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Chinese School - From Beijing Chinese School traffice might be hidden in the start of

2008-06-11T06:40:00.001-07:00

semester rush, if it exists.

Also, my impression is that the speakers are at times "overpronouncing" the tones. It sounds
unnatural to me. Chenpv on the other hand sounds natural.

I'd be interested in feedback, perhaps on a separate thread devoted to David and Helen bashing?

kudra
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2008-06-11T04:29:00.001-07:00

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Search took 0.01 seconds; generated 3 minute(s) ago. Search: Posts Made By: roddy

Forum: Bug Reports / Help 28th November 2007, 08:47 AM

Replies: 25

favicon

Posted By roddy

Re: favicon

Also, surely if you just made the site your homepage you could all stop messing around with
bookmarks . . . . .

Forum: Bug Reports / Help 28th November 2007, 08:19 AM

Replies: 25

favicon

Posted By roddy

Re: favicon

Yes, me. Browsers seem to update favicons only when they feel like it though. Hit CTRL+F5, and if
that doesn't work try clearing your cache. Failing that, reinstall windows or buy a new computer.

Forum: Bug Reports / Help 26th November 2007, 05:27 PM

Replies: 25

favicon

Posted By roddy

Re: favicon

Ok, I can see why this would be an issue for anyone trying to use only icons in bookmarks and so
on, so I've generated a favicon from the first image I had handy. I've been meaning for a while to
get...

Forum: Bug Reports / Help 28th July 2007, 10:51 PM

Replies: 25

favicon

Posted By roddy

Re: favicon

Hmmm, seems you are right. Not sure where that came from.

Well, what are you going to do with your 256 pixels?

Forum: Bug Reports / Help 28th July 2007, 04:37 PM

Replies: 25

favicon

Posted By roddy

Re: favicon

You tell me. As far as I can see we haven't got one.

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2008-06-10T06:42:00.001-07:00

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Forum: Other cultures and language 23rd April 2008, 10:43 PM

Replies: 12

how to make gelato?

Posted By gougou

回复: how to make gelato?

See here (http://www. From Beijing Chinese School.com/showthread.php?t=18265).

There must be a correlation between learning Chinese and craving ice...

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Forum: Other cultures and language 24th October 2007, 12:45 AM

Replies: 177

What other languages do we speak

Posted By NewDominion

Re: What other languages do we speak

I'm learning Uyghur right now. It's a fantastic language.

Men hazir Uyghurcheni ogenwetimen. Bu til nahayiti chirayliq.

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Chinese School - Palm Treo 750 - From Beijing Chinese School.com > Learning Chinese > Chinese Computing and Technology

2008-06-08T08:24:00.001-07:00

Palm Treo 750
Home New Posts

youpii -

The Palm Treo 750 is less than 2.000RMB on taobao now.
Would you buy one? I heard the phone part is very unreliable.
The vendors fit it with a Chinese version of Windows mobile. Does Microsoft provide a Chinese IME
for Windows mobile?
Some vendors also provide Windows Mobile 6, how much RAM is available in such a system?
Last, is Windows mobile using Unicode? For example can I open a Unicode document with both Chinese
& French characters?

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muyongshi -

I just repurchased a 680 for 2170 yesterday.

The thing is about taobao is you want to make sure you are buying a NEW phone from a legitimate
seller and so I really doubt the 750 is below 2000.

In terms of the 680 the phone app was not very good at all until they came out with a firmware
update (which was like 3 years after the original) and then the phone app was actually decent.
They are not near as good as a Nokia phone but lets face it, you are not buying a Palm with a
phone as the most important thing, you want all the apps that can go on the palm and a bonus of
the phone.

youpii -

I wouldn't believe one seller but most of the sellers have that price
http://search1.taobao.com/browse/151...0-all-1512.htm

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Speak Chinese - The Warlords 投名狀 - Page 5 - From Beijing Chinese School.com > Chinese Culture > Films and Television

2008-06-08T06:13:00.001-07:00

The Warlords 投名狀
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Page 5 of 5 First < 34 5

skylee -

Quote:

Originally Posted by monto

As the movie goes, the three of the heroes made an oath together giving their names.

Actually they made the oath by each killing an innocent person (this part does not appear in the
mainland version). The film-makers were obviously inspired by the "Water Margin" when they decided
to include the "ceremony" in the film and have the film called by this name. This baidu link has
the story -> http://baike.baidu.com/view/841531.htm

Quote:

《水浒传》第十一回“朱贵水亭施号箭林冲雪夜上梁山”写王伦要求林冲�
��一个人头来当见面礼。

林冲道：“小人一身犯了死罪，因此来投入伙，何故相疑？”王伦道：“既�
��如此，你若真心入伙，把一个‘投名状’来。”林冲便道：“小人颇识几�
�，乞纸笔来便写。”朱贵笑道：“教头你错了。但凡好汉们入伙，须要纳投
名状，是教你下山去杀得一个人，将头献纳，他便无疑心，这个便谓之投名�
��。”林冲道：“这事也不难，林冲便下山去等，只怕没人过。”王伦道：�
�与你三日限。若三日内有投名状来，便容你入伙；若三日内没时，只得休怪
。”林冲应承了，自回房中宿歇，闷闷不已。

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monto -

Thanks for skylee, you enlighten me much.
However, even in the song dynasty, 投名状 did not mean as 王伦 meant. 林冲 was an educated
person then, his understanding of the term should be regarded as standard.

skylee -

Given the story, I would think that the film makers chose the name according to what Wang Lun
meant instead of what Lin Chong thought, standard or non-standard, right or wrong.

BTW, I've found an English outline of the story of "Water Margin" here ->
http://poisonpie.com/words/others/so...t/outline.html

Quote:

Chapter 11.

Chai Jin rescues Lin Chong and writes a letter of introduction for him to the bandits at Liangshan
Marsh in Jizhou, headed by Wang Lun “White-Clad Scholar”, Du Qian “Skyscraper”, and Song
Wan “Guardian of the Clouds”. En route, Chai Jin meets Zhu Gui “Dry-Land Crocodile”,who
leads him to the bandits. Wang Lun recognizes Lin Chong’s merit and is afraid of admitting him
lest he lose power to him. He demands a “membership certificate”, a head of a man, from Lin
Chong in three days.

For three days, Lin Chong hides out in the woods, but finds no solitary man to kill. He only
manages to steal the luggage of Yang Zhi the “Blue-Faced Beast”.

floatingmoon -

It's based on an old story 刺馬， 3 brothers, betrayal, revenge.

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Chinese School - Translating sentences from Pinyin to English. - From Beijing Chinese School.com > Learning Chinese > Chinese Tattoos, Chinese Names and Quick Translations

2008-06-07T08:24:00.001-07:00

Translating sentences from Pinyin to English.
Home New Posts

Rubicant -

My girlfriend has taken a liking to speaking a single Mandarin phrase of affection to me and then
challenging me to figure it out. The problem I seem to find is that all the translators out there
want you to use actual Chinese letters for input, and she isn't giving me that =\

Does anyone know of a reliable website, or other means, perhaps purchasing an actual dictionary,
to translate Pinyin directly into English? When one begins to learn Chinese/Pinyin, what do they
use to learn simple things like this?

The online sources I've found so far output several possible and vastly different definitions for
a single word, and can't produce a result if I input the entire phrase.

While I hopefully have someone's attention, the phrase I'm trying to translate this time is:
"Wan an qing ai de". I'd be grateful if anyone could tell me what that means.

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skylee -

It's "Good night, my dear". In traditinal Chinese characters it is "晚安，親愛的". In
simplified Chinese it is "晚安，亲爱的".

PS - the correct pinyin romanisation should be "Wan an qin ai de".

renzhe -

Figuring things from pinyin only can be tricky because the tones are usually not written, and
because the words/phrases are usually not grouped together. Then, the number of possible
interpretations can explode.

In this example, "Wan an" and "qin ai de" form meaningful blocks, which you can find in basically
any dictionary online.

Quote:

The best way is to separate the sentence into words (called ci), and translate that using a
dictionary, online or not.

Figuring out which characters belong together can be tricky when you're starting, you build this
knowledge through experience. You may have to group them randomly till something coherent comes
out. It's the same in every language -- just entering individual or incorrectly grouped syllables
into a dictionary won't accomplish anything.

Lu -

The dictionary that comes to mind is DeFrancis' ABC Dictionary, that lists words by pinyin. But to
use that you'd still need some basic knowledge of Chinese. Apart from asking here, your best
source is your girlfriend herself.

roddy -

If you type the pinyin into google.cn (not .com) it will give you suggested phrases below. You
could then run those through an online dictionary - links to be found here. It won't work one
hundred percent, so if it tells you something offensive, don't get mad at the girlfriend.

tooironic -

Just download a Chinese input program like Google Pinyin or Sugou (hell, even use Windows's crappy
one) and start typing the pinyin. Then, voila, the characters will come up magically before your
eyes!

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Chinese Course - Anybody doing LingQ? - From Beijing Chinese School.com > Learning Chinese > Resources and General Study Issues

2008-06-07T06:13:00.001-07:00

Anybody doing LingQ?
Home New Posts

flameproof -

Anybody doing LingQ?

What you think about it? I signed up for the free trial, but haven't tried anything yet.

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c_redman -

Their Chinese capabilities are very crude at this point. I saw in one of their newsletters that
the Chinese module wasn't intended to be used, but they accidentally made it accessible and then
decided to leave it as a beta test. For a beta test, I can't find any status page nor a
bug/suggestion form. I don't know much, other than just trying to test the limits of it.

The application doesn't do any word segmenting. So any text you work with will need to be already
broken into words, so that its vocabulary tools will work the same as it does for other languages.
Of course, Chinese word identification is a challenge for any software application, so I'm not too
surprised it's not implemented. If you do have a text that has spaces between the words, it makes
the experience somewhat artificial, as real Chinese is just a long string of unbroken characters.

