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ADDIS ABABA, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese representative to the 120th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) on Monday urged all countries to abandon any form of trade and investment protectionism amid the sweeping financial crisis.     "During times of economic difficulties, the international community should abandon all forms of trade and investment protectionism and work for the progress of the Doha round of negotiations at an early date," Uyunqimg, Vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, said at the Addis Ababa meeting. Uyunqimg, Vice-chairwoman of National People's Congress Standing Committee of China, attends the 120th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, April 6, 2009. The 120th Assembly of the IPU and its related meetings are being held in Addis Ababa from April 5 to 10, with the overall theme of "Parliament: Building Peace, Democracy and Development in times of Crisis"She told fellow parliamentarians that the outbreak of the global financial crisis added to the destabilizing factors and uncertainties in the international political and economic arenas, and posed grave challenges to the political, economic and social life of various countries.     "Therefore, it is timely and fitting for this IPU Assembly to put the tackling of the crisis top on its agenda," she said.     Due to their low level of economic development, lack of diversity in economic structure and vulnerability of the financial system, developing countries are far more severely affected by the financial crisis than developed countries.     The Chinese official called on the international community, developed countries in particular, to shoulder their due responsibilities and obligations, continue to honor commitments of assistance and debt reduction, maintain and increase assistance to developing countries to help them tide over the difficulties and maintain financial stability and economic growth.     "We hope that parliaments around the world will play a positive role, avoiding any legislation that is protectionist in nature and urging their respective governments to shun any action that may aggravate the economic hardship for developing countries under the current circumstances," she said.     The April 5-10 meeting attracted over 1,000 legislators from around the world, and the delegates are scheduled to discuss the political, economic and social situation in the world with the overall theme of "Parliaments: Building Peace, Democracy and Development in times of crisis."Uyunqimg, Vice-chairwoman of National People's Congress Standing Committee of China, addresses in the 120th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, April 6, 2009. The 120th Assembly of the IPU and its related meetings are being held in Addis Ababa from April 5 to 10, with the overall theme of "Parliament: Building Peace, Democracy and Development in times of Crisis".

BEIJING, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The import and export of electronic and information products in China went down 30.3 percent year on year in the first two months, data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed on Friday.     The combined import and export value was 87.61 billion U.S. dollars through January to February.     In breakdown, export fell 26.1 percent from the same time a year ago to 53.55 billion U.S. dollars. Import was down 36.07 percent to 34.06 billion U.S. dollars.     The import value of LCD panel, a main component in flat-panel television, declined 48.8 percent to 1.82 billion U.S. dollars.     The export value of processing trade with imported material, which comprised more than two thirds of the total export, was down 25.4 percent to 37.86 billion U.S. dollars.     China's export, a driving force of the world's third largest economy, plummeted 25.7 percent year on year in February, the worst decline in more than a decade, as global demand deteriorated amid the deepening recession.

BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- About 20 million of China's migrant workers have returned home after losing their jobs as the global financial crisis takes a toll on the economy, said a senior official here on Monday.     Chen Xiwen, director of the office of the central leading group on rural work, said about 15.3 percent of the 130 million migrant workers had returned jobless from cities to the countryside.     The figures were based on a survey by the Ministry of Agriculture in 150 villages in 15 provinces, carried out before the week-long Lunar New Year holiday which began on Jan. 25. Chen Xiwen, director of the Office of the Central Leading Group on Rural Work, speaks at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office, Feb. 2, 2009.     His remarks came a day after the central government issued its first document this year, which warned 2009 will be "possibly the toughest year" since the turn of the century in terms of securing economic development and consolidating the "sound development momentum" in agriculture and rural areas.     The country's economic growth slowed to 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, dragging down the annual rate to a seven-year low of 9 percent.     The document urged local and central government departments to adopt measures to create jobs and increase rural incomes.     Companies were asked to take on more social responsibilities and give rural migrant workers more favorable employment treatment. Flexible employment policies and more training chances were also encouraged.     Meanwhile, local government departments should increase investment to provide favorable tax and fee policies to those who lost jobs in cities and expect to find new work in their hometowns.     The government also urged departments to map out basic pension insurance measures suitable for rural conditions and migrant workers to ensure their rights.

