论新时期见义勇为

寻觅刘邦的出生地沛郡丰邑中阳里

BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao Friday went to Beichuan County of Mianyang City to visit people affected by the southwest China earthquake, encouraging them to be confident in overcoming hardships caused by the disaster.      Hu first visited quake victims in Shengli Village, Leigu Town of Beichuan. More than 1,000 out of the 18,000 population in Leigu Town died or were missing in the quake. Chinese President Hu Jintao comforts a wounded woman in Mianyang, a city in quake-hit southwestern Sichuan Province, May 16, 2008.He encouraged them to be confident in overcoming hardships caused by the disaster.Hu went into a tent to talk to one family. Seeing the man's daughter was injured in the quake, Hu said, "We know you've suffered. The quake destroyed your house and injured members of your family. We feel your anguish.     "The whole Party, army and all the people have been mobilized to support the quake relief work," he said.     Hu went out the tent and said to people standing along the road, "We will make every effort to rescue stranded people, treat the injured and make proper arrangements for the victims, as well as helping you to rebuild your homes." Chinese President Hu Jintao consoles locals in a village in Beichuan county, May 16, 2008. He encouraged them to be confident in overcoming hardships caused by the disaster. He encouraged the victims to be strong, overcome difficulty with confidence, courage and strength.     He then went to the Beichuan Middle School, where all the teaching buildings collapsed in the quake.     Knowing there were still 300 teachers and students buried in the ruins, Hu said, "Saving lives is still an urgent task. We should rescue them by every possible means as long as there is a glimmer of hope."     Hu also praised the troops conducting rescue work in Beichuan Middle School. Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beichuan county entrusts military medical personnels to take better care of a three-year-old girl who lost her mother in the devastating earthquake in Sichuan, May 16, 2008."You came to the frontline immediately, and threw yourself into the rescue work regardless of your own safety and made a great contribution.     "You have given hope, confidence and strength to the quake-affected people," he said.     Hu said the rescue work has entered a crucial stage. "You should be unafraid of fatigue and work around the clock, making great efforts to keep losses to a minimum." Chinese President Hu Jintao consoles locals in a village in Beichuan county, May 16, 2008.  In a field clinic in the middle school, he kissed the face of Luo Mengxi, a three-and-half year old girl who lost her mother in the quake.     He went back to Beichuan county seat and visited the Nanhe Sports Center, where more than 10,000 disaster-affected people were settled. He thanked the volunteers for their contribution to the rescue work.     He also visited the Mianyang City Central Hospital, telling the medics to make every effort to treat the injured. Chinese President Hu Jintao consoles locals in a village in Beichuan county, May 16, 2008. He encouraged them to be confident in overcoming hardships caused by the disaster.Hu went to the quake-hit areas Friday to console quake-affected people and direct disaster relief operation.     Hu arrived at Mianyang City at Friday noon after more than two hours of flight from Beijing. In the meeting room of the airport, he and Premier Wen Jiabao, who had been directing relief work in the disaster-hit areas since Monday, discussed the quake-relief work.     The meeting said "rescuers must reach not only towns but also all villages." The survivors who had been rescued must be transferred to safer places in time, and children who lost their parents and elders who lost their family members in the quake must be properly cared for.     Also Friday morning, Premier Wen Jiabao told Chinese media on a train in Sichuan that saving lives remained the top priority almost four days after the quake.     "We won't give up if there is even the slightest hope of finding more survivors," he said.     The death toll from the powerful earthquake rose to 22,069 nationwide as of 2 p.m. Friday, while 168,669 people were injured, according to the emergency response office of the State Council.