They have an optimistic approach to tagging unknown words: Anything you haven't flagged as unknown
when you sign off on the item is assumed to be known. This is a good approach if you are at an
advanced level and have a low percentage of unknowns. But as a lower level learner, I would tend
toward adding half the words (literally) in the text to my flashcards, in my brick wall approach
to learning vocabulary. It's tedious enough to do this that I only played around a little with the
system before giving up. I have other programs that can generate vocabulary lists from a text.
Unfortunately there is no easy way to import it into their database. Oh, and there are only fields
for the definition and an example phrase, no pinyin.

I do like their idea of maintaining study material in personal collections, and tracking study
time for listening and reading. I have all my web texts saved into folders, and I rely on memory
to know what I have already seen. However, I have been studying long enough that I've gotten used
to my own favorite flashcard software and dictionaries, so I will stick with that.

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Chinese Class - Business Name Translation - From Beijing Chinese School.com > Learning Chinese > Chinese Tattoos, Chinese Names and Quick Translations

2008-06-06T08:24:00.001-07:00

Business Name Translation
Home New Posts

Sonnie -

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum - I begin studying Mandarin in Taiwan in June, and I am very
excited about it.

Can someone please do a quick translation for me.

Does this say 'Phoenix International Enterprises' ?

菲尼克斯国际企业

Thanks everyone.

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monto -

Yes, I believe.

Lu -

Yes, it does. Feinikesi is a transliteration (not a translation) of Phoenix. If you mean the city,
I suppose this one is better; if you mean the bird, and if this is your company, you might
consider changing it to 凤凰, which is Chinese for phoenix, and sounds better than Feinikesi.

Sonnie -

Ok great, I am looking for the chinese word for phoenix for my business name. So my business name
would be.

凤凰国际企业
(Phoenix International Enterprises)

Is that correct?

Thank you so much for your help, I could have made a big mistake and lost a lot of money with web
programming, business cards, etc...

Kind regards
Sonnie.

yonglin -

Hmm... just a bit curious: how are you planning on doing business in China w/o knowing any
Chinese? I suppose that's the purpose of translating the name of your business into Chinese...?!

Sonnie -

I am moving to Taiwan in two weeks to begin my Mandarin studies. My business will be based in
Sydney Australia but I will source my products from Taiwan. I understand that finding vendors
maybe a little difficult at first with very little knowledge of the language, but I will employ
the services of others and use English where I can in the meantime.

Thank you for your interest yonglin...

Lu -

If your business will do business with Taiwan, the name should be in traditional characters rather
than in simplified, so 鳳凰國際企業.
But wait for a native speaker to come by and say if this name is ok.

zhxlier -

One thing to consider: 凤凰/鳳凰 must be a trademark of numerous companies already, as it is a
common word.

In mainland China, 凤凰 is an old famous bicycle brand. It's getting less dominant now; but for
people older than 30, they would link 凤凰 to bicycle instantly.

Better check out if there's any famous 鳳凰 brand in Taiwan.

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Chinese language - 獅子座 - From Beijing Chinese School.com > Learning Chinese > Reading and Writing

2008-06-06T06:13:00.001-07:00

獅子座
Home New Posts

Andy-Ru -

Hi everyone!! A few days ago, I saw a guy on the train with a tattoo of 獅子座 and was
wondering what this meant. Does it refer to the constellation Leo?

Thanks

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monto -

Yes. 獅子座 = Leo. It's totally of Western.

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Learn mandarin - How to modify "edit entry" interface? - From Beijing Chinese School.com > Learning Chinese > Chinese Computing and Technology > ZDT Flashcards Forum

2008-06-05T08:24:00.001-07:00

How to modify "edit entry" interface?
Home New Posts

regisb -

Hi,
I am considering using ZDT as my one and only note taking tool in Chinese class. In order to do
that I need to be able to input example sentences along with the word translations in every
flashcard. Ideally, each entry would contain a text area that could optionnally be filled and
would be saved along with the rest of the card.

I guess I can develop this myself but I don't really know where to start. I took a look at the
developer's guide and it seems doable, even though my java is a bit rusty. Could someone please
point me in the right direction? (I don't expect this feature to be implemented in the base
version of ZDT, this shouldprobably take the form of a plugin).

If I can't do it I guess I'll ressort to the usual pen and paper plugin...

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bogleg -

If you want to write extensions for ZDT, besides some Java knowledge, you're also going to have to
learn some Eclipse RCP programming. To do what you want to do will probably require some changes
to the user database schema to support this extra data.

Anyway, if you can wait, this is something I plan on getting to. Besides adding support for adding
additional text, i want to also allow attaching of sounds and images as well.

Chris

All times are GMT +8. The time now is 06:44 PM.

Chinese Course - What are the Chinese characters to this name in Cantonese? - From Beijing Chinese School.com > Learning Chinese > Non-Mandarin Chinese

2008-06-05T06:13:00.001-07:00

What are the Chinese characters to this name in Cantonese?
Home New Posts

Sgt_Strider -

This is a female name and I can't figure out what the middle character is. In romanization it's
spelled as Lam Chan Yan (not quite sure on the middle character, but it sounds like zhan, jan, or
I think it sounds like the word lightning in Cantonese, I could be wrong about this) and I'm
pretty sure the first and last characters look like this: 林_訢. Can someone here let me know
what the middle character look like?

Also, I was talking with someone else and she told me that the female name, 李嘉欣 (I think I
got it right), is a common name. Any truth to this?

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Quest -

嘉欣 is a pretty common name.

林_欣: sorry can't think of a character for chan for a girl in a name.

Lu -

Who is the person with this name? Where did you come across this name, what did this person do,
perhaps we can find her somewhere online.
If it's someone you know rather than someone public, the most straightforward way of finding out
is asking her how her name is written

All times are GMT +8. The time now is 04:53 PM.

Learn to speak Chinese - Teaching English over the summer? - From Beijing Chinese School.com > Studying, Working and Living in China > Living in China > Teaching English in

2008-06-04T08:22:00.001-07:00

China
Teaching English over the summer?
Home New Posts

Pravit -

In May I'll be a fresh graduate with a BS in electrical engineering. I have one last summer before
I head off to grad school, and thought I'd like to go to China and teach English. I've been to
China a couple times before and knew some people who got informal gigs teaching English at
培训中心 type places - and they weren't even native speakers of English! (Czechs, Slovakians,
French). So, how easy would it be for me, an American Chinese who speaks English natively and
Chinese pretty well, to get a gig for two or three months teaching English? Am I limited to
培训中心 or could I try to get a job at a legitimate school? I don't have any TESL type
certification. I'd really love to work up in Xinjiang or some other out-of-the-way region,
actually. I would just be going over on a tourist visa unless I could get someone to sponsor me
for a different type of visa.

Thanks!

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Rincewind -

Quote:

So, how easy would it be for me, an American Chinese who speaks English natively and Chinese
pretty well, to get a gig for two or three months teaching English?

I'd say it's unlikely you'll get a paid job for such a short period of time. Six month and more
often a full year (actually 10 months in many cases due to holidays) is the normal contract
length. It costs the schools allot in time, paperwork, and money to arrange work visa and so it's
unlikely (but not impossible) that they will do this for someone coming for as little as two
months.

Quote:

Am I limited to 培训中心 or could I try to get a job at a legitimate school? I don't have any
TESL type certification.

If you have finished you degree and have the certificate then you need not worry about TESL or
similar. You degree will be sufficient to get a work visa. If you come for a longer contract then
you could work at any type of school form kindergarten through to University and either public or
private. However, during the summer, you'll probably be limited to private schools as the public
schools will be on holiday.

Quote:

I'd really love to work up in Xinjiang or some other out-of-the-way region, actually. I would just
be going over on a tourist visa unless I could get someone to sponsor me for a different type of
visa.

It's illegal to work on a tourist visa. Not that this will stop a school hiring you, many schools
hire people illegally. However, you must be aware of problems you may encounter before making your
decision. There are jobs around in the out of reach places. They are often hungry for workers but
can't afford to pay the rates you'd get in a big city. I have done some teaching in Inner Mongolia
which was very rewarding.

I have a query that may be related to your question. I wonder if anyone else can answer. If the
poster above came to do volunteer work (no pay). What visa would be required then?

roddy -

That time of year you are quite likely to end up working in a summer camp, which might be a
reasonable way of putting some money in the bank if you are already in China, but they don't have
much of a reputation for being fun - you're likely to be stuck on site at some school or
university, quite possibly out of town, and expected to spend at least some of your non-teaching
hours on 'activities' with the students. Still, if you actually want to teach English, that's
probably your best bet for the summer. Just make sure you know what the arrangements are.

liuzhou -

Quote:

If the poster above came to do volunteer work (no pay). What visa would be required then?

I looked into this a few years ago. The PSB informed me that it is illegal to work on a tourist
visa. Work is work irrespective if paid or not.

Not sure about their interpretation of the law (although it coincides with UK law) and I'm not
about to pursue it through the courts!

(Didn't apply to me anyway. Just doing a friend a favour.)

Pravit -

Thanks for the responses. I'm not really worried about making money; I just want to offset the
costs of coming to China for another summer. Perhaps it's the wrong reason to be teaching
English...

Quote:

However, you must be aware of problems you may encounter before making your decision. There are
jobs around in the out of reach places. They are often hungry for workers but can't afford to pay
the rates you'd get in a big city. I have done some teaching in Inner Mongolia which was very
rewarding.

I'd really like to live in an out of the way place, actually. I wouldn't mind losing the cost of
my plane tickets as long as I could live off of the teaching wages. How do you find such jobs? Do
you just go up there and ask around? What sort of problems might you run into?

Thanks for the summer camp suggestion, roddy, I'll look into it.

self-taught-mba -

My understanding is that volunteering falls into the language and "cultural exchange category"
which is a valid reason for a tourist visa.

We had a student who comes to China to do volunteer teaching at a government school and they gave
him an L visa also.

All times are GMT +8. The time now is 05:15 PM.

