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乌梁素海黄色警报

L'AQUILA, Italy, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo on Thursday called for concerted efforts to tackle various global challenges at the leaders' meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) and five leading emerging economies (G5).     Dai, who attended the summit on behalf of Chinese President Hu Jintao, delivered a speech entitled "Striving to push forward global economic recovery and enhance regulation of the world economy" to the meeting held in the quake-torn Italian city of L'Aquila, according to a press release issued by the Chinese delegation.     Hu cut short his stay in Italy and skipped the G8 meeting due to the situation in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. He returned to Beijing Wednesday.     In the speech, Dai expounded China's position on major international issues.     Dai called for more international efforts to push for recovery of the world economy, saying that against the backdrop of economic globalization, the macro-economic policies adopted by one country, especially by a major economy, would exert an impact on other economies.     "So when we promulgate a policy aimed at economic recovery, we should not only put into consideration our own interests, but also have to cast eyes on the interests of other countries," Dai said.     The international community should strengthen communication in this regard, he said.     The state councilor said the "primary task" now was to implement the results achieved at the G20 summits in Washington and London, so as to ensure the momentum and effectiveness of economic stimulus packages.     He also urged the international community to abide by the principle of opening markets, opposing protectionism in various forms and safeguarding the normal and orderly movement of goods, services and personnel across borders.     Dai also appealed for an accelerated process of the Doha Round talks of the World Trade Organization, said the press release.     Leaders of the G8 industrialized countries and five leading emerging economies -- India, China, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa -- met on Thursday to discuss economic issues, climate change, trade and other international issues.     On the current international financial crisis, the state councilor said the international community has already reached consensus on reforming the global financial system, but the key lies in the implementation of the consensus.     In the short term, the reform is aimed at stabilizing the international financial market and boosting the growth of real economy, but the reform should be far-sighted, he said.     In the long run, the reform should be aimed at enhancing regulation of the international financial system and safeguarding order of the global financial market, so as to avoid the recurrence of a similar crisis, he added.     The state councilor stressed that representation and voting rights of developing countries should be increased in the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.     He said developing countries should participate as equal partners in the policy-making process in setting international financial standards and regulation.     Dai also urged the international community to improve global financial supervision, the press release said.     The state councilor appealed for maintaining the stability of major international reserve currencies, but he did not mention the U.S. dollar in his speech.     He urged the international community to improve the international monetary system in a bid to make it diversified and rationalized.     The state councilor also briefed the leaders on China's efforts to tackle the global financial crisis, saying the measures taken by the Chinese government have proven effective.     Noting that the international financial crisis has brought considerable difficulties and challenges to China's economy, Dai said the Chinese government has adopted a series of resolute measures to tackle some thorny issues and these measures have seen initial achievements.     The measures include a proactive fiscal policy and a moderately easy monetary policy, a stimulus package worth 4 trillion yuan (about 587 billion U.S. dollars) designed to expand domestic demand, and a tax-cut package of 500 billion yuan (around 73 billion U.S. dollars), Dai said.     China also has striven to readjust its economic structure, accelerate infrastructure construction, seek balanced development between urban and rural areas, and improve social security system and people's life, Dai said.     Thanks to these measures, China's gross domestic product (GDP) rose 6.1 percent year on year in the first quarter of this year, he added.     According to a press release by the Chinese delegation, in the first five months of this year, on a yearly basis, the fixed-asset investment in urban areas jumped by 32.9 percent in China, the retail sales grew by 15 percent, and the industrial output increased by 6.3 percent.     The state councilor said China would continue to cooperate with the international community to fight the international financial crisis, and would continue to make due contribution to the recovery of world economy.     In his speech, Dai also called for joint efforts from the international community to tackle global challenges such as climate change, food and energy security.     Dai said global challenges such as climate change, food and energy security are common problems facing the whole world, and therefore need joint efforts to cope with.     On climate change, Dai said the international community should continue to insist on the core status of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, and abide by the principle of "common but differentiated responsibility" established by the two documents.     The international community should take actions in line with the "Bali Road Map" and take into account different conditions of various countries, so as to push for the success of the upcoming Copenhagen Conference on climate change scheduled for December this year.     On food security, Dai called for increased investment in agriculture, enhanced market monitoring and the establishment of assistance mechanisms.     On energy security, he proposed a series of measures including setting up a system of energy technology research and development, diversifying energy supply, developing new energy and renewable energy, and improving energy efficiency.