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WASHINGTON, March 24 (Xinhua) -- In a gross interference in China's internal affairs, the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to adopt a resolution arrogantly recognizing the so-called "30th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act."     The Taiwan Relations Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1979, required the United States "to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character." China has never recognized the legitimacy of the act.     On Feb. 25, two days after the so-called Resolution 55, named Recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs of the U.S. Congress by 17 representatives, China voiced strong dissatisfaction and lodged solemn representations to the United States over the issue.     "A handful of representatives from the U.S. Congress" had proposed the resolution "despite China's clear opposition," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu in a press release dated Feb. 25.     It is known to all that the "so-called" Taiwan Relations Act, enacted unilaterally by the United States, had gravely violated the basic norms guiding international relations, said Ma. It also violated the United States' serious commitment to China and intervened in China's internal affairs, he added.     "The Chinese government and people opposed the act strongly from the day it was worked out," he stressed.     It is widely recognized by the international community that Taiwan, an island province separated from the mainland as a result of the Chinese civil war in the late 1940s, is an integral part of China.

BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- China has issued a circular Sunday "stoutly" ordering officials at all levels not to spend public money on sightseeing overseas.     The circular was jointly issued by the General Office of the State Council and the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee amid a situation where many Chinese officials have been using public money to pay for their personal travel disguised as business trips.     The Chinese government hoped officials at all levels to set an example for other people to cope with the financial crisis and overcome the obstacles in economic development.     According to the circular, all overseas business trips should be arranged strictly. The expenses and number of officials for such trips should be kept as low as possible. And related departments should include all those expenses into their budget and get them approved beforehand.     Officials should not add more countries or cities to their travel schedules at will and extend their stay aboard. And they should not claim reimbursement for personal trip costs or resort to companies or inferior departments to cover their travel spending.     Xinhua reported in last December that two officials were removed from their posts in east China's Jiangxi Province for being implicated in overseas sightseeing disguised as study tours earlier in 2008.     Liu Zhongping, who was on an 11-member delegation to the United States and Canada in April, was ousted from the dual posts of Party secretary and Chief of the Office for Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs of Xinyu City. Also ousted was Liu Qun, a deputy of Liu Zhongping's office.     Liu's office reportedly fabricated the delegation's agenda to get approval by higher authorities, prolonged the trip against rules, and taking kickbacks while buying air tickets for officials.     China urged discipline inspection departments at all levels to tighten supervision and auditing over funds used for overseas business trips and expose and punish violators severely

BEIJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday called for the country's law-enforcement personnel to learn the selfless dedication to the people from Tan Dong, a policeman in Sichuan Province.     Tan, 45, was a traffic policeman in Dayi County of Chengdu, capital city of Sichuan. He died of myocarditis on Jan. 5 because of long-time hard work at his position.     On Dec. 29 last year, in order to save a person having fallen into a trench in a car accident, Tan jumped into the cold water and got a serious cold. Being seriously sick afterwards, Tan insisted on working, until the last minute of his life.     After his death, Tan was honored as a first-class model by the Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.     On Friday, some of Tan's relatives and colleagues were invited to give a report on his heroic deeds in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The audience were deeply moved by the report and gave applauses to show their respect for the hero.     More than 800 police and citizen representatives listened to the report.     Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with Tan's families and colleagues before the report.     "He is an ordinary, but great person. He is the model for the police, and also a good example for China's grassroots officials," Zhou said.     In Tan Dong's diary, he wrote: one cannot be a public servant if he has no intention of dedication.     "He did what he said," Zhou said.