Chinese Class - Don't know how to translate this sentence - From Beijing Chinese School.com > Learning Chinese > Chinese Tattoos, Chinese Names and Quick Translations

2008-06-04T06:11:00.001-07:00

Don't know how to translate this sentence
Home New Posts

mizumi -

I barely know any Chinese and cannot figure out the meaning of this sentences although i've
checked the dictionary:
哪裡可怕啊
都挡不住
Please help me!

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Nikar -

Nice day!

哪裡可怕啊 = How can it be scary?

都挡不住 = Unable to block

Hope that helps,
Xeon

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Chinese School - 便 - From Beijing Chinese School.com > Learning Chinese > Reading and Writing

2008-06-03T08:22:00.001-07:00

便
Home New Posts

82riceballs -

我們正好到屏東去玩，便順道去拜訪他。
My translation: At that time, we were vacationing in Pingdong, so it was convenient for us to
visit him.

does 便 here mean "it is convenient" or "so that" or both? how else can 便 be used? can you
please supply an example sentence?

多謝！

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muyongshi -

便 is 就的意思

David Huo -

It means consequntly or thereforeYour translation only gave the judgment that it was convenient to
do something, but didn’t give the result, which is, the writer and his/her gang actually paid a
visit to “him”.

Moreover, “便” does not mean convenient here, it means “consequently” or “therefore”.

At that time, we were vacationing in Pingdong, so we took the chance to pay him a visit.

Under such meaning, the word is not often used in spoken Chinese, where it is always replaced by
“就”

82riceballs -

謝謝！

magudo -

便 could be 於是（so）

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Chinese School - A little Different - From Beijing Chinese School.com > Learning Chinese > Chinese Tattoos, Chinese Names and Quick Translations

2008-06-03T06:11:00.001-07:00

A little Different
Home New Posts

Nepenthe -

Backstory: I opened my kitchen cabinet today to discover that a ginger root I bought two months
ago and then forgotten had sprouted. In the dark. In a dry plastic bag. I'm now very fond of it.
I'm going to pot it. Being the kind of dork that needs to name every single living thing, I
decided that my ginger root needed a good Chinese name (Japanese is overdone). I scoured the web
and came up with Changchang -- cute, feminine, not too serious, apparently means "flourishing." I
like that! But I had no idea how to go about finding the right characters for it. This was the
first Chinese-language forum that appeared in my search, so I ask you: Changchang in Chinese
characters?

I'm also open to suggestions of better names.

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lyfey -

Hi, I reckon "长长“ shall be the right character. I like it too. As u said, it does have a
meaning just right for a Sprouted Ginger root, hehe.

Nepenthe -

Thank you, Lyfey! I like the way that looks.

I forgot to ask in my original post: I'm assuming the "a" in "Chang" is not pronounced like the
"a" in "cat," since that sound doesn't exist in most languages. Can anyone give me an
approximation? A little weird, I know, but I'm really just curious now.

imron -

Here is a recording of someone saying 长 from this table of chinese pronunciation.

skylee -

I am thinking ... "长长" can be "chang chang" (long long), "zhang zhang" (grow grow), "zhang
chang" (grow long), or "chang zhang" (keep growing) ...

rootfool -

Quote:

I am thinking ... "长长" can be "chang chang" (long long), "zhang zhang" (grow grow), "zhang
chang" (grow long), or "chang zhang" (keep growing) ...

hmm.I think "zhang chang" and "chang zhang" may more proper.

here is a puzzle about this.

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Speak Chinese - From Beijing Chinese School - View Single Post - Conversational Chinese 301

2008-06-02T08:45:00.001-07:00

Thread: Conversational Chinese 301
View Single Post

Conversational Chinese 301

Paperback, 198 pages
ISBN10: 7561914032
ISBN13:
Publication Date: 2005-7
Annotation language: English
Language skill: Speaking, Integrated
Level: Beginner
Category: Chinese Textbooks for Adults - Integrated Textbooks
Medium: Paper

Conversational Chinese 301 was first published in 1990. Its revised edition, included in the
series of "BLCU choice textbook for learners overseas", was published in 1998. Conversational
Chinese 301 has several different versions, including versions annotated in English, in French, in
Japanese, and in Korean etc., and the sales of all these versions added up to over 300,000 copies.
It is regarded as the most popular Chinese textbooks for foreigners all over the world at present.
The third edition of Conversational Chinese 301 is divided into two volumes: Volume 1 and Volume
2. Versions of the third edition annotated in different languages will be published successively
to satisfy the various needs of learners of Chinese all over the world.

====================================================================================================

Contributors: BLCUP
Created by BLCUP, 21st February 2008 at 03:27 PM
Last edited by BLCUP, 22nd February 2008 at 05:43 PM
0 Comments , 483 Views

Discussion

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Forum: Bug Reports / Help 13th February 2008, 07:22 PM

Replies: 4

Quick Note on Admin Notes

Posted By muyongshi

回复: Quick Note on Admin Notes

I love the reason that you cited yourself for...that was the first thing that caught my eye. Need
to be careful Roddy! Imron's patience has it's limits! :mrgreen:

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2008-06-01T08:24:00.001-07:00

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Forum: Other cultures and language 23rd April 2008, 10:43 PM

Replies: 12

how to make gelato?

Posted By gougou

回复: how to make gelato?

See here (http://www. From Beijing Chinese School.com/showthread.php?t=18265).

There must be a correlation between learning Chinese and craving ice...

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Forum: Other cultures and language 24th October 2007, 12:45 AM

Replies: 177

What other languages do we speak

Posted By NewDominion

Re: What other languages do we speak

I'm learning Uyghur right now. It's a fantastic language.

Men hazir Uyghurcheni ogenwetimen. Bu til nahayiti chirayliq.

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Chinese Online Class - Please help with my research - From Beijing Chinese School.com > Learning Chinese > Reading and Writing

2008-05-31T04:45:00.001-07:00

Please help with my research
Home New Posts

dmbraun -

I recently graduated and I was hoping you could help me with research that I am doing for a new
community website that will be available in East Asia. The website will be designed for
college-age computer programmers/developers to discuss current events, new technologies, and just
about anything they want to discuss. I wanted to know any connotations or meanings that Chinese
people might get from the English word "spoke." We are using spoke as in hub and spoke to connect
people. What is the translation? What would a Chinese person think of when they heard the word
"spoke" or �the spoke.� In slang what does �spoke� mean? Especially, do you think any negative
connotations could be derived from the sound, spelling, or translation of the word? Any help would
be much appreciated.

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confucius -

It's too awkward. The Chinese simply won't get it despite the fact that more than half the country
rides bikes to work. :?
Instead of 'spoke', try "fresh" instead. ("xian" if you are going to use the Chinese character,
otherwise avoid the pinyin and just use the English word "Fresh") This word is used in Chinese
slang much as it is in America and has an appropriate connotation for your web site's theme. :idea:
You always have to start from the Chinese perspective when you play around with brand names and
corresponding translations. What sounds cool in English often makes no sense whatsoever when
translated into Chinese. Try something that sounds cool or clever in Chinese first and then see
what the English looks like and make modifications from there.

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Forum: Bug Reports / Help 2nd November 2007, 08:58 PM

Replies: 4

help:i can't see my post reply

Posted By ZFS-China

Re: help:i can't see my post reply

Awesome, thanks :D

Forum: Bug Reports / Help 2nd November 2007, 07:10 PM

Replies: 4

help:i can't see my post reply

Posted By ZFS-China

Re: help:i can't see my post reply

How long does it take for posts to show up? When am I not considered a new member?

Best,
ZFS

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Forum: Forums Information 22nd April 2005, 09:10 PM

Replies: 0

RSS Feed

Posted By roddy

RSS Feed

The forums has an RSS feed at
http://www. From Beijing Chinese School (forums not open to guests
will not be...

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Forum: Other cultures and language 13th May 2008, 03:53 PM

Replies: 4

'a language of xxx' generalizations

Posted By Lu

Re: 'a language of xxx' generalizations

This is the funniest:

Taiwanese is essentially Mandarin (though the letter 'H' was mortally wounded during the civil
war).
--Jonathan Walton
(provided that he means Taiwanese Guoyu)

Also...

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Forum: Other cultures and language 13th March 2006, 05:09 AM

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What other languages do we speak

Posted By -(Shell)-

English is my first language, so I'm obviously...

English is my first language, so I'm obviously fluent. And I am studying German at school. I
wouldn't consider myself anywhere near fluent in German though.......für jetzt..........

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Chinese Mandarin - Boeing to continue investment in China

2008-05-26T04:40:00.001-07:00

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China Observer

�� RMB should not appreciate too fast - experts

�� Beijing's Xiushui Market in a dilemma: fakes still appear

�� Making the elderly in the countryside enjoy their life

Photos

�� 36th Scientific Assembly of COSPAR begins in Beijing

�� Ethnic minorities welcome visitors

�� Chinese oil paintings sell hot at auction

��Home>>Business

Boeing to continue investment in China

www.chinanews.cn 2006-07-18 17:09:38

(Source: Xinhua)

July 18 - Boeing will continue its investment in China in the next two
decades to ensure its status as a major provider of commercial airplanes
to China, the company's senior official said in an interview with Xinhua
on Monday.
In Boeing's 2006 Current Market Outlook released last Wednesday, the U.S.
plane maker projects a need for approximately 27,200 new commercial
airplanes worldwide, and the Asia-Pacific region is believed to be the
largest market, Larry Dickenson, the senior vice president of sales for
Boeing Commercial Airplanes told Xinhua at the Farnborough International
Airshow in southern England.
"Our advantages are, if we have advantages... that we have been working
in China for 34 years," Dickenson said, adding the Boeing has helped
train about 15,000 Chinese professionals in maintenance, piloting and
executive training.
"We look at China as a strategic partner force. And its airline has
matured, and continues to grow primarily with Boeing equipment and Boeing
training. So we are going to work with China as a partner," Dickenson
said.
"We believe that as our products become more and more competitive, there
is no reason to believe that we should not be, continue to be the major
provider of airplanes to China in the future," said Dickenson.
When asked about whether Boeing is considering building an assembly line
in China just like its competitor Airbus, Dickenson said Boeing was
probably not going to change its strategy towards China, and it would
continue to invest in China in the areas of spare parts manufacturing,
maintenance, repair and air traffic control.

