2004: Rejuvenation of the old industrial bases in the northeast

In October 2003, China adopted strategy to rejuvenate the old industrial bases in the northeast. New ideas, new systems, new mechanisms and new approaches were proposed to be applied in the task. In the first year of adopting the strategy, the three provinces in northeast have actively carried forward adjustment in the old industrial base. The economy has risen rapidly and profits been apparently enhanced in 2004.

Chinese relief team ready to go to Indonesia

A relief team consists of 35 members is awaiting departure for Indonesia at the Capital Airport in Beijing Dec 30. This is the third time that China has sent relief team overseas. The Chinese government has sent relief material worth 21.63 mln yuan to the tsunami-stricken India, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Aniamals in Hangzhou receive tender care

With a slump of temperature, a chimpanzee wearing a red wadded jacket stares at the camera curiously in a World of Wildlife in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang province, on Dec. 28, 2004.

Afghan defense minister pledges to crack Taliban and al-Queda

Afghan new Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak speaks during his first press conference since he is appointed to the new government in Kabul, Afghanistan, Dec. 29, 2004. Wardak pledged to beat down the remnants of Taliban and al-Queda to ensure the national security. Wardak also said that a 70,000-strong army of Afghan National Army (ANA) will be achieved by December 2006. Wardak replaced Mohammad Qasim Fahim as the new defense minister in Hamid karzai's new cabinet on Dec. 23.

First snow hits Kashi

A child tastes snow in Kashi, an ancient city of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Dec. 29, 2004. The first snow this year hit Kashi Wednesday.

China donates US$ 300,000 to tsunami-hit Thailand

On behalf of the Chinese government, the Chinese ambassador to Thailand Zhang Jiuhuan (L) presents Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart a cheque of US$ 300,000 to aid the Thai people stricken by the tsunami in Bangkok on Dec 29.

Tsunami-stricken Somali appeals for international aids

Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Ghedi appeals for international emergency relief for his country during a press conference held in Nairobi, Kenya, Dec. 28, 2004.

China sends first batch of relief materials to Sri Lanka

Workers count and load relief materials onto a plane at Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 29, 2004. The first batch of China's relief materials, carried by a China Southern Airline plane, left here for Sri Lanka early Wednesday.

Sri Lanka begins self-rescue after disaster

A nurse gives medical treatment to an injured resident in tsunami-hit Trincomalee, a port town in northeast Sri Lanka, on Dec. 28, 2004. The death toll in Sri Lanka has risen to 21,715 Wednesday after a tsunami battered the island state on Sunday. While Sri Lanka has begun its self-rescue after the disaster, relief materials from other countries will arrive in the South Asian nation continually in the near future.

Sri Lanka after disaster

A car lifted up by tidal waves in tsunami-hit Trincomalee, a port town in northeast Sri Lanka. After Sunday's tsunami, the disaster area is in a mess and badly needs cleaning up.

Ningbo Port sees sharp rise in containers handled

Photo taken on Dec.29, 2004 shows Ningbo Harbor of Ningbo, a coastal city in east China's Zhejiang Province. The latest statistics show that up to Dec. 28, the Ningbo Harbor has handled 400 million containers, growing by 44.5 percent. It ranks the fifth in 2003 among the container-handling ports in the world while the eleventh in 2000.

Chinese tourists return from tsunami-stricken area

Four Chinese tourists pose for a photo at Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 29, 2004. A total of 103 Chinese tourists, stranded in Phuket, Thailand, due to a powerful tsunami, returned home safely Wednesday morning by a chartered plane sent by three Chinese travel agencies.

Basic Law Committee of Macao SAR appointed

Wu Bangguo (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, confers a certificate of appointment to one of the 10 members of the Macao Special Administrative Region's Basic Law Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on Dec. 29, 2004.