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BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The following is the full text of the Report on the Work of the Government delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao at the Second Session of the Eleventh National People's Congress on March 5, 2009 and adopted on March 13, 2009:          REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE GOVERNMENT     Delivered at the Second Session of the Eleventh National People's Congress on March 5, 2009          Wen Jiabao     Premier of the State Council     Fellow Deputies,     On behalf of the State Council, I now present to you my report on the work of the government for your deliberation and approval. I also solicit comments and suggestions on the report from the members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).          I. Review of the Work in 2008     The year 2008 was truly eventful. Our country's economic and social development withstood severe challenges and tests that were rarely seen before. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the people of all our ethnic groups faced difficulties squarely, worked with courage and determination, surmounted all difficulties and obstacles, and made new achievements in reform, opening up and socialist modernization.     - The national economy continued to maintain steady and rapid growth. GDP topped 30 trillion yuan, an increase of 9% over the previous year. Overall price rises were held in check. Government revenue was 6.13 trillion yuan, an increase of 19.5%. Grain output rose for the fifth consecutive year and totaled 528.5 million tons, a record high.     - Reform and opening up were further deepened. New breakthroughs were made in reforms in key areas and crucial links, such as the fiscal, taxation, financial and pricing systems and administration. Imports and exports totaled US$ 2.56 trillion, an increase of 17.8%. Paid-in foreign direct investment reached .4billion.     - Development of social programs was accelerated, and the living standards of the people continued to rise. A total of 11.13million more urban residents entered the workforce. Urban per capita annual disposable income reached 15,781 yuan, an increase of 8.4% in real terms, and rural per capita net income reached 4,761 yuan, up by 8% in real terms.     - Great victories were won in the fight against massive natural disasters. The Beijing Olympics and Paralympics were held successfully, and the Shenzhou VII manned space mission was a complete success.     These achievements signify that we have taken new and solid steps along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. They have greatly fortified the courage and strength of the people of all our ethnic groups to surmount difficulties and will definitely encourage us to bravely forge ahead on the new historical course.     Last year, we accomplished the following important work:     1. Making timely and resolute adjustments to macroeconomic policies and doing everything possible to maintain steady and rapid economic development     We maintained the right direction, focus, intensity and pace of macro control, and adopted a series of policies and measures to promote steady and rapid economic development. In a complex and volatile situation, we actively responded to the severe impact of the global financial crisis and worked hard to make our macro control more proactive, targeted and effective. In the middle of the year, when energy and grain prices on the international market were high, world economic growth slowed, and exports from and economic growth in China's coastal regions began to decline, we promptly shifted the priority of macro control to maintaining steady and rapid economic development and controlling price hikes, and adopted relevant fiscal, taxation and financial measures. In September, the international economic situation started to deteriorate sharply and its negative impact became increasingly felt in China. We again resolutely shifted the focus of macro control to preventing economic growth from slowing down too quickly. We implemented a proactive fiscal policy and a moderately easy monetary policy. We raised export rebate rates three times, lowered the benchmark interest rates on savings and loans for financial institutions on five occasions, reduced required reserve ratios four times, suspended the individual income tax on interest earnings from savings, reduced securities transaction stamp tax rates, cut taxes and fees on housing transactions, and increased credit support to small and medium-sized enterprises. In accordance with the requirement that we act fast, be forceful, take targeted measures and stress implementation, we promptly introduced ten measures to further boost domestic demand and promote economic growth, and implemented them without delay. We adopted a succession of policies and measures to encourage financial institutions to support economic development, promote sound development of the textile and other light industries and the real estate market, expand consumption by improving distribution, maintain steady growth in foreign trade, and keep the employment situation stable. At the same time, we stepped up efforts to formulate plans for restructuring and revitalizing key industries. Together, these measures have played a crucial role in alleviating serious problems affecting economic performance, enhancing confidence, stabilizing expectations and maintaining steady and rapid economic development.     