SANYA, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao and Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete on Friday pledged to make concerted effort to promote the traditional friendship and practical cooperation between the two countries.     China sees Tanzania as its all-weather cooperative partner and the healthy development of bilateral relations could be treated as a model for China's sincerity and cooperation with Africa and all developing countries, Hu told Kikwete during their talks in this southern China seaside city.     To further the bilateral all-round cooperation, Hu proposed the two countries strengthen political trust, keep high-level contacts and dialogues in various forms, expand mutually beneficial trade cooperation, facilitate exchanges in the areas of education, culture, sports, public health, tourism and media, and encourage contacts among local governments, social organizations, women and youth of the two countries. Chinese President Hu Jintao and Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete on Friday pledged to make concerted effort to promote the traditional friendship and practical cooperation between the two countries    The Chinese government will continue to provide aid for Tanzania's economic and social development within its capacity, and encourage its enterprises to cooperate with Tanzanian companies in infrastructure construction, agriculture, resource exploration, telecommunication and personnel training, Hu said.     The two countries should also strengthen cooperation in the United Nations and on other multilateral occasions, and increase contacts on major international issues such as the UN Millennium Development Goals, multilateral trade mechanism and climate change.     The Tanzanian president, who is in China to attend the annual meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia, due to open on Saturday afternoon in Boao, about 300 kilometers from Sanya, called China a good friend and good partner.     Noting China's precious support and assistance for Tanzania over the past years, Kikwete said the Tanzanian people value the friendship with the Chinese people, reiterating that Tanzania firmly uphold the one-China policy.     He told the Chinese president that Tanzania is very glad to host the Olympic Torch relay and will exert the utmost efforts to promote its success.     Tanzania will never allow anyone to disrupt or sabotage the Olympic Torch run in the country, he added.     The Olympic Torch is scheduled to arrive in Dar es Salaam, the largest Tanzanian city and the only African city to host the relay, on April 12. The relay will be held the next day before the Olympic Torch continues its global tour to Muscat of Oman.     Kikwete said the people of Tanzania and all other African countries are firmly against the attempt of some people to disrupt the Beijing Olympic Games, resolutely support the efforts of the Chinese government and people, and believe the Beijing Olympic Games will be a complete success.     Hu thanked Kikwete for this and said the China-Africa new strategic partnership marks a new development stage of China-Africa cooperation. China is ready to work African countries to deepen substantial cooperation, promote the sustained development of China-Africa Cooperation Forum and make new contribution to Africa's peace and development.

China's hotel and catering industry saw its retail sales rose 24.3 percent in the first seven months over the same period last year, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said on Friday.The growth rate was 6.5 percentage points higher than the same period last year, said the MOC on its website.Retail sales of the country's hotel and catering industry amounted to 837.49 billion yuan (1.99 billion) between January and July, accounting for 14 percent of the nation's total domestic retail sales during the same period.China's retail sales of consumer goods in the first seven months of this year was 5.9672 trillion yuan, up 21.7 percent, compared with 15.5 percent growth rate recorded over the same period of last year.Foreign hotel and catering enterprises established 399 new branches in China during the January and July period, down 18.2 percent over the same period last year, while contract value rose 4.3 percent to .71 billion.The country's hotel and catering industry reaped 116.8 billion yuan in July alone, representing an increase of 26.5 percent over the same month last year, according to the MOC.

