Top legislator holds talks with Chirac

Wu Bangguo (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, shakes hands with visiting French President Jacques Chirac during a meeting in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Oct. 10, 2004.

Chirac, Hu visit Impressionist Treasure Exposition

Chinese President Hu Jintao (3rd L Front) and his wife (2nd L Front) accompany French President Jacques Chirac (3rd R Front) and his wife (1st L) in visiting Exposition Tresors Impressionnistes (Impressionist Treasure Exposition) in the Chinese Art Gallery in Beijing Oct. 10, 2004. (Xinhua photo)

Voting for presidential election in Afghanistan begins

Afghan interim President Hamid Karzai casts his vote in a polling station in Kabul Oct. 9, 2004. Voting for the first-ever presidential election in post-war Afghanistan began amid tight security Saturday morning. More than 10.5 million Afghans including over 4 million women are going to some 22,000 polling stations across the country to cast ballots to choose their president.

French President Chirac visits Beijing

Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) shakes hands with French President Jacques Chirac during a welcoming ceremony Hu hosts for Chirac's visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Oct. 9, 2004.

Extra of newspaper exhibition to mark launch of Shenzhou-V

Visitors are watching extras of newspapers reporting the luanch of "Shenzhou-V" spaceship in News Mansion of Jinnan, captial of Shandong Province on Oct 9th, 2004. The News Photograph Association of Shandong Province holds the exhibition to mark one year anniversary of the launching of the Shenzhou-V spaceship. More than 200 kinds of extras of newpapers are exhibited.

CPC senior official meets Sri Lankan President

Wu Guanzheng (L), member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, meets with Sri Lankan President Kumaratunga in Colombo Oct. 8, 2004.

Fifth Asia-Europe Meeting closes in Hanoi

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) attends the closing ceremony of the Fifth summit of Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam Oct. 9, 2004. Leaders attending the summit on Friday stressed the need to further strengthen cooperation between Asia and Europe to create a peaceful and stable environment for development in the two continents.

S. Korea win Asian youth soccer championship

South Korea beat China 2-0 in Kuala Lumpur on October 9 claim the 2004 Asian youth soccer championship title.

Design d'en France exhibition in Beijing

The photo shows a model of Renault car displayed at the Design d'en France exhition. The exhition opens at the National Musuem of China in Beijing on Oct 9th, 2004. A total of 220 pieces of exhibits will display French history of design and the wisdom of the French people. The exhition is one of the most important exhitions of the French Culture Year.

Chinese top legislator meets Norwegian counterpart

Wu Bangguo (R), Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress meets President of Norwegian Parliament Kosmo at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Oct 9th 2004.