We continued to strengthen our work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers without any letup. Central government budgetary spending on agriculture, rural areas and farmers was 595.5 billion yuan for the whole year, a year-on-year increase of 163.7 billion yuan or 37.9%. This included 103 billion yuan, twice the figure for the previous year, in direct subsidies to grain producers, general subsidies for agricultural production supplies, and subsidies for superior crop varieties and the purchase of agricultural machinery and tools. We significantly raised minimum grain purchase prices three times, with the total increase exceeding 20%. We implemented a temporary policy for purchasing and stockpiling major agricultural products. We intensified the protection of arable land and the construction of agricultural water conservancy projects, and increased overall agricultural production capacity. We supported the production of hogs, oilseeds and dairy products. These policies and measures played an important role in maintaining and stimulating the enthusiasm of farmers, ensuring the supply of major farm products and increasing rural incomes, and provided strong support for maintaining overall stability in economic and social development.     We unswervingly promoted independent innovation and economic restructuring. We launched 16 major national science and technology projects, and established a number of new national engineering centers, key laboratories and enterprise technology centers in such fields as information technology, biotechnology and environmental protection. We successfully developed a number of key technologies and major equipment in the areas of regional aircraft, automobiles powered by new energy sources and high-speed railways. The central government invested 116.3 billion yuan in science and technology, an increase of 16.4%. Significant steps were taken in reorganization of the telecommunications and civil aviation industries. We continued to eliminate backward production facilities. Last year, we shut down small thermal power plants with a total capacity of 16.69 million kilowatts and closed 1,054 small coalmines. Investment in infrastructure and basic industries was increased, and a number of major projects in energy, transportation and water conservancy were completed or launched. Steady progress was made in implementing the master strategy for regional development, and economic development in different regions became better coordinated.     We steadfastly promoted energy conservation, emissions reduction and ecological and environmental protection. The central government allocated 42.3 billion yuan to support development of ten key energy conservation projects and environmental protection facilities. The daily sewage treatment capacity rose by an additional 11.49 million tons in urban areas, and desulfurization equipment was installed in coal-fired power plants with a total capacity of 97.12 million kilowatts. Energy consumption per unit of GDP fell by 4.59% from the previous year; chemical oxygen demand fell by 4.42%; and sulfur dioxide emissions fell by 5.95%. For the past three years combined, total energy consumption per unit of GDP dropped by 10.08%; chemical oxygen demand dropped by 6.61%; and sulfur dioxide emissions dropped by 8.95%. We built on the achievements in returning farmland to forests and restoring livestock pastures to grasslands, and carried out ecological conservation projects such as protecting virgin forests and developing the Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve in Qinghai Province. We implemented the plan to prevent and control water pollution in major river valleys and regions and issued the white paper China's Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change.     2. Balancing economic and social development and strengthening all aspects of social development with the focus on improving people's lives     Efforts were intensified to increase employment and improve the social safety net. We improved our policy to stimulate and expand employment by encouraging business startups, and enforced the minimum wage system. The coverage of all social security schemes continued to expand, with 17.53 million more urban workers subscribing to basic old-age insurance, 20.28 million more subscribing to basic medical insurance, and the unemployment, workers' compensation and maternity insurance steadily expanding to cover more workers. Pensions of enterprise retirees rose by 110 yuan per month per person. We launched trials to reform the basic old-age insurance system for employees of government-affiliated institutions. We actively explored ways to establish a new system of old-age insurance for rural residents and made steady progress in making social security available to rural migrant workers in urban areas and farmers whose land has been expropriated. We comprehensively improved the system of cost of living allowances for both urban and rural residents, and provided allowances to 66.19 million residents. We raised living allowances for low-income groups and university students in a timely fashion. Preferential treatment enjoyed by key entitled groups was increased substantially. We intensified efforts to develop low-income housing and renovate shantytowns, thus alleviating some of the housing difficulties of the low-income population. An additional of more than 48 million rural people gained access to safe drinking water.     