无锡如何瘦脸

BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Hu Jintao met with Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon.     Hu said that with the joint efforts of the CPC and KMT, and of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, the political situation in Taiwan has gone through positive changes, and the cross-Strait relationship faces a precious opportunity.     "We should cherish this hard-earned situation," said Hu.     It is the first meeting between chiefs of the two parties since positive changes took place in Taiwan.     Hu invited Wu to attend the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Wu thanked him and accepted the invitation with pleasure. Hu Jintao (R), General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, shakes hands with Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on May 28, 2008. Hu Jintao met with Wu Poh-hsiung and all the members of the visiting KMT group here on Wednesday.     Hu said currently, reopening the cross-strait talks and to achieve substantial results constitutes an important indication of the improvement and development of the cross-strait relations.     He called for resuming exchanges and talks, based on the "1992 Consensus", between the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and Taiwan's Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF), as early as possible, and practically solving problems concerning the two sides through talks on equal footing.     Once the ARATS-SEF dialogue is resumed, priority should be given to issues including cross-Strait weekend chartered flights and approval for mainland residents traveling to Taiwan, which are of the biggest concern to people on both sides of the Strait, said Hu.     He urged the two sides to work together to resolve the two issues in the shortest time.     Hu expressed hope that the regularization of the talks between the two organizations could be pushed forward smoothly and achievements made constantly. Leaders of the two organizations should exchange visits when it is convenient for both sides, he said.     Hu pledged support to sending "Tuantuan" and "Yuanyuan," a pair of pandas the mainland has promised to send to Taiwan people as gifts, to Taiwan as soon as possible.     Hu expressed hope that the two parties and both sides across the strait could make joint efforts to build mutual trust, lay aside disputes, seek consensus and shelve differences, and jointly create a win-win situation.     He also called for continuing to follow and effectively implement the "common aspiration and prospects for cross-strait peace and development" to concretely push forward the actual development of cross-strait relations, and strengthen the confidence of Taiwan compatriots in the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.     On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, Hu welcomed Wu and all the members of the visiting KMT group.     Hu said Wu's first visit to the mainland as the KMT chairman is a major event for relations between the CPC and the KMT and relations between the mainland and Taiwan.     He expressed hope that on the basis of previous exchanges and dialogues, the two parties would further exchange views on promoting the improvement and development of relations between the mainland and Taiwan and looking to the future, jointly work for peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait.     On behalf of the KMT and Taiwan compatriots, Wu extended sympathy to compatriots in the areas affected by the Wenchuan earthquake in southwest China. He said the KMT and all social circles in Taiwan would actively assist in the rebuilding of disaster-hit areas.     Hu thanked Taiwan compatriots for their concern and generous donations and assistance to relief efforts in the wake of the 8.0-magnitude earthquake in Sichuan Province.     "The love and benevolence Taiwan compatriots have shown to the people in disaster-hit areas is deeply moving," he said, adding it was touching that on the afternoon of May 12, shortly after the earthquake struck, the Central Committee of the KMT sent a telegram of sympathy.     Hu said the brotherly love and care shown by compatriots in the disaster was particularly valuable. It was not only the spiritual power of the Chinese nation to unite and help each other to jointly conquer the hardships, but would also become a strong driving force for compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to join efforts in building a better future.     Hu expressed condolences to the families of two Taiwan tourists who died during the quake, noting more than 2,890 Taiwan tourists were evacuated out of the affected areas and returned home smoothly.     Wu said the "sky has cleared after the rain" for the cross-strait relationship, and an opportunity for building up mutual benefits and renovating the cooperation has come. The mainstream public opinion in Taiwan expects the relationship to become more good-willed and interactive.     He said the KMT has listed the "common aspiration and prospects for cross-strait peace and development" into its guiding political principle, and has made it a promise for compatriots across the Strait.     "We hope that both sides across the strait will lay aside disputes, and work for a win-win situation on the basis of the '1992 consensus,'" he said.     He hoped the cross-strait negotiation, which had been severed for years, would be resumed as soon as possible.     The KMT hopes that cross-strait chartered flights on weekends and mainland tourists' visit to Taiwan could be realized in July, he said.     He expressed hope that the giant pandas, which people in Taiwan, especially children, are very fond of, can come to live in Taiwan soon.     He said he would invite the chairman of the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) to visit Taiwan at an appropriate time.     Wu said some Taiwan people had doubts over the development of the cross-strait relations, and that KMT itself shares Taiwan people's wish for the island to take part in international activities.     However, the KMT was against some people's distortion of "Taiwan consciousness" into "Taiwan independence consciousness," he said.     Wu expressed hope that through expanded exchanges, reciprocal and win-win cooperation across the strait, the suspicion of some Taiwan people would be dissolved.     Hu said with regard to the question of Taiwan compatriots participating in international activities, the mainland side understood their feelings. According to the "common aspiration and prospects for cross-strait peace and development," Taiwan compatriots' participation in international activities would be discussed with priority given to participation of the World Health Organization's (WHO) activities after the cross-strait consultations were resumed.     "I believe that if two sides can work together and create conditions, solutions will be found to these issues through consultation," Hu said.     He stressed that on developing cross-strait relations, the CPC has always adhered to the principal of safeguarding the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation and safeguarding the common interests of all Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots.     "We care for, respect and believe in the Taiwan compatriots. As to the misunderstanding and suspicion harbored by some Taiwan compatriots concerning the cross-strait relations, we will not only give our understandings but also take active measures to dissolve them," he said.     To realize the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, the more people unite with us, the better, he said.     Wu said the two parties needed to continue strengthening exchanges and dialogues in the future, hold economic, trade and cultural forums or peace forums at appropriate time, and continue to have inter-party exchanges at the grassroot level, so as to make the two parties' exchange platform more solid and impact more far-reaching.     After the cross-strait consultations resume, Wu said, the regularized consultations between the two sides and the two parties' exchange platform should play roles at the same time.     Wu expressed hope that the two parties would make joint efforts and together with the compatriots from across the strait, create peace, promote stability and development and share prosperity.     Hu stressed that under the new circumstances, the two parties should expand exchanges and bring the role of exchange platform between the two parties into full play.     He expressed hope that the two parties can bear in mind the welfare of compatriots across the strait and the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, unswervingly promote the peaceful development of the cross-strait relations, and make joint efforts to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.     Also present at the meeting were senior mainland officials including Wang Qishan, Ling Jihua, Wang Huning, Dai Bingguo and Chen Yunlin.     Hu hosted a banquet for Wu and his delegation after the meeting.

