1st World Traditional Wushu Festival opens

The 1st World Traditional Wushu (martial arts) Festival opens in Zhengzhou, capital of the central Henan province, Oct. 18, 2004. 2,100 contenders from 62 countries and regions are to compete in four traditional Wushu events during the three-day festival. Some 30,000 wushu players will line up along the 20-kilometer highway in 200 groups to give their Shaolin performances.

China launches first weather satellite

China's first professional meteorological satellite, Fengyun-2 batch 2 (FY2 O2) is launched with Long March carrier rocket 3A in Xichang satellite launching center Tuesday morning, Oct.19, 2004.

Village of Guizhou benefits from tourism

Ethnic Miao girls clad in their traditional costumes sing and dance to welcome tourists in Shanglangde Village of ethnic Miao group in Leishan County, southwest China¡¯s Guizhou Province Oct. 16, 2004. The Shanglangde Village boasts beautiful natural sceneries and unique cultural customs. With only more than 500 people, the village attracts more than 20,000 tourists each year with tourism income of over 500,000 yuan (40,000 US dollars)

Chinese farmer athletes have grand gathering

The delegation of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region marching into the stadium at the opening ceremony of the farmers' games. China's Fifth National Peasants' Games opened in Yichun, South China's Jiangxi Province on Oct. 18 and will end on Oct. 24. More than 2,560 athletes from China's 32 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities will compete in the 155 events of 14 sports.

Air cargo hit new record at HK international airport

A plane of China Eastern Airlines Co. Ltd. loads cargos at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) Oct. 17, 2004. According to HKIA, the air cargo rose to 280,000 tons in Sept. which hits the record high of the airport.

Fifth National Peasants Games opens

Zeng Qinghong, a member of Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice President of China declares open of the fifth National Peasants Games in the evening of Oct 18, 2004 in Yichun, Jiangxi Province.

Romanian PM meets CPC senior official

Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase (R) meets Liu Yunshan (C), a member of the political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of its Secretariat, head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee in Bucharest on Oct 18, 2004.

President Hu Jintao holds talks with King of Tonga

Chinese President Hu Jintao holds talks with Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, King of Tonga Oct 18 in Beijing.

Grown-up ceremony held for Shanghai students

Senior high school students take an "Adult Oath" at a ceremony in Shanghai Oct. 18, 2004. More than 2,000 18-year-old youths took part in the grown-up ceremony.

Chinese riot police arrive in Haiti

A member of the 95-member team of Chinese riot police is welcomed by Shao Weiming (1st L), deputy head of the Chinese police team who arrived in Haiti last month, at the airport of Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti, Oct. 17, 2004. Joined by its advanced team of 30, the 125-member Chinese contingent is China's first contribution of riot police to a UN peacekeeping mission.

African mini summit on the Darfur issue

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak attends an African mini summit on the Darfur issue in Tripoli, capital of Libya, Oct. 17, 2004. The summit, held under the auspices of the African Union (AU), brought together leaders from Libya, Sudan, Egypt, Nigeria and Chad Sunday. It aimed to find humanitarian and political solutions to the Darfur crisis within the AU framework.

Protocol on Russia's joining CACO signed in Dushanbe

The leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan approved Russia's membership in the "Central Asian Cooperation Organisation" in Dushanbe, and Putin signed a protocol Monday to formally join the group. (Itar-Tass Photo)

DPRK top legislator visits China

Wu Bangguo (L), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, accompanies Kim Yong Nam (R), president of Presidium of Supreme People's Assembly of Democratic People's Republic of Korea in reviewing a guard of honor of the three services at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China Oct. 18, 2004.

Arroyo meets with visiting Wu Guanzheng

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (R) meets with visiting Wu Guanzheng, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC), at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, capital of the Philippines Oct. 18, 2004.