Coast guard exercise

Coast guard soldiers with arms take part in an exercise off the coast of East China Sea at Sanmen County, east China's Zhejiang province July 15, 2004.

Iraq to establish new intelligence body

Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi gestures as he speaks during a press conference in Baghdad, July 15, 2004. Allawi said he will embark on a tour of the Middle East next week and establish a new intelligence body to help restore stability to the war-torn country following a series of deadly attacks.

24th Shenyang Book Fair

A girl read a book carefully at the Shenyang Book Fair on July 15. About 50, 000 kinds of new books from 300 publishing houses are sold at half price at the book fair.

Facilitating cross-Straits links

A poster at a hotpot chainstore in Taipei says the eatery accepts payments in renminbi, or yuan, at an exchange rate of 1 yuan equalling $NT4. With increasing cross-Straits commercial interactions, more and more businesses in Taiwan are accepting payments in renminbi.

New cabinet of Cambodia formed

Newly elected president of the Cambodian parliament Prince Norodom Ranariddh (L front) and re-elected Cambodian Premier Hun Sen (R front) speak to media in Phnom Penh, July 15, 2004. The Cambodian National Assembly Thursday approved the lineup of a new cabinet and Hun Sen was re-elected premier of the government at the assembly session. Thursday's session also approved Prince Norodom Ranariddh to be president of the parliament.

Commencement of CPC party school

Zeng Qinghong (L), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of Party School of the CPC Central Committee, shakes hands with a graduate on the commencement of 2004 Spring semester of the party school in Beijing, Capital of China, July 15, 2004. Zeng attended the commencement and confered certificates to graduates.

2004 Northeast Asia High-tech and Products Exposition

A robot makes a face under instructions of a visitor on the 2004 Northeast Asia High-tech and Products Exposition in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, July 15, 2004. The exposition featured high-tech products from China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Russia. It was held to promote scientific and economic cooperation between the three northeastern provinces of China and the three countries.

Shanghai oil tanker fire

Photo taken at night on July 14, 2004 shows Daqing 254 oil tanker caught in a fire at the wharf of Shanghai Lixin Shipyard in Shanghai, east China. The fire broke out at around 7:30 p.m. (1130 GMT) July 14 in the dormitory area of the oil tanker, leaving a person dead and four others injured.

A building in Beijing caught fire

The photo taken on July 15 shows fire was still burning in the Shangdu International. The 29-storey Shangdu International is located in the CBD of Chaoyang District, Beijing. The fire occured at about 7:50 p.m. on July 15.

President Hu meets Malian President

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) holds a ceremony to welcome Malian President Amadou Toumany Toure at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing July 15, 2004. Toure was on his five-day state visit to China at the invitation of Hu Jintao.