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Chinese Lesson - Huge trade surplus exposed imbalance of domestic economy

2008-05-25T04:40:00.001-07:00

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China Observer

�� Low-cost aviation has wide prospects in China, expert

�� Making the elderly in the countryside enjoy their life

�� The housing prices remain unreasonable

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��Home>>Business

Huge trade surplus exposed imbalance of domestic economy

www.chinanews.cn 2006-07-13 11:30:08

Chinanews, July 12 - China's trade surplus rose to a monthly record high
of $14.5 billion in June after reaching $13 billion in May, up 49% from
the corresponding period of the last year.
Experts said the major reason for the huge trade surplus is the imbalance
of domestic demand -- the unmatching of domestic saving and investment
structure in China. The flowing of productive elements across the
countries in the background of the globalisition is another important
reason.
Mei Xinyu, an expert at the Institute of International Economic and Trade
Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce, said that the country's trade
surplus was the result of the macro-economy trend and international
production transfer of the United States, the European Union and other
major trade partners. Both the US and EU's macro-economies have witnessed
an upward trend, while their international production has kept
transfering to China and their products mix kept upgrading. It thus has
inevitably driven China's export growth.
The Chinese government has moved to reduce the huge trade surplus. The
country is quickening the adjustment of economic structure, changing the
growth mode of foreign trade and encouraging domestic consumption. It has
revised several export policies and provided preferential credit for
certain imported goods to encourage the companies' importing.
But it is difficult to make domestic demand the major driving force of
the economic growth and reduce the trade surplus in a short period. Mei
said there were some conflicts between the effort of curbing the trade
surplus and the economic growth and between the sufficient employment and
the goal of improving the industrial structure.
The increase of investments by wide margins will make the situation of
excessive production capability become worse, while consumption increase
should depend on the improvement of the income allocation pattern and the
social security system--both of which, however, can not be achieved
overnight.

��China cannot reduce trade surplus on its own

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Chinese language - How long can DINK continue to be childless?

2008-05-24T04:40:00.001-07:00

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�� A glimpse at sweatshops in China

�� Shanghai the int'l metropolis is losing Chinese characteristics

�� China tries out new retirement modes

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�� Nicole Kidman in Shanghai

�� National Water Lily Exhibition in Hangzhou

�� Quanzhou set up first emergency shelter

��Home>>Life

How long can DINK continue to be childless?

www.chinanews.cn 2006-07-01 15:06:55

Chinanews, Beijing, June 30 - China's DINK class (Double Income No Kids)
began more than twenty years ago. Just when people are beginning to
acknowledge and accept the existence of DINK families, DINKs themselves
began to regret their choices and one can observe the phenomenon of
"post-35 childbearing"��DINK women after passing 35 realizing that if
they were to postpone having children they might never become mothers. Or
they realize that without children in their midst, their flat marital
life would drift towards isolated quietude and therefore they gave up
their DINK lifestyle.
Chunmei, 43 years old, is professional manager with a son 2 years and six
months old. She said she originally chose to be a DINK. When she
accidentally became pregnant and was told that she might never conceive
again if she chose to abort the fetus, she made the decision to have the
child.
Wen Yu, 41 years old, is free-lance writer with a two-year old daughter.
She said she chose DINK to begin with but realized her choice required
much courage because many people could not understand her decision and
were talking behind her back. After toughing it for eight years she could
not hold on and also realized if she persisted she would never have a
chance to choose to bring a new life to this world. She gave up and gave
in.
The emergence in China of the phenomenon of a return of DINK family to
tradition is caused by different psychological frame of mind induced by
different age groups. Accelerated societal competition made it easy for
people to feel hatred and anxiety, resulting in loss of psychological
balance. Only a triangular family model can form stability, can build a
platform to bear and neutralize these negative psychological feelings. A
healthy, complete and happy family is man's heaven and woman's Eden.

��Chinese-style DINK couple in potential trouble

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Chinese Mandarin - Labor cost rise in China will ignite a worldwide inflation

2008-05-23T04:40:00.001-07:00

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China Observer

�� Chinese banks' listing parades: Good or bad?

�� Migrant workers face love and marriage dilemmas

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�� Nicole Kidman in Shanghai

�� National Water Lily Exhibition in Hangzhou

�� Quanzhou set up first emergency shelter

��Home>>Business

Labor cost rise in China will ignite a worldwide inflation

www.chinanews.cn 2006-06-20 10:58:34

Chinanews, Beijing, Jun. 20 �CMorgan Stanley chief economist Xie Guozhong
recently predicted that China would become a source country to start the
next round of global inflation, which would be signified by a major
commodity price hike resulting from rising labor cost in China and higher
production cost pushed up by China��s implementation of a stricter
environmental protection standard.
The rising production cost will soon make Walmart, the world��s largest
retailer, frown. As China is now implementing stricter environmental
protection standards and the country is brewing a salary raise for
workers, production cost will soon rise and the 7-dollar woolen sweater
will become a thing of the past.
Expensive labor cost, stricter environmental protection standards and the
rise of raw materials prices will make the inflation bubble become bigger
and bigger in China. As the production cost rises in China, commodity
price for products such as toys, clothes, electronics and other exported
products will soon rise inevitably.
As Chinese government tries to boost domestic consumption by raising
workers�� salaries, the production cost of export goods in
labor-intensive industries, such as textiles, will soon go up. Export
goods in labor-intensive industries account for 30% of China��s total
export. The price of export goods will also be raised as China implements
a stricter environmental protection standard, which in turn will push up
the price of some chemical goods.
It is expected that China��s production cost rise will push up the U.S.
inflation rate by 0.5 percentage point, and the global inflation rate by
0.7 percentage point every year.
In fact, price hike has already taken place in many Asian countries now.
The latest statistics released by the U.S. Department of Labor shows that
last May, the average imported commodity price from Asia and the Pacific
region (including China) already rose by 0.2 percentage point.
Statistics from the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), with its
headquarters based in London, shows that in 2005, the average labor cost
in China already climbed to 1.36 US dollars per hour, up 72% from 2001.
EIU predicts that such labor cost will keep rising in the future, and by
2010, it will be twice the present figure, although by then, the minimum
labor cost in China will still be 4 percentage points lower than that in
the United States.
At present, local governments in at least five provinces in China say
that they plan to raise the minimum salary for workers. Large cities like
Shanghai and Guangzhou also plan to increase the minimum salary. This
shows that pay raise has already started in China.

��China will not see inflation this year

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Chinese language - Trains running on Qinghai-Tibet Rail Line ready for use

2008-05-22T04:40:00.001-07:00

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China Observer

�� China's oil security faces four major threats

�� China makes efforts to build spindle-shaped income distribution
structure

Photos

�� Al Jazeera Satellite TV Station focus China

�� China's new spokeswoman of foreign affairs

�� Qinghai-Tibet Railway stations to start operation

��Home>>China Travelling

Trains running on Qinghai-Tibet Rail Line ready for use

www.chinanews.cn 2006-06-14 17:45:29

Chinanews, Qingdao, Jun. 14 �C Trains that are made for running on the
Qinghai-Tibet Rail Line were released from their manufacturer, the CSR
Sifang Locomotive and Rolling Stock Co., Ltd. on Tuesday. After a trial
use, the 169 trains will start working on July 1st when the line is
formally kicked off.
As the world's highest and longest railway line, the Qinghai-Tibet
Railway runs through places characterized with less oxygen, frozen soil,
strong ultraviolet radiation, and constant weather changes. The tough
geographical conditions on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau require that trains
running on it should also have some special functions not seen in
passenger trains that run on plains.
Compared with trains on plains, the trains designed to run on plateaus
involve many technology innovations. To counter the discomfort that
people experience when traveling on the plateau, the trains are installed
with two kinds of oxygen supplying systems that can provide additional
oxygen either through a ventilation system, that can raise the oxygen
density to 23.5-25% in the cabin, or through individual masks that have a
higher 40-45% oxygen density.
To protect the ecological environment on the plateau, the trains boast
��zero garbage disposal��. All the rubbish and waste water on board will
be collected and discharged together.
Meanwhile, the trains are decorated with patterns typically seen in
Tibetan art and culture. Colors such as Tibetan yellow and Tibetan red
are frequently used to show the trains' distinctive regional feature.
Insiders say that production of these trains signifies that China's
locomotive production has climbed to a new level.

          ��Staff of Qinghai-Tibet Railway trained for better service
          ��Qinghai-Tibet Railway stations to start operation
          ��No news yet for the sales of tickets for trains that will run
on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway
          ��Tibetan antelopes adapted to the channel cross Qinghai-Tibet
Railway
          ��Qinghai-Tibet Rail to bring mineral water to Beijing
          ��
          ��Police petrol on horses in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
          ��Qinghai-Tibet Railway to bring more visitors to Tibet
          ��Qinghai-Tibet railway not exclusive for foreigners
          ��Five-star trains to run on Qinghai-Tibet Railway

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Chinese School - Shanghai's novel sculptures

2008-05-21T04:40:00.001-07:00

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China Observer

�� China's oil security faces four major threats

�� China makes efforts to build spindle-shaped income distribution
structure

Photos

�� Hospitalized pets enjoyed music

�� College entrance examinees relaxed after test

�� "Pigeon in a green ball" to illuminate Shanghai

��Home>>Photos

Shanghai's novel sculptures

www.chinanews.cn 2006-06-09 15:26:21

Nowadays art creation in Shanghai is novel, unique and eye-catching.
Pictured: a new urban sculpture cluster named "led by a yellow lady" was
unveiled to the audience.

