Thursday, December 18, 2003

• President Hu pledges to promote peace in Mideast
• Millionaire accused of stealing, bigamy in Beijing
• Mainland hopes Taiwan SARS patient will recover soon
• Ambassador in charge of Korean affairs appointed
• West gas reaches east China
• County magistrate elected through "mass recommendation and poll" for the first time
• Public forum held in Beijing to support Mideast peace process
• Health ministry urges strict control of SARS viruses
• Supreme Court to re-try high-profile murder case
• Taiwanese businessman robbed, killed in Manila
• China's top legislator meets Thai senate speaker 
• China to improve legal services
• Super-large coalfield discovered in NW China's Xinjiang
• Taiwan reports new case of SARS
• President Hu stresses need to raise farmers' income 
• Chinese official: Middle East peace needs UN
• UN meeting on Palestine issue concludes in Beijing
• China's top legislature unveils five-year lawmaking plan

• Chinese banks growing stronger against foreign rivals
• Inter-bank trading hits 15.6 trillion yuan
• Gold mine uncovered in Jilin
• China export products fair opens in Indonesia
• China Life shares soar at start of HK debut
• Foreign-funded firms in Shanghai see profits soaring
• Shanghai spells out targets for 2004
• Merger of three Shanghai gas firms by year end: industry insiders
• China to improve environment for foreign investors
• Car auctions weed out emission-troubled cars
• Beijing faces tough employment situation in 2004
• Intellectual property disputes on the rise
• Government adviser: China's growth credible
• ICBC offers new online service platform
• 3,000 Chinese farmers to farm abroad
• Anti-dumping probe in hydrazine hydrate launched
• Local talent rises through ranks in foreign enterprises
• Lufthansa to start flights from Guangzhou to Munich
• China opens hazardous wastes disposal to competition
• Galaxy unveils plan for casino operation in Macao
• China's direct overseas investment totals US$29.92 billion
• Tamar development project postponed in HK

• India says it will produce 140 Sukhoi aircrafts
• Putin warns US against imperialism
• 16 countries to hold six joint military exercises
• Roh: ROK not to idle if US uses fists in nuke issue
• Putin announces to run for second term
• Sri Lankan govt says standoff yet to be settled
• Iraq's aggrieved neighbors line up to sue Saddam
• Japan approves concrete plan on troops dispatch to Iraq
• New main building at WTC site to be completed by 2008
• Military plane crash kills 7 in France
• Spain opposes death penalty for Saddam
• Spanish FM to visit China, Japan
• IGC president: Saddam should be tried by Iraqi judges
• Bush's approval ratings up after Saddam's capture
• Germany and France to cut Iraqi debt
• Denktash eyes coalition gov't after Cyprus poll
• Baghdad truck blast kills 17
• Iraqi official: Saddam held in Baghdad
• Japanese broadcasters eye tallest TV tower
• India to conduct re-trial of Barak missile
• US advises diplomats, citizens to leave Saudi Arabia

• Saddam's capture only fleetingly felt on oil market
• Yearender: World economy heading for strong recovery
• China's peripheral diplomacy carries a heavy weight
• News analysis: Saddam to be given death penalty?
• Combating terrorism, we have no choice

• China sees "brain drain" reversed
• First research body on social, economic behaviors established
• Trilateral forum on high technologies and commerce starts
• Delphi launches new global research, development center in Shanghai

• Ho-pin Tung has F1 in sight
• Yang Pu rumored to join Southampton
• China dominates women's events at Asian junior weightlifting tourney
• Samaranch confident of Beijing Olympics
• Chinese trampolinists target first Olympic medal

• Chinese citizens to use new ID cards next year
• Ancient cliff paintings found in Inner Mongolia
• Mao Zedong Thought in Chinese university students' eyes
• Shanghai consumer flies to Nestle for the right to know
• Classified Qing Dynasty letter uncovered in Liaoning
• China has put up globe-covering seabed optical cable network
• Warning system against geological disasters mitigates damages
• Six books awarded best foreign novels
• Japanese ship slams fishing boat; 1 dead
• Abandoned Chinese babies find love from foreign parents
• China to grant permanent residence permits to foreigners
• Police consult public in battle against pickpocketing
• HK reviews SARS prevention systems following Taiwan case
• US zoo names panda cub as "Mei Sheng"