Chief auditor tops economic celebrities

Li Jinhua, head of the National Audit Office, won the annual China Economic Celebrities award presented by CCTV on Tuesday. Li became one of the most famous figures in China in 2004 because his office's auditing brought down hundreds of officials and saved millions of yuan for the Chinese Government.

Exhibiton of ancient Chinese civilization held in Shanghai

A warrior figure from tomb of the Qinshihuang Emperor is displayed at the Shanghai Museum on Dec 28. The "exhibition of civilization of Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang" cosponsored by the Shaanxi provincial bureau of cultural relic and Shanghai Museum opens that day. The exhibition will last until Feb 15, 2005.

Jet Li escapes Asian tsunami

Action star Jet Li (L) and wife Nina are seen at the June 17, 2003 premiere of "The Hulk" in Los Angeles. The action film star of "Hero" and "Lethal Weapon 4" rescued his daughter as the Indian Ocean tsunami swept his hotel in the Maldives December 26, 2004. Li suffered minor injuries as he fled the rising waters. (Reuters)

FAW car sales top 1 million units

The First Automotive Works Corp (FAW), China's biggest vehicle producer, holds a ceremony to mark the sale of its 1 millionth auto on Dec 28 in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province. The FAW thus becomes the first Chinese automaker to hit the 1 million sales mark in one year.

China's first batch aid cargoes to fly to South Asia

Rescuing goods is loaded at the Beijing Capital International Airport on December 28. China will provide over 21 million yuan (US$2.6 million) in aid for victims in Asian countries hit by the massive earthquake and devastating tsunami. (newsphoto)

First Chinese Culture Center in Asia inaugurated in Seoul

Chinese ambassador to ROK Li Bin (L2), Minister of Culture and Tourism of ROK Chung Dong-Chea (L3) and vice Culture Minister of China Meng Xiaosi (L4) cut ribbon for the Chinese Culture Center in Seoul on Dec 28. This is the 6th culture center China has established overseas and the 1st of its kind in Asia. It will serve to boost cultural exchanges between the public in ROK and China.

Disaster-affected people try to restore normal life

Local fishermen prepare their nets for fishing while waiting for the government's lifting of bans on fishing in Chennai, capital of the worst-affected state of Tamil Nadu in south India, on Dec. 28, 2004. The life in Chennai came back to normal Tuesday after the tsunami hit the city on Sunday morning. The severe killer waves have claimed about 7, 000 lives in India at large.

First heavy snow hits Hangzhou

Some university students pose for a photo in the snow on a bridge linking a little island in the central West Lake and the bank in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province Dec. 28, 2004. The first heavey snow hit Hangzhou Tuesday, turning the whole city into a snow world.

Arafat mourned in Ramallah

Two Palestinian soldiers stand guard beside the grave of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Dec. 27, 2004. The Palestinian presidential election is going to be held on Jan. 9, 2005, which decides the successor to Arafat.

Israeli leaders meet Chinese State Councilor

Israeli President Moshe Katsav (L) meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan (C) at his office in Jerusalem on Dec. 28, 2004. Both sides exchanged views on bilateral relations and Palestinian-Israeli peace talks on Tuesday.