TOKYO, May 27 (Xinhua) -- China's Shanghai has donated 50,000 face masks to Osaka of Japan where a large number of new-flu infections is reported.     The masks arrived at Osaka, Shanghai's "sister city" on Wednesday and will be distributed to local medial facilities in both Osaka city and Osaka prefecture. They are expected to ease the region's shortage of face masks due to the abrupt outbreak of A/H1N1 flu.     Shanghai is the third Chinese city to donate masks to Japan. Earlier, northern city of Tianjin and the southern Guangdong Province also donated masks to their "sister" cities or prefectures in Japan, Kobe city and Hyogo Prefecture respectively.     The number of new-flu infections in Japan came to 364 in 10 prefectures as of Wednesday afternoon, with Wakayama Prefecture joining other western Japan prefectures in reporting an outbreak.     The newly confirmed infection in Wakayama city government is a male company employee in his late 20s. Earlier Wednesday, two children in central Japan's Shizuoka city also were confirmed infected with the flu.

BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature concluded its six-day, bimonthly session Saturday, after approving several laws, including one on rural land disputes aiming to ensure rural stability,     President Hu Jintao signed decrees to publish the law on the mediation and arbitration of rural land contract disputes, the revised Law on Statistics and a decision to abolish eight outdated or redundant laws.     The concluding meeting was presided over by Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), or top legislature. The closing session of the ninth session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress is held in Beijing, capital of China, on June 27, 2009. The ninth session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress, the top legislature, closed its latest six-day, bi-monthly session Saturday.The ninth session of the 11th NPC Standing Committee also adopted a revision to the government's 2008 final accounts, an audit report and a decision to lease land in Guangdong to Macao as a new site for the University of Macao.     Wu said the law on the mediation and arbitration of rural land contract disputes is based on the actual condition of rural areas, giving consideration to the convenience of the broad masses of people, bring into full play the role of mediation and arbitration and specifying measures and procedures that provide a legal basis for settling rural land disputes and ensuring farmers' rights.     "It's also significant in strengthening rural land operation systems, improving land contract relations and promoting rural development and social stability," Wu said.     The revision to the Law on Statistics mainly focused on falsification in statistical work, Wu said, adding the revision improved the law by preventing official interference in statistical work, reinforcing responsibility and enhancing punishment so as to ensure the authenticity and credibility of data.     "During the deliberation, members of the NPC Standing Committee agreed with the judgement that this year has been the toughest for the country's economic development since the new century," he said. Wu Bangguo (C), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), addresses the closing session of the ninth session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress, in Beijing, capital of China, on June 27, 2009.    The government's fiscal revenue dropped in the first five months year on year, according to a report submitted to the session.     Wu called on the State Council (cabinet) and relevant departments to take measures such as enhancing taxation while implementing structural tax reduction policies, improving the efficiency of fund use, practicing frugality, opposing extravagance and actively deepening fiscal system reform.     He asked the departments concerned to rectify problems in implementing the budget, as found by audit authorities, and report to the top legislature the progress before the year-end.     Officials involved in such problems would be punished according to law.     Wu said lawmakers had been deeply concerned about the reconstruction of quake-hit areas in Sichuan Province after the region was struck by the May 12, 2008 quake, and heard a report about reconstruction at this legislative meeting.     Lawmakers said the reconstruction work was "an important project concerning people's life and development" and efforts should be made to resolve housing problems for the poor as well rebuild public facilities such as schools, hospitals, transportation and water-conservation projects.          SOCIALIST LEGAL SYSTEM     The top legislature adopted Saturday the nullification of eight laws, including one covering police stations that dates back to 1954, as part of an effort to eliminate redundant, contradictory and obsolete laws.     Wu said 2009-2010 was a key period in forming a socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics and the legislative work would be arduous.     He urged improving the legislative work so as to ensure the goal of establishing a socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics by 2010, set by the Communist Party of China Central Committee in 1997.     The socialist legal system basically took shape in 2007 and this 11th NPC Standing Committee set the legislative priority as improving legislative quality by enacting backbone laws soon as well as clearing obsolete ones, he said.     Wu said overhauling laws was an important measure of improving legislation so as to ensure a scientific, integrated and harmonious legal system.     As of June 26, 2008, China had 229 laws, with categories including the Constitution, civil and commercial law, administrative and economic law and criminal law, among others.     He said the next step was to urge relevant departments to draft matching regulations.     "When drafting laws in the future, efforts should be made to enact relevant regulations as well so that the regulations could take effect simultaneously with the law, or not too late behind the law, in order to ensure an effective implementation of the law," Wu said.     He stressed that legislation in the pipeline should be completed in time. When revising or enacting laws, revision should be made collectively if disagreement was found in different laws or regulations, in order to ensure the legal system's integrity.     The top legislature also adopted a decision to remove Xia Zhengui, a former Party secretary of Linfen in northern Shanxi, and Ji Chuntang, a former mayor of northern Shijiazhuang, from the post as NPC deputies.     Ji was expelled for his role in last year's adulterated milk scandal. Xia was stripped of the post for a mine accident that caused 277 deaths last year.     According to the Credentials Committee of the NPC Standing Committee, the total number of deputies to the 11th NPC now stands at 2,982.     The meeting also appointed four senior officials to the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

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URUMQI, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The violence-torn Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is plodding on the road to recovery amid vigilance one week after the violence in its capital city of Urumqi that left 184 people dead and 1,680 injured.     Police with riot gears were inspecting checkpoints, combing coaches for runaway suspects involved in the deadly violence.     Zhou Yongkang, member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, said in his tour to the autonomous region on Sunday that to maintain social stability is the top concern of the livelihood of the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang for the time being.     The regional government chairman Nur Berkri said in a televised speech Sunday afternoon that the number of people injured in violence on July 5 had risen to 1,680.     Altogether 216 of the 939 hospitalized are seriously injured and 74 injured fatally, he said.     An oil tank explosion occurred at a chemical plant in Urumqi Sunday morning. Police ruled out the possibility of intentional sabotage after on-the-spot investigation but said the reason of the explosion needs further investigation.     At the suburb of Aksu City, people who flocked into the Uygur bazaar, Toksun, as the local residents called it, said they had felt something different.     "There are much fewer people compared with what it was before the violence," said Tunxunjiang Tuohuniyazi, a local Uygur who were visiting the bazaar with his wife.     "On my way here, I saw a lot of policemen," he said. "But I understand it. The heavy security helps ensure our safety."     The bazaar, which boasts 3,000 stands, only saw a little more than 500 of them in business on Sunday.     Tuniyazi Yiming, a vender busy baking dumplings, said his turnover halved with number of the bazaar visitors on such a sharp decline.     The same bleak business picture could be seen in the border city of Kashgar in southern Xinjiang, where markets and bazaars reported only a few visitors.     Also hurt is the the region's tourism. Sources with the Urumqi Municipal government told Xinhua that because of the riot, 1,184 tour groups had cancelled their plans to visit the city as of Sunday.     They involved 74,218 travelers, including 10,731 tourists from overseas.     Railway authorities said Sunday that situation in the Urumqi's train terminal is normal.     The passenger volume was reported at 21,000 persons at the station on Sunday, 4,000 fewer than Saturday.     "There are no so-called 'waves of refugees' and ticket scalpers reported by some overseas journalists in the train terminal," said Chen Kai, vice chief of the South Train Station of Urumqi.     In Urumqi, thousands of youngsters have expressed their willingness to serve the city by signing up to be volunteers.     "Two days after the hotline was launched, we have received more than 1,600 calls," said Yu Yinglong, head of the Volunteer Association in Urumqi. "They volunteered to serve in hospitals and to give psychological help to those who were traumatized in the violence."     "The Koran teaches us that Muslims should be united. It teaches us to live in harmony with non-Muslims as well. Muslims and Non-Muslims should help and get along with each other on equal footing," said Xiahabuding Aihaiti, a teacher with the Xinjiang Academy of Islamic Scriptural.     (Writings by Xinhua writer Gui Tao, reportings by Xinhua staff Li Jianmin, Fu Yuncheng, Liu Hongpeng, Mao Yong, He Jun, Gu Qianjiang, Yuanye and Huang Yan in Xinjiang)  

BEIJING, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping met here on Friday with Timor-Leste's Foreign Minister Zacarias Albano da Costa.     Xi said China and Timor-Leste had maintained smooth relations since they forged diplomatic ties in 2002. China would support Timor-Leste's development by all means, he said.     He expressed gratitude to Timor-Leste for its adherence to the one-China policy, and its support on issues concerning China's core interest. Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Timor-Leste's Foreign Minister Zacarias Albano da Costa in Beijing, China, June 5, 2009    As developing countries, both China and Timor-Leste were facing the tasks of speeding up economic growth and improving people's living standards, Xi said, pledging to expand cooperation and relations between China and Timor-Leste.     Da Costa said his country valued relations with China and would push forward cooperation in political, trade, human resource development and other areas.     Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi held talks with his Timor-Leste counterpart on Friday morning.