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Chinese Mandarin - Shanghai held emergency disposal exercise of river pollution

2008-05-20T04:40:00.001-07:00

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China Observer

�� China's oil security faces four major threats

�� China makes efforts to build spindle-shaped income distribution
structure

Photos

�� Bible Ministry Exhibition of the Church in China held in NYC

�� Zhengzhou's 600 kg environmental alarm bell

�� "Stamp king" set record in auction price

��Home>>Photos

Shanghai held emergency disposal exercise of river pollution

www.chinanews.cn 2006-06-06 17:53:01

Maritime affairs and environmental protection vessels that took part in
the "2006 emergency disposal exercise of sudden pollution in the Huangpu
River" held a vowing ceremony to preserve the water environment on June
5, and were well equipped to leave for their mission on the Huangpu
River, the mother river for Shanghai.

June 5th, 2006 was the 35th World Environment Day, and "2006 emergency
disposal exercise of sudden pollution in the Huangpu River" was held on
the river. No.310 pollutant cleaning ship dispatched by the Shanghai
Dong'an Offshore Oil-spill Emergency Centre exercised in an emergency oil
pollutant control. The ship simulated to put 200-meter-long rubber fence
made of floaters to enclose the oil to put the oil-spill accident under
control and prevent the pollutant from spreading.

June 5th, 2006 was the 35th World Environment Day, and "2006 emergency
disposal exercise of sudden pollution in the Huangpu River" was held on
the river. Pictured: clean boat that succeeded in the mission

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Learn Chinese online - Character figures of Tianjin's snack shops

2008-05-19T04:40:00.001-07:00

Home Business Politics Life Culture��Edu Sci��Tech Sports Photos

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China Observer

�� China's oil security faces four major threats

�� China makes efforts to build spindle-shaped income distribution
structure

Photos

�� Shenyang Int'l Horticulture Expo Garden

�� Exhibition of sci-tech education for students

�� Anhui citizens enjoyed the cool

��Home>>Photos

Character figures of Tianjin's snack shops

www.chinanews.cn 2006-06-02 09:20:39

Photo shows painted figures in front of the traditional snack shops shot
on May 24, 2006. A group of painted character figures that highlighted
traditional snack shops in Tianjin showed up at the door of a fried dough
twist shop on Nanshi Food Street of the city. They have appealed to
numerous citizens and tourists to stay and appreciate for their vivid
images and diversified expressions.

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Chinese School - Panda triplets gave performance

2008-05-18T04:41:00.001-07:00

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China Observer

�� China makes efforts to build spindle-shaped income distribution
structure

Photos

�� Narrowest natural canyon found on Flaming Mountain

�� Closer look at "celebrity"

�� Japanese monk starved himself to express his apology

��Home>>Photos

Panda triplets gave performance

www.chinanews.cn 2006-05-30 16:34:08

Xinxin, one of the panda triplets at the age of 22 months old, gave
performance of flying wings in Fuzhuo Panda World on May 29.

The panda triplets received stern training since they were one year old
and are able to stage 15 difficult programs at present.

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Learn mandarin - Future scene of Old Temple of Town God

2008-05-17T04:40:00.001-07:00

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China Observer

Photos

�� Beijing Hotel had emergency drills

�� Canal art festival staged in Hangzhou

�� Asian Culture Tradition Month in LA

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Future scene of Old Temple of Town God

www.chinanews.cn 2006-05-25 15:15:28

On the bounding wall around the construction site of Shanghai's Old
Temple of Town God, a series pictures about future scene of Yuyuan
Garden-Old Temple of Town God Scenic Spot, such as restored Old Temple of
Town God, ancient stage on Fangbang Road and Fashion Street in Yuyuan
Garden, were unveiled in the form of 35mm negatives on May 23, 2006. Such
beautiful outlook of the scenic spot with unique Shanghai characteristics
was presented with negative film so that Shanghai citizens and tourists
can appreciate the "old city view" in Shanghai ahead of time.

Copyright� 2004 Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Disclaimer: viewpoints in the website do not represent China News Service

Chinese School - Chinese classics reading contest held

2008-05-16T04:40:00.001-07:00

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China Observer

Photos

�� The Third National Sports Fair

�� Exercise of nuclear and chemical weapon attacks

�� Emperor Liu Bang's sacrifice ceremony

��Home>>Photos

Chinese classics reading contest held

www.chinanews.cn 2006-05-21 17:08:11

Pupils in ancient costumes of Tang style read poem "Youzi Yin" (Poem for
wanderers) during The Third Globle Chinese Classics Reading Contest held
in Taiwan on May 20, 2006.

A only 3-year old girl attend The Third Globle Chinese Classics Reading
Contest held in Taiwan on May 20, 2006.

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Disclaimer: viewpoints in the website do not represent China News Service

Learn Chinese - Underwater museum completed in Xuzhou

2008-05-15T04:40:00.001-07:00

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China Observer

�� China gains trust in Africa

�� "Ancient Rome of the East"

Photos

�� HK Police "Special Duties Unit" show off stunts

�� Identical twin sharks to be hatched

�� South China Sea Fleet busy with drilling

��Home>>Photos

Underwater museum completed in Xuzhou

www.chinanews.cn 2006-05-17 15:32:14

China's first underwater terra-cotta warriors and horses museum was
completed on May 16. It is located in the deep pool in the west of the
Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD) culture scenic spot and is an important part of
Xuzhou City's Han Dynasty Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum. It will
present the panorama of the Han Dynasty terra-cotta warriors and horses
pit to the world. In 2005, the Xuzhou Municipal Government decided to
build an underwater museum on the site of two cavalry pits. The
underwater museum is composed of two cup-shaped buildings in the east and
west. The west exhibition hall displays the original appearance of the
Pit No. 5 while the east hall showcases the battle array of the Han
Dynasty cavalry as well as China's ancient cavalry corps.

Copyright� 2004 Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Disclaimer: viewpoints in the website do not represent China News Service

Chinese Lesson - Chinese riot police respected in Haiti

2008-05-14T04:41:00.001-07:00

Home Business Politics Life Culture��Edu Sci��Tech Sports Photos

��Search

China Observer

�� China gains trust in Africa

�� "Ancient Rome of the East"

�� Boao, small fishing town in the process of amazing changes

Photos

�� Artistic screen wall completed

�� Safety knowledge delivered to construction site

�� Traditional wedding in a water town

��Home>>Photos

Chinese riot police respected in Haiti

www.chinanews.cn 2006-05-12 15:24:07

The inaugural ceremony of Haiti's new elected president Rene Preval is
going to be held, according to news from Port-au-Prince harbor on May 10.
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti and Haiti national
police have investigated the safeguarding route of inauguration and
constituted the guarding plan, and especially invited the Chinese
peacekeeping and riot police that have provided many good suggestions for
the safeguarding plan. In Haiti, the Chinese riot police are highly
respected among the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti and riot
teams of other countries due to its highly professional skills and strict
disciplinary style.

Copyright� 2004 Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
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Chinese Online Class - Tomb appears on Olympic venue construction site

2008-05-10T05:36:00.001-07:00

Home Business Politics Life Culture��Edu Sci��Tech Sports Photos

��Search

China Observer

�� China gains trust in Africa

�� "Ancient Rome of the East"

�� Boao, small fishing town in the process of amazing changes

Photos

�� Chinese FM attends meeting on Iran N-case

�� Bun-snatching competition

�� "China Sand Sculpture Art City" in Turpan

��Home>>Sport

Tomb appears on Olympic venue construction site

www.chinanews.cn 2006-05-09 14:40:46

Chinanews, May 9 - A tomb group was dug out at the construction site of
the shooting range for the 2008 Olympic Games, putting the construction
on hold for the time being. The tombs are waiting for a further check,
which will be done by professionals from the Ministry of Culture at a
later time. If the tombs prove to have historical value, some other
location for the Olympic shooting range will be chosen.
The tombs are located at the west Fifth Ring Road in Beijing. At present,
an archeological institute has already marked the area off for further
research
From the scale of a tomb, archeologists guessed that the tomb owner might
be an influential official, possibly a eunuch in the former imperial
palace. From the unearthed copper coins and tiles experts concluded that
the tomb should have been built during the Wanli reign period (1573
-1620) in the Ming Dynasty.

          ��Beijing commenced training for Olympic security
          ��Beijing sets scheme to protect Olympic Games against
terrorist acts
          ��Beijing builds first Olympic bus fleet

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Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Disclaimer: viewpoints in the website do not represent China News Service

Chinese Online Class - --Hotels - eLong

2008-05-09T03:54:00.001-07:00

Home Inns - Mudu Inn

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This inn has 87 guestrooms including standard room, single rooms and
business rooms, all with broadband Internet ports, 24-hour hot water
shower, air conditioning, TV, telephone and furniture.

This inn is located in the historic cultural Mudu Town, built against the
hill and having water flowing by. It is close the the Suzhou High-tech
Development Zone, and the Lingyan Hill is within walking distance.

Dining

Chinese restaurant

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
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Chinese Online Class - --Hotels - eLong

2008-05-08T03:54:00.001-07:00

Continue

Newly decorated, low prices, 20-minute walk to Beijing West Railway
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This two-star hotel is located on the south side of Guang'anmen Bridge on
the west 2nd Ring Road. The public transportation is convenient in front
of the hotel. There are 200 guestrooms, a 150-seat restaurant and a
100-seat report hall in the hotel.

Dining

Chinese restaurant Mah-jong room Conference room

Recreation

Car rental Parking Travel desk

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Learn Chinese, Learning Chinese, Chinese Course, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet

Chinese language - --Hotels - eLong

2008-05-07T03:54:00.001-07:00

Zi Yu Hotel - Beijing

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Located on the West 3rd Ring Road, the hotel has easy access to the
airport, railway station and many universities.

All its guestrooms features air conditioning, refrigerator, safe box,
IDD/DDD phone and 24-hr hot water.