LHASA, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake followed by some 1,000 aftershocks has affected more than 60,000 people in the Tibet Autonomous Region this week, the local government said in a news conference Saturday.     Since Monday's 6.6-magnitude quake struck Damxung County in Lhasa, more than 1,000 aftershocks have been monitored, including one that measured 5.4 on the Richter scale, said Gong Puguang, vice president of the regional government.     61,231 people in the region's capital have been affected and 989 houses collapsed, said Gong.     More than 4,800 people have been relocated out of the quake zone.     The quake-hit areas include Lhasa, Xigaze and Shannan regions, where 28 km of road and 11 bridges were damaged.     So far, ten people have been confirmed dead. 54 others sustained injuries, one third of those injuries are serious.     The central government allocated 10 million yuan (1.46 million U.S. dollars), 11,000 tents, quilts, and other quake relief materials to the affected area.     The items were being distributed as traffic and telecommunication resumed in the area.     The local government is evaluating economic losses from the disaster.     Seismologists predict more aftershocks will hit the county but the force is unlikely to exceed 5.5 on the Richter scale. A doctor from the General Hospital of Tibet's Area Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) takes a medical examination for a resident suffered from earthquake in Yangyi Village of Gedar Township in Damxung County, an outer county of Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Oct. 10, 2008. Li Suzhi, director of the General Hospital of Tibet's Area Command of PLA led a medical team to the disaster area at top speed to help local residents after a 6.6-magnitude earthquake occured on Oct. 6. So far, they have taken a total of 18 severely injured to the hospital, and treated 25 slightly injured in effect besides the appendicitis excision operation.

BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Saturday met separately with several foreign leaders in the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing.    The foreign leaders included President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Myung bak, President of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar, Uzbek President Islam Karimov, and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.     The leaders all attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, held in the National Stadium in north Beijing on Friday night. Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) shakes hands with President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Myung bak during their meeting in Beijing, China, Aug. 9, 2008. Lee Myung bak attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games on Friday night. In his meeting with the ROK president, Hu called for more efforts from all parties involved to advance the six-party talks to a new stage.     "We hope all parties of the six-party talks enhance communication and coordination, try to implement the second phase action of the talks soon in a comprehensive and balanced way, and advance the talks to a new stage," said Hu.     He reaffirmed China's consistent support for the reconciliation and cooperation between the north and south of the Korean Peninsula.     The ROK president responded that the six-party talks are progressing on the right track, and the ROK will strive to promote the development of south-north relations in the right direction.     On the China-ROK relationship, President Hu said the relationship is heading in the right direction, and he is looking forward to his forthcoming state visit to the ROK.     Lee said the ROK government and people are pleased with the establishment and development of the strategic partnership with China and are looking forward to Hu's visit. Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) shakes hands with President of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during their meeting in Beijing, China, Aug. 9, 2008. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games on Friday night. Meeting with President Arroyo, Hu said that trade and economic cooperation between China and the Philippines in recent years has maintained rapid development and brought concrete benefits to the two peoples.     "We hope China and the Philippines forge ahead with the existing trade and economic cooperation projects, and explore new fields of cooperation at the same time," Hu said.     Hu also thanked Arroyo for her invitation of 100 Chinese children from the quake-battered areas to visit the Philippines for rehabilitation.     Reiterating the Philippines' adherence to the one-China policy, Arroyo said that her country looks forward to deepening and expanding cooperation with China in various fields. Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) shakes hands with Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar during their meeting in Beijing, China, Aug. 9, 2008. Nambaryn Enkhbayar attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games on Friday night.In the meeting with his Mongolian counterpart, Hu said that China and Mongolia are on a smooth track of developing their relations, and the two countries have broad potentials and bright prospects in friendly cooperation.     He said that the two countries will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties next year, and hoped that the two sides could hold various activities to enhance friendship and bolster exchanges.

