Tunbao people spring preformance

People pass by a traditional mask during a spring-greeting parade in Tunbao, Southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 26, 2005. Tunbao people, who take Anshun as their center and live in the region covering several hundred kilometers, are the descendants of soldiers sent there in the Hongwu Years of the Ming Dynasty 600 years ago. Tunbao means "Guard villages" in English.

Preparations underway for NPC & CPPCC sessions

Three employees get ready to receive journalists from home and abroad in the news center in China Science and Technology Hall in Beijing, China, Feb. 26, 2005. The third session of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the third session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC) will be opened on March 3 and March 5 respectively in Beijng.

2005 Mrs. World crowned

Newly crowned Mrs. World 2005 Sima Bakahr (C) of Israel poses with Mrs. New Zealand Sherin Peace (L) 1st runner-up and Mrs. Croatia Ivana Brnic-Boce (R) 2nd runner-up, for the photographers during a function in Lonavala, 140 km (88 miles) from Bombay February 25, 2005. Bakahr was crowned Mrs. World from 41 contestants around the world.

Chinese leaders meet with Latin-American Parliament President

Wu Bangguo(R), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress(NPC),meets with Latin-American Parliament (LAP) President Ney Lopes in Beijing Feb. 25, 2005.

President Hu hears reports on model Party members

President Hu Jintao, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended a meeting Friday, Feb. 25, to hear reports about four outstanding Party members from the armed forces.

CPPCC meeting hears 2004 work reports

The eighth meeting of the Standing Committee of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held in Beijing, China, Feb. 26, 2005. It was decided during the meeting that the third session of the 10th National Committee of CPPCC will be opened in Beijing March 3, 2005.

Officials, entertainers stage events to fight piracy

Three truckloads of confiscated books, tapes, DVDs, CDs, and computer discs were dumped on a red carpet and publicly smashed to pieces in an anti-piracy campaign in Beijing Saturday.

Better handling of petitions to serve "harmonious"goal

Chinese State Councilor Zhou Yongkang Saturday asked all regions and relevant departments to improve their handling of petitions, saying it is important for the "building of a harmonious society".

Job fair opened in Beijing

A job seeker reads carefully recruiting advertisement in Beijing great talent fair held at China International Exhibition Centre in Beijing, Feb. 25, 2005. A large quantity of job seeker crowded here Saturday for job opportunities while famous enterprises such as Motorola, Intel and Shell came to recruit talents.

Serious traffic accident in Gansu Province

A five-year-old girl wounded in the traffic accident receives medical treatment while her relative standing aside in a hospital of Dingxi City, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2005. A traffic accident took place at 12:50 a.m. Friday, when a bus heading for the province's capital Lanzhou collided with a van, causing eleven people killed and 19 others wounded. Investigation into the cause of the accident is underway.

Putin expresses satisfaction with talks with Bush

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that he was satisfied with his talks with US President George W. Bush in the Slovak capital on Thursday.

Iran's quake toll tops 612

The 6.4 magnitude quake struck Iran before dawn on Tuesday, levelling mud-brick houses in dozens of villages and affecting an estimated 30,000 people in the Zarand region north of the provincial capital of Kerman.