Further progress was made in promoting fair education for all. Free compulsory education became available to all students, urban or rural, throughout the country, and all rural students receiving compulsory education obtained free textbooks. The standards for repairing and renovating school buildings in the central and western regions were raised, and the government allocated 3.25 billion yuan to provide heating to rural primary and secondary schools in the north. Development of vocational education was accelerated. The national financial aid system for students was further improved. The central government spent 22.3 billion yuan and local governments increased funding as well to assist more than 20 million students. Grants of 1,500 yuan per student per annum were given to secondary vocational school students from rural areas or needy urban families, benefiting 90% of the current student population in these vocational schools.     Steady progress was made in reform and development of the pharmaceutical and health care system. A total of 814 million people, accounting for 91.5% of the rural population, now benefit from the new type of rural cooperative medical care system. The number of selected cities participating in trials of the basic medical insurance system for urban residents increased from 88 to 317, and the number of participating individuals increased by 73.59 million to 117 million. Significant progress was made in developing a system of community-based health services in urban areas. We continued to expand the coverage of the reward and assistance system for rural families complying with family planning regulations, and implemented the "lower birthrate equals faster prosperity" program in more places in the countryside.     We accelerated the development of culture and sports. Public cultural infrastructure facilities were improved, the cultural industries developed rapidly, and reform of the cultural management system was constantly deepened. We mobilized all resources and hosted a distinctive and high-level Beijing Olympicsand Paralympics, thus fulfilling the century-old dream of the Chinese nation, and Chinese athletes competed hard and brave and scored excellent achievements in the Games. This greatly aroused the patriotism of all our people and strengthened the cohesiveness of our nation.     We continued to strengthen democracy and the legal system. The system of local-level democracy was further improved. Significant progress was made in enhancing law-based government. Last year, the State Council submitted eight bills, including a draft of the Social Insurance Law and draft amendments to the Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters, to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for deliberation. It also formulated or revised 30 administrative laws and regulations. The Regulations on Making Government Information Public was fully implemented. The public security system for crime prevention and control was strengthened. We battled against secessionist and terrorist activities, protected China's national security and maintained social stability. Our work related to ethnic minority, religious and overseas Chinese affairs further improved.     3. Vigorously advancing reform and opening up and injecting fresh vitality and impetus into economic and social development     Institutional restructuring of the State Council was basically completed and that of local governments is progressing steadily. Comprehensive rural reforms continued to deepen, and reform of collective forest rights was instituted throughout the country. SOE reform was deepened. The transformation of the Agricultural Bank of China and China Development Bank into joint stock companies proceeded smoothly. The new Law on Corporate Income Tax went into effect, and real estate taxes were unified for domestic and overseas-funded enterprises and Chinese and foreign individuals. After years of deliberation, reform in pricing, taxes and fees for refined petroleum products was smoothly introduced. Aplan for reform of the pharmaceutical and health care system was devised and referred to the general public for comments. These innovations in systems and mechanisms have laid a solid foundation for our long-term development.     The country opened wider to the outside world. We vigorously implemented the strategy of competing on quality and diversifying export markets. We increased efforts to establish innovation bases to invigorate trade through science and technology and bases for providing services outsourced from other countries. We supported the export of products with Chinese trademarks and intellectual property rights. We improved the policy system for the processing trade. We steadily opened service industries wider to the outside world and provided more guidance to orient foreign investment in China. We integrated existing funds and set up new ones designed to promote external economic and technological cooperation. We promulgated regulations on managing overseas contracted projects and rectified the system of administration of cooperative overseas labor services. We actively promoted energy and resources cooperation overseas, further expanded our assistances to other countries, and the pace of enterprises going global was accelerated. Further progress was made in the development of free trade zones, and in our economic dialogues with major trading partners and mutually beneficial cooperation with other developing countries.          