Jiuhuashan Restaurant offers Beijing Roast Duck and Shandong cuisines.
Ziyun Xuan offers Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines for your choice.

The 3-star Zi Yu Hotel, located near the China Central Television Tower,
is a 40-minute drive from the airport. The hotel features a beauty salon,
a karaoke hall and shops.

Location

Property Amenities

Room Amenities

===========================================================================
Hotel Star:
Opening Date: Sep,1984 Last Renovation Date: Mar,2005
Address: 55 Zengguang Road, West 3rd Ring North Road, Beijing

Rooms and Rates

Room type Regular price Breakfast Wed Thu
Standard Room/Type B/Zixia Garden �580 N/A �288 �288
Single Room/Ziguang Tower �580 N/A �288 �288
Deluxe Standard Room/Yulan Tower �980 N/A �348 �348

More rooms/units

Booking policy

Price for breakfast: Buffet �10. Pay at the hotel using cash or credit
card. Credit cards accepted: Visa, Peony, Kins, Greatwall, Long, Master,
AE, Diners, JCB. Check-in between 06:00 and 08:00 may result in certain
fees. The room rate includes the service fee but excludes other hotel
charges, taxes and fees resulting from special requests. The regular time
for check-in is 14:00 and the regular check-out time is 12:00 noon. If
you need to check in earlier or extend your stay, the hotel may charge an
extra fee. (All times shown are GMT + 8 hours.) A credit card guarantee
is required by the hotel. Please view our Policy for Credit Card
Guarantees and Privacy Policy.

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Learn Chinese, Chinese Course, Chinese Mandarin, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet

Chinese Lesson - --Hotels - eLong

2008-05-06T00:41:00.001-07:00

Dong Chang An Hotel Beijing

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Opened in 1999, hotel is locate on Jianguomen Wai Avenue, adjacent to
Silk Street and World Trade Center, and only 2 kms off the railway
station.

Dong Chang An Hotel has 90 rooms, from standard rooms to the Presidential
Suite. All rooms are equipped with satellite television,
air-conditioning, an IDD telephone, a mini-bar and internet access.

Hotel restaurants serve authentic Huaiyang cuisine and Western food. For
business travellers, the hotel provides meeting rooms and a business
center that offers typing and photocopying services.

Dining

Chinere restaurant Meeting rooms Disco Karaoke rooms Sauna Beauty salon
Virtual Tour

Recreation

Business center Currency exchange Jewelry shop Travel desk

View Image

Conference

2 meeting room

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Learn Chinese, Learning Mandarin, Chinese Course, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet

Learn Mandarin online - --Hotels - eLong

2008-05-05T00:38:00.001-07:00

Home Inns - Mudu Inn

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This inn has 87 guestrooms including standard room, single rooms and
business rooms, all with broadband Internet ports, 24-hour hot water
shower, air conditioning, TV, telephone and furniture.

Dining

Chinese restaurant

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Learn Chinese, Chinese Online Class, Chinese Course, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet

Chinese School - --Hotels - eLong

2008-05-04T00:38:00.001-07:00

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Newly decorated, low prices, 20-minute walk to Beijing West Railway
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Dining

Chinese restaurant Mah-jong room Conference room

Recreation

Car rental Parking Travel desk

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Chinese School - --Hotels - eLong

2008-05-03T00:38:00.001-07:00

Zi Yu Hotel - Beijing

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Hotel Features

Located on the West 3rd Ring Road, the hotel has easy access to the
airport, railway station and many universities.

All its guestrooms features air conditioning, refrigerator, safe box,
IDD/DDD phone and 24-hr hot water.

Jiuhuashan Restaurant offers Beijing Roast Duck and Shandong cuisines.
Ziyun Xuan offers Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines for your choice.

The 3-star Zi Yu Hotel, located near the China Central Television Tower,
is a 40-minute drive from the airport. The hotel features a beauty salon,
a karaoke hall and shops.

Location

Property Amenities

Room Amenities

Rooms and Rates

More rooms/units

Booking policy

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Learn Chinese - --Hotels - eLong

2008-05-02T04:44:00.001-07:00

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Newly decorated, low prices, 20-minute walk to Beijing West Railway
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Dining

Chinese restaurant Mah-jong room Conference room

Recreation

Car rental Parking Travel desk

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Learning Materials, Chinese Course, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet

Chinese Online Class - --Hotels - eLong

2008-05-01T04:44:00.001-07:00

Zi Yu Hotel - Beijing

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Hotel Features

Located on the West 3rd Ring Road, the hotel has easy access to the
airport, railway station and many universities.

All its guestrooms features air conditioning, refrigerator, safe box,
IDD/DDD phone and 24-hr hot water.

Jiuhuashan Restaurant offers Beijing Roast Duck and Shandong cuisines.
Ziyun Xuan offers Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines for your choice.

The 3-star Zi Yu Hotel, located near the China Central Television Tower,
is a 40-minute drive from the airport. The hotel features a beauty salon,
a karaoke hall and shops.

Location

Property Amenities

Room Amenities

Rooms and Rates

More rooms/units

Booking policy

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Learn Mandarin online - --Hotels - eLong

2008-04-30T04:43:00.001-07:00

Continue

Newly decorated, low prices, 20-minute walk to Beijing West Railway
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Dining

Chinese restaurant Mah-jong room Conference room

Recreation

Car rental Parking Travel desk

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Learn Chinese, Chinese School, Chinese Course, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet

Learn Chinese online - --Hotels - eLong

2008-04-29T05:42:00.001-07:00

Zi Yu Hotel - Beijing

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Location

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Hotel Features

Located on the West 3rd Ring Road, the hotel has easy access to the
airport, railway station and many universities.

All its guestrooms features air conditioning, refrigerator, safe box,
IDD/DDD phone and 24-hr hot water.

Jiuhuashan Restaurant offers Beijing Roast Duck and Shandong cuisines.
Ziyun Xuan offers Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines for your choice.

The 3-star Zi Yu Hotel, located near the China Central Television Tower,
is a 40-minute drive from the airport. The hotel features a beauty salon,
a karaoke hall and shops.

Location

Property Amenities

Room Amenities

Rooms and Rates

More rooms/units

Booking policy

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Learn Chinese, Chinese Course, Learn Mandarin online, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet

Learn Chinese - --Hotels - eLong

2008-04-28T04:37:00.001-07:00

Continue

Newly decorated, low prices, 20-minute walk to Beijing West Railway
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General Information

Dining

Chinese restaurant Mah-jong room Conference room

Recreation

Car rental Parking Travel desk

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Learn Mandarin online - --Hotels - eLong

2008-04-27T04:30:00.001-07:00

Zi Yu Hotel - Beijing

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Hotel Features

Located on the West 3rd Ring Road, the hotel has easy access to the
airport, railway station and many universities.

All its guestrooms features air conditioning, refrigerator, safe box,
IDD/DDD phone and 24-hr hot water.

Jiuhuashan Restaurant offers Beijing Roast Duck and Shandong cuisines.
Ziyun Xuan offers Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines for your choice.

The 3-star Zi Yu Hotel, located near the China Central Television Tower,
is a 40-minute drive from the airport. The hotel features a beauty salon,
a karaoke hall and shops.

Location

Property Amenities

Room Amenities

Rooms and Rates

More rooms/units

Booking policy

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Chinese Class - --Hotels - eLong

2008-04-26T03:51:00.001-07:00

Lvyuan Hotel - Shanghai

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The three-star Lvyuan Hotel, opened in 1991, is 10 minutes drive from the
city center, 15 minutes from the railway station and 35 minutes from the
airport. The hotel is close to the famous Bund.

The 21-floor hotel provides 250 guest rooms, with a standard room
measuring 23 square meters.

Our restaurant serves traditional Shanghai cuisine. For recreation, the
hotel has karaoke rooms, a ballroom, a chess and cards room, four meeting
rooms, with the largest one capable of holding 200 people.

Dining

Restaurants Dancing hall Chess room Sauna center Cafe Meeting rooms Shop

Recreation

Business center Ticket booking

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Chinese language - --Hotels - eLong

2008-04-25T03:52:00.001-07:00

Goldstar Hotel - Nanjing

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Nanjing Goldstar Hotel is located at the Xinjiehou commercial area of
city center. There are 201 guestrooms in the hotel.

Location

Property Amenities

Room Amenities

===========================================================================
Opening Date: Jul,2005
Address: 36 Guanjiaqiao, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province

Rooms and Rates

Room type Regular price Breakfast Wed Thu
Superior Room/Kingsize Bed �198 N/A �188 �188
Business Room/Kingsize Bed �228 N/A �218 �218
Business Room �248 N/A �228 �228

More rooms/units

Booking policy

Price for breakfast: Chinese breakfast �10 . Pay at the hotel using
cash or credit card. Credit cards accepted: Visa, Peony, Kins,
Greatwall, Long, Pacific, Master, AE, Diners, JCB. The room rate includes
the service fee but excludes other hotel charges, taxes and fees
resulting from special requests. The regular time for check-in is 14:00
and the regular check-out time is 12:00 noon. If you need to check in
earlier or extend your stay, the hotel may charge an extra fee. (All
times shown are GMT + 8 hours.) A credit card guarantee is required by
the hotel. Please view our Policy for Credit Card Guarantees and Privacy
Policy.

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

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Learn Chinese - --Hotels - eLong

2008-04-24T03:13:00.001-07:00

Goldstar Hotel - Nanjing

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Hotel Features

Nanjing Goldstar Hotel is located at the Xinjiehou commercial area of
city center. There are 201 guestrooms in the hotel.

Location

Property Amenities

Room Amenities

===========================================================================
Opening Date: Jul,2005
Address: 36 Guanjiaqiao, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province

Rooms and Rates

Room type Regular price Breakfast Wed Thu
Superior Room/Kingsize Bed �198 N/A �188 �188
Business Room/Kingsize Bed �228 N/A �218 �218
Business Room �248 N/A �228 �228

More rooms/units

Booking policy

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Chinese language - --Hotels - eLong

2008-04-23T05:05:00.001-07:00

Goldstar Hotel - Nanjing

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Hotel Features

Nanjing Goldstar Hotel is located at the Xinjiehou commercial area of
city center. There are 201 guestrooms in the hotel.

