Thousands greet first astronaut at Shanghai airport

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, November 12, 2003

Thousands greet first astronaut at Shanghai airport

It took only 21 hours for China's first astronaut Yang Liwei to circle the globe 14 times, but it took him eight minutes to travel a distance of 200 meters in Shanghai Tuesday morning.

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Yang Liwei warmly welcomed by Shanghai residents

It took only 21 hours for China's first astronaut Yang Liwei to circle the globe 14 times, but it took him eight minutes to travel a distance of 200 meters in Shanghai Tuesday morning.

Some 6,000 people swarmed to the Hongqiao International Airport Tuesday to welcome Yang Liwei as the 38-year-old "space hero" continued his roadshow after visiting Hong Kong, Macao and Tianjin Municipality in the past two weeks.

Dozens of police had to form a wall and clear the way for Yang after he stepped down from the winding stair to the red carpet on the No. 92 aircraft parking area at the airport at about 10:46 a.m.

"Great Yang Liwei", "Hero Yang Liwei", the crowd yelled and pushed forward after having been waiting in the chilly wind for two hours.

Every move Yang made at the airport brought the planned welcoming dance squad to change accordingly.

"I want to ask Uncle Yang what it looks like in space, is it blue?" asked little kid Zhou Yunjing who had to stand aside after she had her fingers scratched when beating the tambourine during their rehearsal.

The tearful Zhou failed to ask Yang Liwei to his face.

Shi Xiangling, 72, said she was "a little sorry" too for failing to hear Yang's voice though she was also amid the welcoming squad.

In fact, the long-awaited Yang Liwei only tried to smile and wave his hands as much as possible, without giving a single word, and then hid himself in a minibus.

"I guess Yang was a little tired," said 66-year-old Yang Xiuhua," but I was still glad to see the hero."

Since Yang returned to the earth on Oct. 16, he has been busy touring since Oct. 31.

He was conferred the title of "Space Hero" at a high-profile official rally celebrating the country's first manned space flightin Beijing on Nov. 7.

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