The 5th round of talks on East China Sea issues held in Tokyo

The fifth round of talks on the East China Sea between China and Japan held on May 18 in Tokyo. Director of the FM Department of Asian Affairs Hu Zhengyue (L3), and his Japanese counterpart Kenichiro Sasae (R3), head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau attended the talks.

Chanchu brings violent storms to Guangdong, Fujian

"Chanchu", the first strong typhoon this year approaches south Fujian and parts of Guangdong late Wednesday, bringing stong wind and heavy rainfall to those regions. Photo taken on early Thursday shows that a car drives along the street in Shantou, a city hit by "Chanchu", south China's Guangdong province.

Da Vinci Code at Cannes Film Festival

Tom Hanks, who stars in The Da Vinci Code arrives in Cannes, France. The Hollywood thriller The Da Vinci Code will be shown at the ceremony marking the opening of the 59th Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.

World debut of Da Vinci Code in Beijing

An actor and an actress promotes the movie "The Da Vinci Code" at a ceremony marking its world debut in Beijing on Wednesday evening. The big-budget Hollywood thriller impressed the Chinese audience with performance from Oscar-winning Tom Hanks and France's Audrey Tautou.

Pentagon holds drill for biological weapon attack

An employee is disinfected in a drill held in Pentagon Wednesday. Pentagon held a drill simulating anthrax infection to test the employees' ability to cope with biological weapon attack.

Amphibious landing drill by PLA South China Sea Fleet

A group of landing ships send the armored assault vehicle group ashore under the cover of convoy escort vessels in a drill held by the South China Sea Fleet of PLA Navy in mid May, 2006.

Retired aircraft carrier turned into reef

Oriskany, a retired aircraft carrier of U.S. Navy is being sunk in the sea near Pensacola, Florida on Wednesday. Oriskany, 270 meters long and 32,000 tons in weight, retired in 1976. As the biggest vessel destroyed artificially in the U.S., it will be turned into a reef for divers and fisherman.

Zhang Ziyi at Cannes Film Festival

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi, a members of the Jury of the 59th International Cannes Film Festival attends a press conference in Cannes, Southern France, May 17, 2006. The 59th Cannes film festival opened officially on Wednesday.

Cannes ready for the coming film festival

Workers debug lights in front of the Festival Palace in Cannes of France, May 17, 2006. The 59th Festival International Du Film De Cannes is to be opened on the evening of May 17.

Dangerous water route turned into a smooth waterway

Undated file photo shows ships sailing in the formerly dangerous Kongling Shoal on the Yangtze River in central China's Hubei Province. The construction of the Three Gorges Dam in Hubei's Yichang City has turned at least 420-kilometer dangerous section of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River into a smooth waterway.

Barcelona beats Arsenal in Champions League final

Players of Barcelona raise the trophy of European Champions League in Paris, Thursday. Barcelona beat Arsenal 2-1 to become the winner of Championships League. (sina photos)

Palestinian government officials demand delayed wages payment

A Palestinian government official holds a placard during a rally in the West Bank city of Ramallah on May 17, 2006. Palestinian government officials held a rally in front of the office of Palestinian Prime Minister and senior Hamas leader Ismail Haneya on Wednesday, demanding for their wages delayed for two months. After Hamas won the parliamentary elections and formed the Palestinian government, countries including Israel and the United States have cut the economic sources of the Palestinians. Thus, both the Palestinian government and the civilians face the financial crisis.

China's top legislator visits Romania

Wu Bangguo (L), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, shakes hands with the vice-chairman of the Romanian Chamber of Deputires Valer Dorneanu after Wu's arrival at an airport in Bucharest, capital of Romania, May 17, 2006. Wu Bangguo arrived here Wednesday afternoon to start his three-day official good-will visit to Romania.

"Chanchu" unleashes fury against southeast

Typhoon "Chanchu" hits the eastern coastal area in south China's Guangdong Province on May 17, 2006. Typhoon "Chanchu", the first typhoon this year, will land in Guangdong Province on the night of May 17.