Flag hoisting ceremony of Chinese peace keeping force

Chinese peacekeeping soldiers stationed in Bukavu town in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), attend a flag-hoisting ceremony on Jan. 1, 2005. The Chinese peacekeeping soldiers are hailed as models by UN officials for their perfect discipline and excellent performance amongest the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known as MONUC, beleaguered by allegations of sexual abuse.

Climb the Great Wall to welcome the New Year's Day

On January 1, 2005, 2005 sports lovers climb the Great Wall with Olympic champions including Wang Nan and Zhang Ning to celebrate the New Year's Day.

DPRK Premier visits Chinese technicians

Pak Bong Ju (1st R), premier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), shakes hands with a Chinese engineer working for a glasswork project aided by China, at Yanggakdo International Hotel in Pyongyang, capital of DPRK, Jan. 1, 2005. Commissioned by DPRK top leader Kim Jong Il, Pak Bong Ju on Saturday paid a visit to more than 20 Chinese engineers working for the aid project and expressed his appreciation for their work.

Registration underway for national economic census

China's first national economic census entered its registration phase on New Year's Day after months' of preparation, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Chinese international rescue team arrive in Aceh

A doctor (1st L) of the Chinese international rescue team gives medical treatment to a local resident (1st R) in Banda Aceh, capital of Indonesia's Aceh Province, in the early morning of Jan. 1, 2005. The Chinese team including 16 medical workers arrived in Banda Aceh at midnight Dec. 31, 2004 to help victims of the Dec. 26 devastating quake and tsunami in the country.

International communicty to coordinate tsunami relief efforts

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan (R) shakes hands with United States Secretary of State Colin Powell during a meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, Dec. 31, 2004. Annan and Powell discussed how to coordinate international aid to the tsunami-ravaged Asian countries

Fireworks applaud New Year's Day

Shanghai launches fireworks to welcome year 2005.

Volunteers help Chinese refugees

Volunteers work for Chinese refugees from Aceh at a rescure center founded by local Chinese organizations in Medan, capital of North Sumatra, Indonesia, Jan. 1, 2004. Many Chinese organizations of Medan provided necessities and help to thousands of Chinese escaped from Aceh which was badly stricken by tsunami.

Chinese survivors arrive in Colombo safe

Wang Shiqiang (L) wipes his tears while thanking Cai Zhiyuan, an official with the immigration department of the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka, on Jan. 1, 2005. With the help of Chinese Embassy to Sri Lanka and the HKSAR's immigration department, Wang Shiqiang and Ye Jiongyao from Tianjin and Hongkong respectively were moved from Matara, a Tsunami-hit southern port city of Sri Lanka where they worked, to Colombo on Saturday.

Investigation launched into night club fire in Buenos Aires

Maria Angelica Crotto (C) who is in charge of the investigation of the club fire prepares to work in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Dec. 31, 2004. The owner of the club Omar Chab¨¢n was arrested Friday facing a possible 20 years' imprison. At least 175 died and 889 were injured in a fire that broke out during a rock concert in a night club in Buenos Aires Thursday night.

Iraq's first New Year's Day after war

An Iraqi policeman examines a car in Baghdad, capital of Iraq, Jan. 1, 2005. Iraq celebrated its second New Year's Day since Saddam's government ended in 2003.

Finland: flags at half mast to commemorate tsunami victims

Two flags fly at half staff in front of a building in central Helsinki, capital of Finland, on Jan. 1, 2005 to commemorate the victims during the killing tsunami. A total of 14 Finlanders were killed and some 200 others missing in the disaster. Flags in all its governments and organizations flew at half mast on Saturday to mourn over the victims.

New year pray in Afghanistan

An Afghan Muslim prays in a mosque of Kabul, capital of Afghanistan Jan. 1, 2005. Afghanistan has celebrated its fourth New Year since Taliban rule ended in the country in 2001.

Buddhists from Chinese mainland and Taiwan donate for tsunami victims

Buddhists from the Chinese mainlandand Taiwan donated a total of 9.93 million yuan (1.2 million US dollars) in a prayer service in Lingguang Temple in Beijing Jan. 1 to the tsunami-hit countries in Southeast Asia.

Fund-raising show in HK

HK SAR held a fund-raising show for victims of Asian tsunami. The event was organized by the HK SAR government and five international relief organization: the Red Cross, World Vision, Oxfam, the UN Children's Fund and the Salvation Army.

CPPCC holds New Year Tea Party

Party and State leaders Hu Jintao (C), Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Zeng Qinghong, Huang Ju, Wu Guanzheng, Li Changchun and Luo Gan attend a New Year tea party organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing on Jan. 1, 2005.