compared with five times at present. If businesses are found producing or selling a substandard foodstuff, consumers can ask for financial compensation which is 10 times the price of the product. That's in addition to compensation for the harm the product causes to the consumer. For those whose food production licenses are revoked due to illegal conducts, they will be banned from doing food business in the following five years. "This is a big step to increase penalties on law violators," Xin said. Another highlight of the law is that celebrities can share responsibility for advertising for food products that are found to be unsafe. The law says all organizations and individuals who recommend substandard food products in ads will face joint liability for damages incurred. This has been a hot topic in China where film stars, singers and celebrities are often paid to appear in ads of food products. "The provisions were added out of concern over fake advertisements, which contained misleading information. Many of the advertisements featured celebrities," said Liu Xirong, vice chairman of the NPC Law Committee. Several Chinese celebrities had advertised for products of the Sanlu Group, a company at the epicenter of the tainted dairy product scandal. They were vehemently criticized after thousands of babies were poisoned by the Sanlu formula. Many people posted online demands for them to apologize to and compensate families of the sickened babies. But others argued that it was unfair to blame the celebrities as Sanlu had legal documents to prove its products safe. On tonic food, a booming industry with an estimated annual output value of 100 billion yuan (14.62 billion U.S. dollars) in China, the law prohibits any claims related to prevention or cure of illness on the product's label and instruction leaflets.
LONDON, April 3 (Xinhua) -- As the curtain dropped on the G20 London summit, Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming on Friday reiterated China's opposition to protectionism and voiced support for cooperation. "This summit has yielded a series of positive and pragmatic results for the international society to jointly tackle the current financial crisis," Chen said. He said it included reaching broad consensus on stabilizing international financial markets, speeding up reform of the international financial system, actively pushing forward the Doha round talks, and opposing trade protectionism. Chen said history and experiences have proved that protectionism will only drag the world economy into deeper recession. As the crisis is worsening, people have increasingly realized the necessity and urgency to reject protectionism, he said. Chinese President Hu Jintao pointed out at the G20 summit that facing the impact of the international financial crisis, China will continue to stick to its opening-up and reform policy, and unswervingly adopt the mutually-beneficial and win-win strategy. China will not turn to protectionism just because it is encountering some temporary difficulties during the process of economic development, he said. What the world needs now, Chen said, is to adopt economic stimulus plans to jointly overcome the difficulties and to recover economies. At this critical time, people must be especially cautious about protectionism, preventing it from sabotaging all the efforts that the world has done so far, he said. "China will act responsibly, seriously implement the agreements reached at the G20 summit, in efforts to push forward the world economy, as well promote the development of international trade," Chen said. He proposed that the international community jointly maintain a fair and open international trade environment, protect the authority and seriousness of multilateral trade regulations, actively push forward the Doha round talks, and jointly resist protectionism. Chen noted that despite all the anti-protectionism claims by many countries, protectionist measures are in fact making inroads since the outbreak of the financial crisis. China supports the G20 agreement to extend the ban on protectionism until the end of 2010, however, it remains difficult to define protectionism and unreasonable trade restriction measures, Chen said. All measures not allowed by the WTO are considered protectionist, and therefore should not be allowed to be implemented, he said. Chen also raised concerns over the possible misuse of some measures permitted by the WTO, such as trade subsidy, and urged restraint. The WTO members should try not to use, or use with discretion protectionist policies, so as to create a sound climate for promoting free trade, he said. Currently, the WTO has established a monitoring mechanism, with periodical reports on its members' actions, a move conducive to curbing protectionism, Chen said. Protectionism is on the rise since the crisis, but it still falls short of being rampant, which indicates the global multilateral trade rules remain effective to some extent, he said. China supports the establishment of such a WTO supervision mechanism, he said. China has firmly reiterated its opposition to protectionism, Chen said, noting that China's measures taken since the crisis are considered positive by both WTO Director General Pascal Lamy and EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton. China's economic stimulus measures complied with the WTO rules, he said. Chen also said the Doha round trade talks are of great significance in promoting the development of the multilateral trade system and a successful deal would strongly promote global economic growth. History over the past century has proved that trade grows faster than economy, and it is trade that pushes forward economic growth, he said. Chen urged flexibility by major countries to push forward the Doha negotiations. "With joint efforts by various parties, we remain optimistic about the outcome of the Doha round talks," he said.