Location

Property Amenities

Room Amenities

===========================================================================
Opening Date: Jul,2005
Address: 36 Guanjiaqiao, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province

Rooms and Rates

Room type Regular price Breakfast Wed Thu
Superior Room/Kingsize Bed �198 N/A �188 �188
Business Room/Kingsize Bed �228 N/A �218 �218
Business Room �248 N/A �228 �228

More rooms/units

Booking policy

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Chinese language - --Hotels - eLong

2008-04-22T02:45:00.001-07:00

Victory Hotel - Xian

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Victory Hotel Xian is a 2-star hotel which has won great reputation of
all the visitors. With its attentive services, various guestrooms and
complete facilities, the hotel offers an ideal place for business trip
and vacation spending. It also has been ranked among the best hotel for
conference in Xi'an

Dining

Chinese restaurant Banquet hall Multifunctional hall Meetingrooms Gym
Suana & massage center Parking lot Shopping center Chess room Bar Beauty
salon Business center Ticketing Tourist service

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Learn Mandarin online - --Hotels - eLong

2008-04-21T02:37:00.001-07:00

Jiuyue Hotel-Jinqiao Inn

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The two-star Jiuyue Hotel is located near Jinqiao Export Processing Zone
and Shanghai Wai Gaoqiao Free Trade Zone, about 35 kilometers from Pudong
Airport and 30 kilometers from Hongqiao Airport.

Shanghai Railway Station, People's Square, Xujiahui area and Lujiazui
area are within easy reach of the hotel. The hotel features broadband
internet access, multi-function bars, meeting rooms, a foot massage
center and a grand parking lot.

Dining

Chinese restaurants Bar Meeting rooms Foot therapy Parking lot

Recreation

Business center

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Learn mandarin - --Hotels - eLong

2008-04-20T02:33:00.001-07:00

Jimen Hotel

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The two-star Jimen Hotel, situated in Zhongguancun, Beijing's Silicon
Valley, is 15 minutes by car from the Asian Games Village sports complex
and 25 minutes from the airport. The hotel features in-room internet
access, a recreation center and a beauty salon.

The five-floor hotel has more than 300 rooms, with a standard room
measuring 25 square meters. Each room is equipped with air-conditioning,
satellite television, an IDD telephone and a Web connection.

The hotel has six restaurants that serve Beijing roast duck, as well as
the cuisine of Sichuan, Shandong and Guangdong. For business travelers,
the hotel provides eight meeting rooms, with the largest room capable of
holding 150 people.

Dining

Cafe Bar Beauty salon Recreation center Sauna center

Recreation

Business center Safe deposit boxes

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Learn mandarin - Ningbo eLong - China, travel, hotels, China hotels, global hotels,

2008-04-19T04:31:00.001-07:00

services, hotel list

Ningbo hotel bookings

eLong provides China hotel bookings, international hotel bookings and
hostel bookings. You can enjoy reservations with discounts up to 80% at
over 4,300 hotels in 338 cities across China. eLong offers great
discounts and high-quality hotel booking service.

Nanyuan Hotel Ningbo World Hotel Ningbo
Ningbo Good Sun International Business Apartment Ningbo Yong Gang Hotel
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Sunny Hotel Ningbo Home Inn - Liuting Street Branch
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Modern Hotel Ningbo Jinjiang Inn - Ningbo Branch
Ningbo Zhenhai Nine Dragons Hotel Qijiashan Hotel
Ningbo Zhenhai Nine Dragons Hotel

Chinese language - --Hotels - eLong

2008-04-18T03:58:00.001-07:00

Beijing Shangyuan Hotel - Beijing

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The 2-star Beijing Shangyuan Hotel is a 20-minute drive from downtown
Beijing, 30 minutes from the railway station and 60 minutes from the
airport. The 5-floor hotel features 136 well appointed guest rooms, a
ballroom, a chess and cards room and small meeting rooms.

Dining

Ballroom Chess and cards room Meeting rooms Business center Laundry
Parking lot Shopping
View Image

Phone: 400-810-1119 (in Mainland China)
0086-10-64329999 ext. 6 (in other areas around the world)Email:
web@elong.net

Chinese Class - Hangzhou eLong - China, travel, hotels, China hotels, global hotels,

2008-04-17T03:58:00.001-07:00

services, hotel list

Hangzhou hotel bookings

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Learn Chinese online - US: Ivanov's comments 'unfortunate'

2008-04-16T03:47:00.001-07:00

WORLD / Europe

US: Ivanov's comments 'unfortunate'

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-07-06 09:21

WASHINGTON - The United States said on Thursday it was "unfortunate" that
a Russian official suggested Russia might move its missiles closer to
western Europe if its proposals on a planned missile shield in Europe are
ignored.

Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov attends the
International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg June 9, 2007. [Reuters]

The United States plans to place 10 interceptors in Europe and radar in
the Czech Republic as part of a shield designed to protect Europe from
missile attacks by states such as Iran and North Korea. Russia has
harshly criticized the plan.

At a meeting with US President George W. Bush this week, Russian
President Vladimir Putin proposed Russia and NATO share data about
missile launches from "rogue states," saying this would remove the need
for the Polish and Czech installations.

On Wednesday Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov appeared
to suggest that if the United States accepted Putin's plan then Russia
would not place missiles in its western-most province of Kaliningrad.

"If our proposals are accepted, the need will disappear for Russia to
deploy new missile weapons in the European part of the country, including
in Kaliningrad region," Interfax news agency quoted Ivanov as saying
during a trip to Uzbekistan.

Ivanov, in overall charge of Russia's defense sector and a leading
candidates to become the country's next president, did not elaborate.

Kaliningrad lies on the Baltic Sea coast and is surrounded by Lithuania
and Poland. It is not connected by land to the rest of Russia and the
city of Kaliningrad is far closer to Warsaw than to Moscow.

"Mr. Ivanov's comments were unfortunate but I don't think it distracts us
from the fact that we are having a constructive conversation with the
Russians," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters,
calling the remarks "not constructive."

"It reminds me of, to borrow a line from the Cold War, from our own
domestic politics, 'There they go again'," he added, alluding to then
presidential candidate Ronald Reagan's dismissive comment "There you go
again" against then President Jimmy Carter during the 1980 US
presidential campaign.

"You're going to have some of this rhetoric in public. But what's
important is that we try to come up with a constructive dialogue, and try
to come up with some constructive solutions to addressing what is a very
real threat," he added.

McCormack said Washington and Moscow planned to continue talks on the
issue, including at a meeting of their foreign and defense ministers in
September or October. Earlier, US officials had said these talks were
likely in September.

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Learn Chinese - Britain on highest terror alert level

2008-04-15T03:53:00.001-07:00

WORLD / Europe

Britain on highest terror alert level

(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-01 16:50

GLASGOW, Scotland - Three terrorist suspects were in police custody
Sunday and a fourth man was under guard in a hospital after a flaming
jeep crashed into a Scottish airport and two car bomb plots were foiled
in central London. Meanwhile, authorities searched several homes near
Glasgow "as part of the ongoing inquiry into the incidents in Glasgow
airport and London," police said in a brief statement.

The scene at Glasgow Airport in this image from video Saturday, June 30,
2007. Two men tried to ram a jeep with flames pouring from it into the
main terminal of Glasgow airport Saturday, crashing into the glass doors
at the entrance and sparking a fire, witnesses said. Police said two
people were arrested. The green SUV barreled toward the building at full
speed before crashing into security barriers. Witnesses said two men fled
the SUV, one of them engulfed in flames. Two men were arrested,
Strathclyde Police spokeswoman Lisa O'Neil said. [AP]

Britain raised its terror alert to "critical" - the highest possible
level - and the Bush administration also announced plans to increase
security at airports and on mass transit in the United States.

"This weekend's bomb attacks signal a major escalation in the war being
waged on us by Islamic terrorists," Lord Stevens, terrorism adviser to
Britain's new prime minister, Gordon Brown, said in a column in Sunday's
News of the World newspaper.

"Now al-Qaida has imported the tactics of Baghdad and Bali to the streets
of the UK," said Stevens, who is London's former police chief.

London police said extra officers were being deployed at landmarks,
airports, train stations and bus terminals across the capital Sunday, and
had been ordered to step up the use of stop and search powers. Armed
police would patrol at major rail stations, it said.

At least 450 officers would monitor a rock concert at London's Wembley
Stadium on Sunday to mark the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's death,
police said.

The Jeep Cherokee rammed into Glasgow's airport terminal on Saturday,
shattering glass doors just yards from passengers at the check-in
counters. Police said they believed the attack was linked to two car
bombs found in London the day before.

One of the men in the car was in critical condition at a hospital with
severe burns, while the other was in police custody, said Scottish Police
Chief Constable Willie Rae. Five bystanders in Glasgow were wounded,
although none seriously, police said.

Rae said a suspect device had been found on a man wrestled to the ground
by officers and hospitalized in critical condition with severe burns.

British media said the man was wearing a suicide belt and that police had
found propane gas cylinders in the Glasgow Jeep. But police later said an
initial inspection by explosives experts had not found a suicide vest.
Rae made no mention of gas cylinders.

Police later arrested two more suspects in the London and Glasgow plots
in Cheshire county in northern England, Scotland Yard said early Sunday.

"I can confirm that we believe the incident at Glasgow airport is linked
to the events in London yesterday," Rae said at a news conference. "There
are clearly similarities and we can confirm that this is being treated as
a terrorist incident."

Police foiled the earlier plot Friday after two cars were found in
central London packed with explosives - one outside a nightclub near
Piccadilly Circus and another parked nearby.