Fellow Deputies,     A massive earthquake that shocked the world struck Wenchuan on May 12. Under the firm leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, people of all ethnic groups in China, especially in the quake zone, worked as one and fought in unison against the earthquake disaster. The people's army rushed to the frontlines without thinking of their own safety. We launched an earthquake rescue and relief operation that accomplished its work faster, mobilized more personnel and committed more resources than ever before in China's history. We steadfastly gave top priority to saving people's lives. We pulled 84,000 survivors out of the rubble. We promptly repaired damaged infrastructure, and resolutely unblocked the Mount Tangjia quake lake to avert potential secondary disasters. We did our utmost to prevent an epidemic from occurring and ensured that there was no major outbreak of diseases after the deadly earthquake. The central government allocated 38.4 billion yuan for quake relief and 74 billion yuan for post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction. We promptly introduced a host of policies and measures to support the quake zone. We energetically organized one-to-one assistance to designated areas affected by the earthquake. People from all sectors of society in China made generous donations, both in cash and in kind; our compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan as well as overseas Chinese contributed generously to the disaster relief campaign; and the international community provided us with earthquake rescue and relief assistance. All this combined to forma boundless source of strength for the Chinese people to overcome the disaster. This hard struggle against the earthquake produced uncountable touching and brave exploits and fully demonstrated the great indomitable and unyielding spirit of the Chinese people, thus writing a heroic chapter in the history of the nation.     None of the achievements we made last year came easily. They were the result of overall planning and correct leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary, as well as the concerted and strenuous efforts of the whole Party, the entire army and the people of all our ethnic groups. On behalf of the State Council, I hereby express our sincere gratitude to the people of all our ethnic groups and to the democratic parties, mass organizations and people from all sectors of society. I also express our sincere thanks to compatriots in the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions and Taiwan and to overseas Chinese, as well as to foreign governments, international organizations and friends in other countries that take an interest in and support China's modernization drive.     While acknowledging our achievements, we must be clearly aware that we face unprecedented difficulties and challenges.     First, the global financial crisis continues to spread and get worse. Demand continues to shrink on international markets; the trend toward global deflation is obvious; and trade protectionism is resurging. The external economic environment has become more serious, and uncertainties have increased significantly.     Second, continuous drop in economic growth rate due to the impact of the global financial crisis has become a major problem affecting the overall situation. This has resulted in excess production capacity in some industries, caused some enterprises to experience operating difficulties and exerted severe pressure on employment. Factors leading to decline in government revenues and increase in government expenditures have increased. It has become more difficult to maintain steady agricultural development and keep rural incomes growing.     Third, institutional and structural problems that have long hindered healthy economic development still remain, and some of them are still prominent. Consumption demand is insufficient, and development of tertiary industries is sluggish. Our capacity for independent innovation is weak. Consumption of energy and other resources is high. Environmental pollution is serious. Disparities in development between urban and rural areas and between regions are widening.     Fourth, some problems affecting the vital interests of the people have not been fundamentally alleviated. There are still many problems demanding urgent solution in the areas of social security, education, health care, income distribution and public security.     Fifth, order in the market is not well standardized; market oversight and law enforcement are not fully in place, and the social credit rating system is still in need of improvement. A number of serious and major incidents concerning food and workplace safety have occurred, which have inflicted serious loss of life and property on the people and taught us a sobering lesson.     We need to thoroughly appreciate how serious and complex the international and domestic economic situations are, be more mindful of potential perils and crises, fully exploit favorable conditions and actively respond to all challenges so that we can successfully accomplish all our tasks and prove worthy of the great expectations and trust conferred on us by the people.

