New Year Mood Denses in Shanghai Shoppers pass a shopping mall decorated with huge China Knots in a commercial street in Pudong New Area of Shanghai December 26, 2001. Festival decors can be seen in every posh shopping centers in the China's metropolitan city as the New Year approaches. |  |
Vice-Premier on TaxationChina's tax collectors have been urged to improve and stabilize the taxation system, strengthen tax collection and administration, and to upgrade information technology more rapidly in the field.  |  |
Chinese Premier Meets Macao Chief ExecutiveChinese Premier Zhu Rongji met Wednesday with Edmund Ho Hau Wah, chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), who is on an annual duty visit. |  |
New Year Picture Decorates China Centennial Altar The image shows a huge New Year picture decorating the China Centennial Altar in Beijing on December 26, 2001. Beijing, the capital of China, were preparing to greet the forthcoming new year 2002. |  |
A Talking Robot A man talks with a robot at an unveiling ceremony held in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Wednesday December 26, 2001. Developed by Harbin Institute of Technology, the robot can can chat with a man. Sometimes it can even say some fashionable phrases that would make people laugh. |  |
A Robot Conductor A robot conductor named "Hali" performs at an unveiling ceremony held in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Wednesday December 26, 2001. Developed by Harbin Institute of Technology, the robot can move with its 19 joints. It can imitate many kinds of movements of a conductor, such as its body and two arms can move with the music. Its eyes can blink. |  |
Auto Ticket Vending Machine Debut in Shenyang Passengers operate the automatic ticket vending machines in Shenyang North Railway Station December 26, 2001. The machines, installed to ensure all the passengers to obtain train tickets in the upcoming traffic tide in companion with the traditional Chinese New year, is gaining increasing popularity among the travelers. |  |
Culture Sculptures Appear in Chengdu A young girl tries a bronze sculpture wheelbarrow under a fly-over in downtown Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan province December 26, 2001. Dozens of sculptures themed on the vanishing local traditional culture appear in various corners in the city. |  |
