Paralympians return in golden glory

Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), meets members of the Chinese Paralympics team returned from Athens on September 30.

Hu Jintao meets delegations from Hong Kong, Macao

Chinese President Hu Jintao met Thursday, Sept. 30, delegations from Hong Kong and Macao that came to Beijing to attend the National Day celebrations.

China displays new nuclear reactor

Atomic energy experts pose for a photo after watching the display of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, designed at prestigious Tsinghua University, at a location roughly 40 km north of downtown Beijing Sept. 30, 2004. China showed off its first new generation of reactor on Thursday in an effort to demonstrate not only its safety and reliability but its progress in overcoming its chronic energy shortage. More than 60 atomic energy experts from over 30 countries watched the safety operation, in which the reactor successfully cooled down after the control stick was pulled out.

Farmers pack chilies in Chongqing

Farmers pack chilies at a town in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality Sept. 30, 2004. Farmers are busy preparing fruits and vegetables in order to ensure the supply to markets in the city during the National Day holidays, which begins on Oct. 1.

China exhibits Peking Man skull

Liu Dongsheng (R), academician from Chinese Academy of Sciences, unveils the fossil of a occipital bone of Peking Man in a museum in Beijing on Sept. 30, 2004. The fossil, one of the two occipital bones in the world, was first ever exhibited to public since unearthed in 1966 at Zhoukoudian, about 50 km southwest of downtown Beijing. The Peking Man was proved to have lived approximately 500,000 years ago.

National flag rising with Sun

A grand national flag raising ceremony is held on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, Oct. 1, 2004, the day of the 55th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Grand reception marking the 55th National Day

Premier Wen Jiabao delivers a speech at a reception marking the 55th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Beijing Sept. 30, 2004. Top leaders, including Hu Jintao and Wu Bangguo, and over 4,000 people attended the reception.