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LHASA/BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The first Serfs Emancipation Day was celebrated across Tibet Autonomous Region on Saturday, while people from elsewhere in China expressed their wishes to the Tibetans. 　　CELEBRATION ACROSS TIBET     In Lhasa, readers of the broadsheet Tibet Daily and Tibet Economic Daily found that Saturday's edition of both newspapers became thicker--special issues were published to introduce the changes since democratic reform in 1959.     In the Ngaqen village, fully attired Tibetans gathered in the village club to watch the televised grand celebration held on the square in front of the Potala Palace about 30 kilometers away in the seat of Lhasa.     Tsamjo, 66, who lived in a two-story building, said her life was better than "the landlord in the past".     She had worked as a serf for seven years before the democratic reform. "At that time, our plot of land was smaller than a palm, and our room was as big as the nose of a cow," she said.     After the ceremony, villagers performed traditional Tibetan dances and held a contest of tug-of-war. Tibetan people in traditional dress celebrate the first Serfs Emancipation Day at home in Qamdo, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 28, 2009In the Tashigang village of Dagze county, more than 1,000 people enjoyed their own party.     "We have prepared for about a month for the party on our own holiday," 19-year-old Degyi said while doing the makeup.     As a young girl, she admitted that she had little knowledge about the past. "But I feel sad whenever listening to my grandparents telling the stories," she said.     In the Qamdo prefecture in east Tibet, slogans written on red scrolls hailing the Serfs Emancipation Day could be seen on major roads, where sellers in vegetable markets were waiting for their customers, monks in monasteries were chanting sutras and street vendors were soliciting business. Life was as peaceful as ordinary days. In the Tianjin square, dozens of passers-by stopped to watch performances for the holiday.     In Beijing, Serfs Emancipation Day became the hottest topic among students in the Tibet Middle School. Many students hummed the old song "Freed serfs sing in happiness".     "My grandparents were both serfs," said an eleventh-grader Dawa Dorje. A Tibetan man in traditional dress plugs the national flag on the roof of his house during the celebration of the first Serfs Emancipation Day at home in Qamdo, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 28, 2009 "They told me that they tied stones to their feet as shoes, and my granny became blind because she had no money to cure her eye illness," she said.     Currently there are 810 Tibetan students in the school, whose accommodation, clothes, health care were all funded by the government.     Main celebration for the holiday was held on the square in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital city of Tibet, at 10 a.m.     The gathering was presided over in both Tibetan and Mandarin by Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the regional government of Tibet, who was dressed in a traditional Tibetan robe. It was attended by about 13,280 people.     After the national flag was hoisted against the backdrop of the grand Potala Palace and snow-capped mountains in the distance, representatives of former serfs, soldiers from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and students delivered speeches.     Tibet's Communist Party chief Zhang Qingli was the last to speak.     "Burying feudal serfdom and liberating the one million serfs in Tibet was a natural development in history ... a milestone in the worldwide campaign to abolish slavery, a sign of progress in human rights," he said.     "Tibet belongs to China, not the a few separatists or the international forces against China. Any conspiracy attempting to separate the region from China is doomed to failure. The sky in Tibet will forever be blue, and the national flag will flutter high," he noted.     The ceremony lasted for more than an hour.     REMEMBERING THE PAST     As usual, foreign "critics" jumped up before the Serfs Emancipation Day, saying China exaggerated the cruelty of traditional Tibetan life to disguise a power grab, and that "serfdom" is too loaded to describe the Tibetan system.     But 73-year-old Baya in Qamdo, who was born to be a Tralpa, or a kind of serf whose life was better among all, said she would never return to the old society. Tibetan people in traditional dress celebrate the first Serfs Emancipation Day at home in Qamdo, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 28, 2009 "I began to graze cattle when I was nine years old," she said. "There were many wolves in the pasturing area, and the aristocrats always asked us to deliver messages in midnight."     "We were afraid of the ghost, and I once witnessed a horde of wolves attack a lama..." she was apparently still in fear.     What they wore then was goat's skin, dried under the sun, because they didn't have cloth. They didn't have shoes.     "If the feet bled, we just apply the oil of the goat to the wounds," she said.     Dinner was potherb soup. "We didn't have Tsampa (food made of barley floor) to eat, let alone rice and wheat."     Baya said her first taste of sugar was after the People's Liberation Army (PLA) entered Tibet. The sugar was brought to there from Yunnan Province.     