QINGDAO, April 20 (Xinhua) -- China's senior navy officer said here Monday that the international fleet review to be held in east port city Qingdao on Thursday is aimed at promoting understanding about China's military development.     Ding Yiping, deputy commander of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview that the review would serve as a platform for navies from other countries to increase their understanding about China and the Chinese navy. China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) kicks off a grand maritime ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of its navy at 6 p.m. Monday off the coast of the eastern city of Qingdao,China's Shandong Province, April 20, 2009    "Suspicions about China being a 'threat' to world security are mostly because of misunderstandings and lack of understandings about China," Ding said.     "The suspicions would disappear if foreign counterparts could visit the Chinese navy and know about the true situations."     Ding also said the review is expected to build a platform for navies from different countries to enhance understanding about each other and for navy leaders to address matters on safeguarding global sea security.     High-level delegations from 29 countries and 21 vessels from 14countries will take part in the review, according to the Defence Ministry.     China would send domestic-made warships and weapons to the review, including the debut of its nuclear submarines.     As the review is to start in days, Ding said the weather in Qingdao is their "prime concern" for the review.     "It would definitely affect the review if bad weather appears," Ding said, "such as rain and fog."     But Ding also said that according to weather forecast, the cold air which caused rain and heavy wind in Qingdao since Saturday afternoon would come to an end by Wednesday. He is confident that the weather on Thursday would be good enough for the review to go smoothly, if "no major weather accidents happen."

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URUMQI, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Nearly two weeks after the July 5 riot in Urumqi of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, social order and people's lives are returning to normal. Yet in retrospect, a mass of evidences show that the unrest was a well-planned violent criminal incident of terrorist nature.     FEINT BEFORE VIOLENCE     Investigations by reporters reveal a salient feature of the riot, that is the perpetrators adopted the tactic of mass rally and making trouble in the open, which attracted people's attention and police force, while committing beating, smashing, robbery and arsons in other places.     At about 6:00 p.m. July 5, some persons gathered in the People's Square, continuously making phone calls and sending text messages. Some people were shouting slogans to attract passersby. The crowd grew larger and larger.     According to the local police department, about 1,500 policemen were sent to the place to maintain order and disperse the crowd.     At about 8:00 p.m., the police were told that a group of thugs were beating innocent people, smashing cars and buses, and burning police cars at Er Dao Qiao in a southern area of the city.     Xinhua reporters at the area spotted the body of a victim under a bridge, people fleeing in all directions, shops closing, mobsters smashing and setting fire as they walked along, more and more shops, automobiles and public facilities got destroyed and people got hurt.     At the same time, people gathered in the People's Square began to walk to the south.     According to two officials from the local committee of ethnics and religions who walked after these people, at the Longquan Street intersection, someone jumped out of the crowd and began to instigate people to join and follow them. The Longquan Street is a major passage leading to the Er Dao Qiao area.     At about 8:40 p.m., the crowd reached the Tianchi Road - close to the Er Dao Qiao area -- and were joined by about 200 people with clubs.     The two officials said that as fewer than 20 policemen lined up across the street to stop the crowd, someone in the crowd commanded the crowd to dash through the police line. A policeman was beat down and the crowd continued to move south with more violent behaviors.     According to the policemen who were at the scene, the crowd walked as long as several kilometers and more people joined in when the violent situation was worsening.     SUDDEN ERUPTION ALL OVER     According to the local public security department, at about 9:00 p.m., the department received reports that thugs were making violence in more than 50 places in the city, attacking passersby, cars, shops, resident buildings, police and government offices.     The city's first aid center said they received numerous SOS calls starting from 8:23 p.m., resulting in the breakdown of the telephone switching system.     According to the center, from the night of July 5 to the next morning, it sent out ambulances for 737 times to give medical support to about 900 injured people.     A young woman told Xinhua that she was in a bus when the thugs started the violence. "There were also thugs in the bus. It was like they colluded over the whole thing and just waited in the bus for the time to come."     The girl said that she was beat "powerfully" in the head while trying to get off the bus after the driver opened the door. She was later sent to hospital for treatment.     "If there were no plan or organizing in advance, how could so many people appear in more than 50 places at the same time with the same violent behaviors?" an expert on public security told Xinhua.

BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday met with President of the Socialist International(SI) George Papandreou on promoting the world's sustainable development.     Papandreou was leading a 15-member delegation to Beijing for a sustainable growth seminar co-sponsored by the Communist Party of China(CPC) and the SI.     Li, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, reviewed the increasing exchanges since the CPC and the SI started their exchanges in 1982.     "Jointly holding a seminar on sustainable growth signifies a positive step for both sides to deepen strategic dialogue," Li said.     The seminar, scheduled for Friday, will address how to work together to deal with climate change and other environmental challenges.     Li briefed Papandreou on the country's efforts to tackle the international financial crisis and seek sustainable development.     Li said the CPC valued the ties with the SI and its member parties and called for increased cooperation and deeper dialogue.     Papandreou said the Socialist International would like to seek more dialogue and cooperation with the CPC to promote sustainable development worldwide. Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang (R, front) meets with a 15-member delegation headed by President of the Socialist International (SI) George Papandreou who are here in Beijing for a sustainable growth seminar co-sponsored by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the SI, in Beijing, China, May 14, 2009

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BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan authority opened up the island to Chinese mainland investment Tuesday with 100 categories of manufacturing, service and infrastructure sectors in the initial opening-up list.     The move marks a historic breakthrough of decades-long hopes for two-way investments across the Taiwan Straits.     Under two new regulations in effect Tuesday, mainland individuals, companies and institutions can set up branch offices, wholly-owned or joint-venture companies on the island.     They have to get approval from Taiwan economic affairs authority in advance, according to the regulations.     Investment from firms based outside the Chinese mainland, in which mainland ownership is more than 30 percent, will also be regarded as mainland investment in Taiwan, the regulations said.     In the initial phase, the Taiwan authority allows mainland investment in 64 categories in manufacturing sector, 25 categories in service sector, and 11 categories in infrastructure sector on the island.     Mainland investment would "help Taiwan's economy prosper" and make international investors more confident in Taiwan market, said John Chen-Chung Deng, deputy head of Taiwan's economic affairs authority, at Tuesday's press conference.     The investment would help increase industry capital in Taiwan and make its financial market more vigorous, he said.     Through two-way cross-Straits investments, the two sides could jointly explore mainland and international markets, he told the press conference.     The formalization of cross-Straits investment is a long-term objective, he said. The opening-up will advance in a "gradual" way and "will be expanded as long as the initial investment bears fruits."     The Taiwan authority planned to send a team to the mainland to attract investment in the second half of this year, he said. Taiwan welcomes mainland companies to conduct investigations for investment on the island.     For the convenience of mainland investors in Taiwan, the relevant authority in Taiwan has also set down regulations on issues including medical service, education, financial need and house purchasing for both the investors and their family, according to the official.     BREAKTHROUGH IN TWO-WAY INVESTMENT     Experts said the move marks the end of the one-way flow of capital from Taiwan to the mainland, and is a basic indicator of the normalization of economic and trade ties between the two sides.     Zhang Yansheng, director of the Institute of Foreign Trade under the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said the influx of mainland capital would greatly boost Taiwan's gross production value, tax income and employment.     The investment would not only benefit Taiwan companies harshly hit by the international financial turmoil, but also enhance competitiveness of mainland companies, he said.     Liu Xiaohong, deputy general manager of Quanjude (Group) Co. Ltd., a Beijing-based company that specializes in the famous Peking roast duck, said the newly announced regulations have cleared major obstacles and will accelerate the company's pace to open outlets in Taiwan.     Direct transport, postal service and trade was totally cut off between the two sides since the Chinese civil war ended in 1949.     On Jan. 1, 1979, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, or the top legislature, called for an early realization of the three direct cross-Straits links on transport, mail and trade in its "Message to Compatriots in Taiwan". After 1979, the mainland allowed Taiwan products to enter at lower tax rates or tax-exemption.     In July 1988, the State Council, or the Cabinet, issued regulations encouraging Taiwan compatriots to invest on the mainland.     The mainland has been the largest trade partner of Taiwan since 2003, with annual trading volume surpassing 100 billion U.S. dollars.     Tuesday's announcement came about two months after the mainland and Taiwan reached a historic consensus on allowing mainland companies to invest in Taiwan during talks between the two sides top negotiators on cross-Straits relations.

