UN chief Kofi Annan on Wednesday met China's first astronaut, Yang Liwei, who presented the UN chief with two UN flags which he had taken with him on his mission in October.

Yang Liwei (left), China's first astronaut, presents a UN flag to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan May 19, 2004 at the UN headquarters in New York. This flag was aboard China's first manned spacecraft "Shenzhou" V last October. Yang is in the US for a visit and he will also visit to the US space center.(Xinhua photo)

Yang Liwei (right) shakes hands with UN secretary-general Kofi Annan May 19 at the UN headquarters.

Hu Shixiang (right), deputy commander of China's Manned Space Program, and China's Ambassador to the UN Wang Guangya, present a gift to the United Nations May 19. (Xinhua photo)