Zhao Qingui, a 73-year-old Tibetan veteran soldier, joined the PLA in 1950.     "At that time, only the aristocrats had tooth paste, tooth brush, biscuit, wool and fruits. The majority of people, or the serfs, could only wish not to be starved," he said.     Sun Huanxun, a PLA veteran who went to Tibet also in 1950 and stayed there, recalled what he saw in Lhasa before the democratic reform.     "Serfs wailed and begged from passers-by, some of whom had their legs chopped by the landlords, some have their eyes gouged out and some without hands," he said.     In contrast, the landlords were in luxurious dress, some riding on the backs of their slaves. "In their houses there hung whips, knives and shackles," he added. Local residents compete tug-of-war during the celebration ceremony to mark the first Serfs Emancipation Day in Gaba village in the suburb of Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 28, 2009. A grand celebration ceremony is held here on Saturday to mark the first Serfs Emancipation DayQi Jiguang, a historian from the Deqen Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, recited the sentences he read from slave contracts: "I would be your slave so long as the snow-capped mountain didn't collapse, the water from rivers didn't dry up."     The Khesum village in Shannan Prefecture was hailed as the first village to implement the democratic reform. Before the Serfs Emancipation Day, residents in the village wrote an open letter:     "We could never forget the old adage: there are three knives over the heads of serfs--heavy labor, heavy rent, and high interest; there are three paths before their eyes--flee from famine, become slave, or go begging."     "We would never return to the dark, backward, and cruel fuedal serfdom society. We would cherish the life now like cherishing our own eyes," it reads. 　　FOR BETTER FUTURE     Chinese President Hu Jintao visited an exhibition marking the 50th Anniversary of Democratic Reform in Tibet, at the Cultural Palace of Nationalities in Beijing.     During his visit, he said that the "good situation" in today's Tibet was "hard-earned and should be highly cherished."     He also noted that the reform 50 years ago was "the most extensive, profound and progressive social transformation in the history of Tibet. Tibet should move from being "basically stable" to "peaceful and stable in the long run," he stressed.     On the Serfs Emancipation Day, 25 villagers from the Ngoklog village in Qamdo joined the Communist Party of China.     "I am happy to join the Party on this special day," said Asum. Tibetan people perform to mark the first Serfs Emancipation Day at Tianjin Square in Qamdo, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 28, 2009Gyezang, 33, is an English teacher from Xigaze. "Establishment of the day could help us remember the darkness in the past and cherish the life more," she said.     Dawa Lhamo, a nine-year-old student from the No. 3 primary school in Lhasa, was happy on Saturday although she was not familiar with the past.     "I will become a soldier when I grow up, to protect Tibet," she said.     People from outside Tibet also expressed their wishes to Tibetans.     Chen Qiuxiong, leader of a working group dispatched from eastern Fujian Province to help with development of Tibet, said they have built a number of infrastructure projects serving farming and animal husbandry in Tibet and helped with the development of culture and education and health care as well as poverty reduction.     "Tibet is now in the period of development and stability, and we will do more for the development of the region," Chen said.     Liu Lumei, a deputy researcher with the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Academy of Social Sciences, said that the establishment of the Serfs Emancipation Day embodies the common wish of all the Chinese people for the stability and development in Tibet.

NANNING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin called for reinforced efforts to sustain steady and rapid economic development amid global financial turmoil.     He made the remarks during an inspection trip to the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region during March 20 to 25.   Jia Qinglin (C), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with residents at Bashan Village in Laibin City, southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on March 20, 2009Jia warned 2009 could be "the most difficult year for China's economic development since the beginning of the 21st century."     Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said the most important goal of macroeconomic control was to reverse the downward trend of economic growth. Jia Qinglin (C), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, inspects Liugong Machinery Co., Ltd. in Liuzhou, southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on March 22, 2009Trying to find ways to better cope with international financial downturn, Jia visited companies, workshops, towns and villages of ethnic Zhuang and Yao during the trip.     The country should expand domestic demand, promote innovation and economic restructuring, as well as deepen its reform and opening up, and improve people's well-being, said Jia, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.     He urged the local political advisory body to regard sustaining steady and rapid economic development and safeguarding social harmony and stability as their primary responsibilities.