BAGHDAD, July 16 (Xinhua) -- As an Iraqi Muslim who has visited China, I was so shocked and sad when I read reports of the July 5 violence in China's Xinjiang province, especially when I learned from the Western media of clashes between the Han Chinese and Uygurs, and government troops cracking down on the Uygurs.     I could not believe it, not from my experience in China.     So I immediately contacted my friends in China, from whom I learned that the reports by the Western media were purposely biased and to a certain extent, politically motivated -- just as their versions of the U.S. occupation in Iraq.     I have been to China twice -- first for a visit of two weeks, and then for a year's stay, from August 2006 to August 2007. During my visits, I was impressed by the way China's 56 ethnic groups, with Hans in the majority, live peacefully together and religious freedom respected.     When I was in Beijing, I prayed every Friday at a mosque at Niujie, a Muslim-dominated district in the Chinese capital.     As an Iraqi, whose country at the time was suffering from daily explosions, shootings and kidnappings, I remember I was often touched by the good wishes extended to me by complete strangers, among them Han people who visited the mosque, which has a history of more than 1,000 years.     During my time living and working among the majority Han Chinese in Beijing, I found no difficulty performing my Islamic rituals, neither did I notice any untoward incidents against Muslims in China, including the Uygurs.     I met many Chinese Muslims, who were really proud of being Chinese citizens.     I remember a small Chinese restaurant in Niujie, owned by a Uygur Chinese, which I frequented for its Islamic food and music.     I noticed TV programs in the restaurant were in the Uygur language, and when I inquired about it, one young man, who said he was studying at an Islamic institute, answered in Arabic "we have television stations in Xinjiang that use our language, which is backed by the central government."     Today, I still remember the Chinese pilgrims I met who went to Mecca for the Hajj (pilgrimage), in Saudi Arabia. They often wore jackets with a Chinese flag stitched on, and under the flag were words in Arabic -- "Chinese Hajj" or Chinese pilgrim, and I could feel their sense of being proud Chinese Muslims.     Once I tried to joke with one of the pilgrims and asked through a translator, "can you give me this jacket, so that I can show it to my folks in Iraq that this is a gift from my Chinese friend?"     He smiled and said: "I can buy you a new one, but I will have to keep this one, as I have worn it for years and I am proud to have this flag on my chest."     Islam is the second biggest religion in China, next to Buddhism. As far as I know, there are some 30,000 mosques in China, including 70 in Beijing.     Outside the capital, religious freedom is well respected as well. When I went to Henan province for a vacation, I witnessed Islamic lectures being held frequently at major mosques, and Muslims living peacefully and happily.     Muslims and other minorities in China enjoy exceptional privileges. My Chinese Muslim friends told me that, like other minority groups, they are not bound by the one-child-policy.     Muslims and other minorities are also accepted at lower qualifications to colleges and universities; and minorities like the Uygur and Hui are well represented in governments at all levels.     So when people say that the July 5 violence occurred because the Uygurs felt discriminated by the majority Hans, I really cannot believe it. I have personally witnessed how well Muslims and Han Chinese get along.     One day while sitting in the yard of the Niujie mosque, I met a young man who I later learned was an Egyptian. Named Ahmed, he had come to Beijing to marry a Han Chinese girl who he met in Cairo while she was studying there.     But according to religious ritual, a non-Muslim girl or man cannot marry a Muslim unless he or she converts to Islam.     A week later, when I met Ahmed again he told me that his dream had come true, the girl had decided to convert to Islam.     She had met no objections from her family. Within a week she was issued a certificate by the mosque confirming that she was now a Muslim.     I also have a female friend in Beijing, a Han Chinese, who is married to a Hui Muslim. They have a happy family.     Today, when I see pictures of the bloody clashes in Xinjiang, it reminds me of what is happening here in Baghdad.     I feel outraged as I witness the media repeating what they did in Iraq -- inciting internal conflict to serve certain agendas.     My country has been suffering from foreign interference and domestic violence for more than six years. With the war, and the sectarian conflicts, our once prosperous country is now in ruins.     The sectarian strife has been largely fanned by foreign powers to alienate Iraq's Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds, and the United States once even had a "separation-of-Iraq-into-three" scheme high on its agenda.     What have ordinary Iraqis received -- be they Sunnis, Shiites, or Kurds? Nothing. Nothing but devastation, displacement and the loss of lives of innocent people. My son, Omar, was injured by a roadside bomb in October 2007. He was only 12 years old at the time.     I call on the people to cool down and consider the whole picture: see what has happened in Iraq. Do not let yourself be fooled by those who try to undermine the security and stability of China by trying to destroy the peaceful co-existence of its ethnic groups.