seo如何优化排名
BERLIN, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- A business delegation of about 200 Chinese entrepreneurs arrived here Tuesday night, starting their four-state procurement tour in Europe. The delegation, led by Commerce Minister Chen Deming and composed of state-owned, joint venture and private companies from various industries, are expected to sign deals of purchasing automobiles, machinery, aircraft engines, railway equipment and components with companies from Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Britain. The trip is a follow-up action for the agreements Premier Wen Jiabao reached with his counterparts during his visit to the four European countries early this month. "We come here in according with the agreements Premier Wen and the leaders from the four countries had made," Chen told Xinhua atthe Tegel Airport after he landed in Berlin. Germany is the first leg for the Chinese delegation, and the Chinese trade officials and business leaders are to hold negotiations with their German counterparts on Wednesday. "I believe we will have our pockets fully packed this time, and I also believe our procurements would help inject some energy into the slump economy of Europe," Chen said. "I hope we can achieve a lot, I also hope we can get good technology standards and reasonable prices for our procurement," he said. European Union (EU) is the biggest trading partner of China and China is the EU's second biggest trading partner. Germany is the biggest trading partner of China within the EU. According to official data released by the German side, the trade volume from January to November 2008, the trade volume between Germany and China hit 85.637 billion euros (about 109.52 billion U.S. dollars),up 10.8 percent.
BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Industrial and commercial authorities across China investigated about 76,500 fake food cases in 2008, which involved 274 million yuan (about 40.3 million U.S. dollars) in value, according to a high-level meeting on consumption held Saturday. Ma Yong, a senior official with the National Food Industry Association, said the major cause of China's food safety problem was the use of illicit substances. Officers from local commerce administration examine commodities at a market in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi province, March 15, 2009. Lots of events to mark the World Consumer Rights Day were held across China on Sunday.With the theme of "integrity, consumption and development", the meeting was joined by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and China Consumers' Association. To better deal with the food problem, China adopted the Food Safety Law on Feb. 28, which will go into effect on June 1. The law has been widely seen as a new push to improve food safety in the country through stricter monitoring and supervision, tougher safety standards, recall of substandard products and severe punishment on offenders. Officers (L) from local commerce administration answer people's questions during an event to mark the World Consumer Rights Day in Beijing March 15, 2009. Lots of such events were held across China on Sunday
BEICHUAN, Sichuan province, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Tears fell down her cheeks, like the rain dropping on her umbrella. "I dreamed of my granddaughter several times," Tan Yunlan said while sobbing. Supported by her daughter, the elderly woman gazed at a pile of rubble which used to be an apartment building in the former Beichuan county seat. Tan's son-in-law arranged several bricks to burn incense, while her daughter took out a folded handkerchief from her bag. She opened it and placed the photo of a four-year-old girl inside, then gently placed it on the ground. Behind the family, people walked slowly in twos and threes, holding candles or white chrysanthemums. Firecrackers would sound sporadically. As Saturday was China's traditional Tomb Sweeping Day, survivors of the quake-leveled county returned to what's left of their homes to mourn loved ones. GRIEF IN QUAKE ZONES More than 80,000 people were confirmed dead or missing after the May 12, 2008 earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan province. One of the worst-hit areas, 15,645 people were killed in Beichuan. Another 4,311 others remain missing. Because of the destruction, the county has been closed-off since May 20 last year. For the first time since then, former residents were allowed to return for four days of mourning starting Wednesday. Life forever changed for Zhu Xiuhua after her husband was buried under the county's vegetable market. "He was considerate and diligent, earning 3,000 yuan a month to support the family," she murmured, eyes swollen. After the quake, Zhu became the family provider, taking care of her parents-in-law and two sons. Although the local government gave her some subsidy, she now has to work at construction sites like a man. Facing the debris of the market, she drew a circle on the ground with a stick and wrote the name of her husband. "There were too many people who died in the quake. I am afraid he can't find the money I gave him," she wept. Zhu then lit a candle and placed it alongside the pork she had cooked and set by the debris. Pork, was her husband's favorite food. She then burned ghost money- one sheet after another, as an offering to help the dead in afterlife. "Don't worry about us. We can manage it," she whispered to him. In Qingchuan county, flower seller He Xiantong brought a bunch of chrysanthemums to an earthquake memorial park in Donghekou. "Somewhere in the county, 40 meters underground, lies my wife," he said. "I feel that we are so close." At the same time, their son, He Kaiyuan, who is in Chengdu, less than 300 kilometers away, stands facing Qingchuan. He