无锡哪里有7d聚拉提

BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- "Teaching is the most splendid profession under the sun," said Premier Wen Jiabao on Tuesday, while meeting with elementary and high school teachers at his office in central Beijing, to mark Teachers' Day, which falls on Sept. 10 every year.     Prior to their meeting, Wen showed his visitors around at the former office room of late Premier Zhou Enlai, in the Zhongnanhai compound, where both the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council are headquartered. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (Front) shows teachers around the Zhongnanhai compound, where both the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and China's State Council (Cabinet) are headquartered, in central Beijing, China, Sept. 9, 2008. Wen Jiabao on Tuesday invited eight elementary and high school teachers to his office to jointly celebrate the Teachers' Day, which falls on Sept. 10As a beloved State and Party leader for the Chinese people, Zhou has been a banner for all with his lofty character and style, said the premier, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau.     During their talks, the premier asked the guests to give their comments on the proposed long-term outline on the country's educational reform and development.     Tan Guoqiang, principal of the Yingxiu Elementary School in Wenchuan County of Sichuan Province, urged the government to deal with the issues of payment, academic titles and housing for rural teachers.     Wen told Tan that the government will give top priority to rural education and improve the teaching conditions in the countryside by "building schools in the safest places." Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C Front) and State Councilor Liu Yandong (1st R Front) pose for a group photo with teachers in the Zhongnanhai compound, where both the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and China's State Council (Cabinet) are headquartered, in central Beijing, China, Sept. 9, 2008Wenchuan was the epicenter of the deadly May 12 earthquake, which left more than 80,000 dead or missing and millions of homeless, including thousands of young students who died in collapsed school buildings.     Tan is the only one among the eight visitors to come from outside Beijing. The other seven also gave their opinions on a series of issues including the current educational reform, and professional training, compulsory education for schoolchildren of migrant workers from rural areas.     In his speech, the premier urged entrepreneurs to contribute more to the educational sector. "For entrepreneurs, the best way to pay back society is to invest in education," he said, in reply to a proposal by Liu Pengzhi, president of a local high school, who called for multiplying the resources of investment for education. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C Rear) and State Councilor Liu Yandong (2nd R Rear) meet with teachers in Beijing, China, Sept. 9, 2008Wen supported Zhong Zhu, a 33-year old teacher from the No. 35 Middle School of Beijing, in his call for establishing parental schools and increasing awareness about responsibilities, rights and psychological health among students. He urged teachers to love students, students to respect teachers, and society to give priority to education.     "Set students free, and not only allow them more hours to play, as well as give them more time to conduct sporting, thinking, practicing, and understanding society," said the premier.     In his keynote address, Wen called education a "foundation stone" for the nation. China will be built into a first-class country with a first-class education system and first-class talents, he stressed.     Teachers should be far-sighted, patriotic and faithful to their profession, said the premier. He urged teachers to set a good example for students, be more creative so that they can train more creative talents, and make greater efforts to obtain new knowledge to keep pace with the times.     At the end of his speech, Wen showed his profound gratefulness, love and respect for teachers, especially those working in remote, rural and poverty-stricken areas.     After the talks, Wen had a brief lunch with his visitors

SHANGHAI, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The world's widest tunnel with an inner diameter of 13.7 meters completed its excavation here under the Yangtze River on Friday.     The 8.9-km tunnel is part of a 12.6 billion yuan (1.84 billion U.S. dollars) bridge and tunnel project to link Shanghai with Chongming Island, the country's third largest after Taiwan and Hainan.     The tunnel will accommodate a six-lane expressway and a rail line. When operational in 2010, travel to Chongming from urban Shanghai will take 20 minutes, according to Yu Xuanping, vice general manager of the Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co., Ltd, builder of the tunnel.     The company used a tunnel boring machine with a diameter of 15.43 meters, the largest of its kind, to excavate under the Yangtze.     The tunnel and bridge project would make the transport networkson the southern and northern sides of the river more closely connected, said Wu Liangyong, a Chinese Academy of Sciences academician.     The tunnel connects Shanghai's vast Pudong District with Changxing Island in the Yangtze, while the bridge connects Changxing and Chongming.     Currently, Chongming is connected with Jiangsu Province to its north.     Located at the Yangtze River mouth, Chongming covers an area of1,200 sq. km, equal to about 20 percent of Shanghai's total land area.     China's central government plans to turn the island into a model of an eco-friendly town in the country. Shanghai municipal government is also paying great attention, with infrastructure projects being built within the island.     Experts said the inconvenient traffic between Shanghai and Chongming once blocked the development of the island. The construction of the bridge and tunnel would help attract overseas investment and make the suburb a major channel of the Yangtze River Delta area.

