Thai youngsters learn Chinese Kongfu in Guangxi

Thai girls practice Chinese Kongfu at the China Guangxi International Youth Exchange Institute in Nanning, capital of southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, April 18, 2005. A group of Thai children came to Guilin and Nanning in April under the China program of Children's International Summer Villages (CISV) to experience Chinese culture and learn the Chinese language.

Chinese model contest

Zhao Chenchi (2nd from right), Bai Yunping (right) are ranked 1st and 2nd, respectively, in the 5th Chinese Model Contest held in Shishi City, East China's Fujian Province April 17, 2005. More than 10,000 candidates took part in the contest, with 60 entering Sunday's final.Wang Qing (left) and Shan Jingya shared the third prize. (newsphoto)

Yang's hand in hand visit to Huangshan

Chinese American Nobel laureate of physics Chen Ning Yang, 82 (L) and his 28-year-old wife Weng Fan, both in lovers' sweaters, visit Huangshan Mountain, East China's Anhui Province, April 16, 2005. The couple got married December 24 last year. (sina photo)

Humanoid robot with facial expression developed in China

A researcher displays a humanoid robot with facial expression to a kid on April 18, 2005 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. China's first independently developed humanoid robot with facial expression has been manufactured after two years' research, announced the Robot Engineering Center of the Harbin Institute of Technology on April 18.

China briefs on Olympic preparation at int'l sports convention

Yang Shu'an, vice president of Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), briefs Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) about preparation for 2008 Olympics during Sportaccord International Sports Convention in Berlin, capital of Germany, April 17, 2005.

Longmen Grottoes attracts 100,000 visitors at weekend

Tourists visit the Longmen (Dragon Gate) Grottoes, thirteen kilometers south of Luoyang, an ancient city in central China's Henan province.

Underwater museum at Three Gorges

A young woman journalist took pictures inside the Baiheliang underwater museum at the Three Gorges reservoir area in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River near Chongqing, a municipality in southwest China, April 17, 2005.The main construction work of the underwater museum housing the world's oldest hydrologic inscriptions completed recently.

US$48.3 mln poured in Forbidden City renovation

Two workers are engaged in repair work on the roof of a building in the Forbidden City in Beijing, April 18, 2005. Beijing will spend more than 400 million yuan (48.3 million US dollars) this year for repairing or maintaining its heritage sites and cultural relics, local media reported. Of the total amount, 100 million yuan (some 12 million US dollars) will be used for repairs on the Forbidden City, the imperial court complexes of China's last two dynasties, the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1616-1911).

Chinese expeditioners head for 5,800-meter-high camp on Mt. Qomolangma

Chinese expeditioners head for Mount Qomolangma April 18, 2005. A team of Chinese scientists began the saga to remeasure Mount Everest for the first time in 20 years. The scheduled time to reach the top of the world peak will be on the mid-May.

Chinese peacekeeping police stationed in Haiti return home

Having accomplished their peacekeeping mission, China's first batch of peacekeeping riot police stationed in Haiti arrived at the Beijing Capital Airport on April 18. Prior to this another 30 members of the Chinese peacekeeping police stationed in Haiti had returned home on April 5th. The peacekeeping riot police force dispatched to Haiti is China's first riot police force performing UN peacekeeping mission overseas.

China ready to enhance Sino-Australian all-round cooperation: Hu

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) meets with Australian Prime Minister John Winston Howard in Beijing April 18, 2005.Howard is paying a working visit to China from April 18 to 19.

Women police rangers make debut in Jiangsu

A woman police ranger caresses her horse as she joins her colleagues patrolling the streets in Xuyi County in Huai'an, east China's Jiangsu Province, April 17, 2005. Composed of 10-plus policewomen, the first women police rangers' team of the eastern province went on duty Sunday.

Chinese peacekeeping force departs for DRC

Chinese soldiers get ready to board a plane in Beijing, capital of China, April 18, 2005.A part of the fourth batch of Chinese peacekeeping forces dispatched to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) left Beijing for DRC Monday to replace the third batch of the Chinese forces there.

Chinese president, premier meet with with second secretary of Communist Party of Cuba

Chinese president Hu Jintao (R) meets with Raul Castro Ruz, second secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, also first vice-president of the Council of State, in Beijing April 18, 2005. Chinese and Cuban leaders vowed Monday to expand cooperation and advance ties between the two countries.