also bought flowers for his mother and placed them on the ground. "Dad visits mom every day," he said. "Mom, dad is with you. You must be happy in heaven." In front of the tomb of Tan Qianqiu in Deyang city, just north of Chengdu, many strangers stopped to mourn. The teacher, from the Dongqi middle school, sheltered four students with his arms when the quake jolted the building. When rescuers arrived, they discovered Tan had died, but the students all survived. Huang Jing, a girl who was from Hunan province, dedicated a bouquet to Tan. "He is also a native of Hunan," she said. "Although he didn't know me, I brought him greetings from his hometown." MOURNING FROM ELSEWHERE In Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian province- some 2,000 kilometers away from the quake's epicenter- a ceremony was held for people to mourn victims. In front of more than 100 people, two girls tied letters they had written to deceased relatives, to the legs of pigeons, then let them go. "Dear little sister, how are you in heaven?" wrote 16-year-old Dong Yu. "Does it still hurt? How are uncle and aunt?" her letter went on to say. Her cousin was just eight months younger than her. "Mom still weeps sometimes, but there are so many people from Sichuan in heaven, you won't be lonely." Together with 33 other students from Sichuan, Dong was sent to a vocational school in Fuzhou after the disaster. "I am doing well here," she read, smiling, with tears. People also chose to mourn the dead on the Internet. "Chen Jian, I'm Xiaofeng. How are you in heaven?" This message was from Chen's wife Tan Xiaofeng on the website cq.qq.com. After the earthquake, Chen, worried about his pregnant wife. He survived 73 hours under crushed concrete and twisted steel rods. He passed away after he was pulled out of the debris. Netizens on the portal website Sohu, list his story as among the ten most touching from the earthquake. "I miscarried," Tan Xiaofeng wrote. After the earthquake she moved away from her hometown and went to work in eastern Jiangsu Province. "I will be back to sweep tombs for him later this month," she said. The website claims to be the first online platform for visitors to mourn quake victims on Tomb Sweeping day. So far, more than 7,000 messages were left by netizens. Photos showing touching moments during the quake and its aftermath were also posted. On Sina.com, the page for mourning showed candles forming "5.12" and a white chrysanthemum. More than 2,373,000 people had visited the site as of Saturday afternoon. Some posted their own messages for victims: "There is no disaster in heaven," and "Hope the survivors can be strong and live a better life." LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE Outside the barbed wire fence around the collapsed Beichuan middle school, 15-year-old Lu Chunqiao closed her eyes and held burning incense. Four other students nearby burned a letter. In Chinese, there is a superstition that if you burn a letter, you are sending it to the dead. The ninth grade students then knelt down, keeping their foreheads close to the ground. They survived the quake, but more than 1,000 of their classmates were dead or missing. "We want to tell them (the dead) the changes during this past year," Lu said. "Construction of the new school building is to start next month." About one kilometer away from the Beichuan county seat, work rebuilding Qushan township just began. Amid roaring machines, Liu Chunyi, an engineer from eastern Shandong province said, "it is the greatest comfort to the dead tohave those alive live a better life." In Wenxian county of northwestern Gansu province where 114 people succumbed in the quake, Liu Wencheng placed fruit and tea for his dead wife in a graveyard. He told her that their two daughters were doing well at school. Liu had 0.2 hectares of land, where he planted wheat, corn and potatoes. "Life has to go on," he said. After the quake, the local government sent him a quilt, food and electric blankets. Each affected family was also given 20,000 yuan (almost 3,000 U.S. dollars) for reconstruction. It was not enough to build a house which is why Liu still lives in a tent. He is not sure how long he will be there. In Sichuan, however, there is a timetable. The province vowed to rebuild all damaged houses in rural areas by the end of this year and those in cities or townships before next May. More than 90 percent of roads and 98 percent of the power supply system would be restored by Sept. 2010. But it will take longer than that for wounds in people's hearts to heal. Many people suggested Tan Xiaofeng, who is just 26, should re-marry. The idea just makes Tan cry. "I can't accept another man," she said while shaking her head. "Not now."
DAKAR, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao will pay a state visit to Senegal on Feb. 13-14, during which the two countries will sign new agreements on economic and technical cooperation, the Chinese ambassador in the West African country announced here on Thursday. At the invitation of his Senegalese counterpart Abdoulaye Wade, President Hu will make the visit to further enhance the friendly ties between the two countries since diplomatic relations were resumed in October 2005, Chinese Ambassador Lu Shaye told a press conference. The visit is part of the Chinese president's five-nation trip on Feb. 10-17, which will also take him to Saudi Arabia, Mali, Tanzania and Mauritius. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Hu's visit is aimed at further consolidating China's friendship and cooperation with these countries, strengthening China's cooperation with the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, and promoting the implementation of the measures announced at the 2006 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.