无锡疤痕

BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhua) -- China and Vietnam will complete erecting markers along their land border by year end, a visiting Vietnamese leader said here on Friday.     In talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Nong Duc Manh, Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee general secretary, reaffirmed efforts to meet this deadline set in 1999. China and Vietnam signed a treaty in December that year delineating their 1,350 kilometers of frontier. They officially started to plant land markers in 2002.     The two countries finished their latest round of talks on land border demarcation in Beijing last week, vowing to speed up the work. Chinese President Hu Jintao shakes hands with Nong Duc Manh, Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee general secretary, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, May 30, 2008.Following the demarcation, China and Vietnam will also sign new documents on regulating the border within 2008, according to a statement on the talks between Hu and Manh.     Manh, who arrived in Beijing at Friday noon, handed over to China a list of relief materials totaling 15 tons. According to the list, Vietnam will provide 150 tents and 10,000 boxes of milk to the areas hit by an 8.0-magnitude earthquake on May 12.     After inspecting the honor guards of the People's Liberation Army, Hu and Manh held a two-hour talk in the Great Hall of People.     The two reviewed the traditional friendship forged by the older leaders in the last century. They hailed the rapid growth of bilateral ties in recent years, citing Sino-Vietnam cooperation in trade, rule of country, regional and international issues, as well as problems left over from history.     Hu proposed China and Vietnam seek stronger ties in culture, education, science and technology, agriculture and youth exchange.     Manh echoed Hu's view, reiterating his country's efforts to work more closely with China in various fields.     Hu called for an early blueprint outlining a five-year trade cooperation between the two countries.     In response, Manh encouraged Chinese businessmen to invest in big projects in Vietnam and help his country develop in a sustainable manner.     Hu suggested a proper solution to existing issues between the countries on the basis of friendly consultation and mutual benefit.     Manh shared Hu's view and said the two countries should communicate promptly about their concerns.     They also exchanged views on party building and international issues.     After the talk, Hu and Manh witnessed the signing of several bilateral deals on protection and quarantine of animals and plants, as well as in other fields.     During Manh's four-day tour, he will also visit the east Jiangsu Province.

BEIJING, May. 13 -- China's trade surplus decreased slightly last month from a year ago amid declines in international trade growth triggered by the global economic slowdown.     Monthly surplus reached 16.68 billion last month, down 1.14 percent year-on-year but up 24.5 percent from 13.4 billion U.S. dollars in March, the General Administration of Customs said yesterday.     Exports in April rose 21.8 percent year-on-year to 118.71 billion U.S. dollars, while imports rose 26.3 percent to 102.03 billion U.S. dollars. China's trade surplus decreased slightly last month from a year ago amid declines in international trade growth triggered by the global economic slowdown.(    The sharp decline in April's export growth after a 30.6 percent rise in March should be seen as a return to the medium-term trend rather than a sudden weakening in China's exports, said Sun Mingchun with Lehman Brothers.     He said year-on-year growth of exports in March 2008 was abnormally strong given exports in March 2007 were extremely weak because exporters had frontloaded their shipments last February.     China's trade surplus has been narrowing since the government took measures to curb exports of resource-intensive and heavily polluting products and started to encourage imports from last year.     The World Trade Organization has predicted global trade growth will decline to 4.5 percent, 1 percentage point lower than last year. It could be the slowest rise since 2002.     "The global economy is facing more uncertainties this year given the possible shrinkage in US demand and inflationary pressures. Both these factors are expected to aggravate the global economic slowdown, further affecting trade," said Liang Yanfen, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.     "Slowing external demand may take more time to impact export growth, but the weakening trend is becoming more evident both in and outside the US. Higher commodity prices and currency appreciation would check the continued rise in trade surplus," said Ken Peng, a Citi analyst.     Export growth stayed robust at 21.8 percent but is under pressure as even Asian demand has started to slow, suggesting that a weakening in the final product markets is affecting upstream producers while imports continue to be supported by a stronger currency, high commodity prices and government controls over trade in food and resources out of inflation concerns, he said.     The country's trade surplus in the first four months narrowed to 57.99 billion U.S. dollars, 5.31 billion U.S. dollars lower than a year ago.     Exports in these four months amounted to 424.6 billion U.S. dollars, up 21.5 percent, or 6 percentage points less than a year earlier. Imports were 366.6 billion U.S. dollars, up 27.9 percent, or 8.8 percentage points more than a year earlier.     Realized foreign investment reached 35.02 billion U.S. dollars during the four months, up 59.32 percent year-on-year, the Ministry of Commerce said.