A British government security official said the methods used in the
airport attack and Friday's thwarted plots were similar, with all three
vehicles carrying large quantities of flammable materials. The official
spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the
information.

Police and MI5 had no specific intelligence warning of a plan to attack
Scotland, but they have monitored a host of suspected terrorists and
plots there, he said. It was not yet clear whether there was an
international element to the planning or funding of the attacks, the
official said.

The new terror threat presents Prime Minister Gordon Brown, a Scot who
took office on Wednesday, with an enormous challenge and comes at a time
of already heightened vigilance one week before the anniversary of the
July 7 London transit attacks, which killed 52 people.

"I know that the British people will stand together, united, resolute and
strong," Brown said Saturday in a televised statement.

The green Jeep barreled toward Glasgow's main airport terminal shortly
after 3 p.m. Witness Scott Leeson said bollards - security posts outside
the entrance - stopped the driver from driving into the bustling
terminal, but the nose of the vehicle smashed the glass doors.

"If he'd got through, he'd have killed hundreds, obviously," he said.

AP photographs from the scene showed the car hit the building at an angle
and was poking into the terminal. The Jeep struck the building directly
in front of check-in counters, where dozens of passengers were lined up,
police said.

Lynsey McBean, a witness at the terminal, said the driver kept trying to
push the car forward after it got stuck, and "the wheels were spinning
and smoke was coming from them."

She said one of the men then took out a plastic gasoline canister and
poured a liquid under the car. "He then set light to it," said McBean,
26, from Erskine, Scotland.

Police subdued the driver and a passenger, both described by witnesses as
South Asian �� a term used to refer to people from India, Pakistan,
Afghanistan and other countries in the region. The previous round of
terrorist activity in Britain, in July 2005, was largely carried out by
local Muslims, raising ethnic tensions in Britain.

Witnesses said one of the men was engulfed in flames and spoke
"gibberish" as an official used a fire extinguisher to douse the fire.

On Sunday morning, the Glasgow airport was reopened to flights and to
travelers who entered the terminal through a police cordon.

John Lennon Airport in the northwestern city of Liverpool was closed
overnight after a suspicious vehicle found nearby. The vehicle was taken
away for forensic examination and the airport was reopened at 4:40 a.m.,
police said.

Meanwhile in London, police were gathering evidence from closed circuit
television footage, as forensics experts searched for clues into the
foiled bombings. The two Mercedes cars had been loaded with gasoline, gas
canisters and nails in one of the capital's busiest areas on a night when
Londoners like to go out and party. Security officials and police denied
an ABC News report that they had a "crystal clear" picture of one suspect
from CCTV footage.

The vehicles were found abandoned in the early hours of Friday in what
police believe was an attempt to kill scores or even hundreds of people.
Detectives said they were keeping an open mind about the bombers'
identities, but terrorism experts said the signs pointed to a cell linked
to or inspired by al-Qaida.

In the United States, airports and mass transit systems also were
tightening security, though the U.S. did not plan to raise its terror
alert status, the Bush administration said.

Top World News

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Chinese Lesson - Kevin Durant

2008-04-14T04:21:00.001-07:00

Sports / Top Prospects

Kevin Durant

Updated: 2007-06-28 14:40

Full Name: Kevin Wayne Durant
Position: Forward
Height/Weight: 6-9 / 225
Birthdate: September 29, 1988 (Washington, D.C.)
College: Texas

An early entry candidate for the 2007 NBA Draft.
Career Highlights: Earned National Player of the Year honors from the
Associated Press, NABC, USBWA, CBS/Chevrolet and The Sporting News and
was named the winner of the Adolph Rupp Trophy, the Naismith Award and
the Wooden Award, becoming the first-ever freshman in NCAA history to win
any of those awards. Earned consensus First Team All-American honors,
becoming just the third freshman in NCAA history earn that honor joining
Wayman Tisdale (1983) and Chris Jackson (1989). Named Big 12 Freshman and
Player of the Year, earned First Team All-Conference honors and was named
to the league's All-Defensive Team. Set single-season school and Big 12
records for points in a season (903), a total that also ranks as the
second-most by a freshman in NCAA history. Also set a single-season
school record for rebounds in a season (390), a mark that ranks second in
Big 12 history and third all-time for a freshman in NCAA history.

Freshman (2006-07): Led the Big 12 in scoring (25.8 ppg, ranked fourth
nationally),rebounding (11.1 rpg, fourth) and blocked shots (1.9 bpg).
Also ranked in the top 10 in field goal percentage (.473, seventh), free
throw percentage (.816, third), three-point field goal percentage (.404,
seventh), three-point field goals made per game (2.3, seventh) and steals
(1.9, fourth). Averaged 28.9 points and 12.5 rebounds in conference play,
both Big 12 single-season records for league games only. Scored in double
figures in every game, surpassed the 20-point mark 30 times, and posted
30 or more points 11 times. Recorded 20 double-doubles, second-most in
the nation behind Nevada senior Nick Fazekas. Registered a career-high 37
points on four different occasions. Exploded for 37 points and grabbed a
career-high 23 rebounds at Texas Tech. Tallied 37 points and 16 points at
Colorado. Scored 37 points and pulled down 12 rebounds vs. Oklahoma
State. Sank five threes in scoring 29 points vs. St. John's. Notched 26
points vs. Tennessee. Recorded 28 points and 15 rebounds vs. Texas A&M
and notched 30 points and 16 rebounds in the rematch. Posted 37 points,
10 rebounds, a career-high six assists and a career-high six blocked
shots vs. Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament finals on his way to Tournament
MVP honors, the first player to win the award from a losing team. Set a
tournament record with 92 total points scored. Registered 27 points,
including 15-for-16 free throw shooting, vs. New Mexico State in the
first round of the NCAA Tournament. Led team with 30 points vs. USC in
the second round.

Strengths: Extremely versatile and explosive offensive player who can
score from virtually any spot on the floor. Length, elite athleticism and
natural instincts also allow him to be a dominant rebounder and
shot-blocker.

Personal: Favorite food is crab legs. Two nicknames are "KD" and
"K-Smoove." Favorite musician is Lil Wayne. Wears No. 35 to honor his
childhood AAU coach, Charles Craig, who died when he was 35.

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Chinese language - MasterCard, FIFA settle World Cup sponsor fight

2008-04-13T04:40:00.001-07:00

Sports / Off the Field

MasterCard, FIFA settle World Cup sponsor fight

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-06-22 09:17

NEW YORK, June 21 - MasterCard will drop its sponsorship of the next two
World Cups under a $90 million settlement with FIFA announced on Thursday.

The agreement ends a legal dispute between the credit card issuer, which
had sponsored the tournament for 16 years, and soccer's world governing
body.

The ruling paves the way for FIFA to proceed with a corporate sponsorship
arrangement with Visa International, MasterCard's larger rival, although
FIFA did not provide details on a future sponsorship on Thursday.

A Visa representative was not immediately available for comment.

Under the settlement, MasterCard will drop its claims that it should be
awarded corporate sponsorship of the World Cup -- the world's most
watched sports event -- in 2010 and 2014.

"We have made a decision after taking a hard look at the facts and
circumstances, that substantial financial compensation to MasterCard,
along with severing the relationship between our two companies, at the
end of the day was in the best interests of MasterCard's customers and
shareholders," the credit card issuer's general counsel, Noah Hanft, said
on a conference call.

FIRST REFUSAL

MasterCard, based in Purchase, New York, sued FIFA in April 2006 after
the governing body awarded the coveted sponsorship for the next two World
Cups to rival Visa. MasterCard claimed it had right of first refusal on
future sponsorship pacts.

U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska in New York sided with MasterCard in
December, ruling FIFA breached its contract.

But an appeals court last month ordered a review of that ruling.
Zurich-based FIFA wanted an arbitration panel in Switzerland to decide
the matter.

As part of the settlement, FIFA and MasterCard agreed to terminate legal
proceedings in the United States and Switzerland.

Hanft said the $90 million settlement reflected half the sponsorship
amount entered into in the original negotiations with FIFA.

Under the pact, $87.5 million is being paid to MasterCard in the second
quarter of this year and $2.5 million in the third quarter.

The 2010 World Cup will be held in South Africa, while the venue for the
2014 tournament has not been decided although Brazil has been officially
named as the only bidder.

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Today's Top News

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Learn Chinese - Ahern elected as Irish PM for third term

2008-04-12T05:18:00.001-07:00

WORLD / Europe

Ahern elected as Irish PM for third term

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-06-15 01:19

The 30th Irish Dail (lower house of the parliament) elected Bertie Ahern
on Thursday to be prime minister for his third term in a three-party
coalition.

The new government, made of Fianna Fail, the Green Party and the
Progressive Democrats, is also be supported by a number of independent
members of the parliament, giving Ahern a comfortable majority.

Ahern is the first prime minister to serve three terms since Eamon De
Valere in the Irish history.

The Green Party is in government for the first time in the party's
history after its members voted last night by an overwhelming majority in
favor of a deal hammered out with FIanna Fail after ten days of
negotiations.

It is expected that the Green cabinet posts will involve responsibility
for the environment and energy. It will get another two junior
ministerial posts, which means that four of the party's six members of
the parliament will get office under the deal.

Ahern's Fianna Fail gained 78 seats in the 166-seat Dail, but failed to
get majority in the parliament in the general election on May 24.

His previous coalition partner, Progreesive Democrats, had a decline,
only with two seats.

The main opposition Fine Gael won 51 seats and its alliance, Labour
Party, got 20 seats. Meanwhile, Green Party gained 6 seats, Sinn Fein
with 4 and Independents with 5.

Ahern has led a coalition government since 1997, a period of sustained
economic growth for the country.

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Chinese Mandarin - Ahern elected as Irish PM for third term

2008-04-11T02:16:00.001-07:00

WORLD / Europe

Ahern elected as Irish PM for third term

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-06-15 01:19

The 30th Irish Dail (lower house of the parliament) elected Bertie Ahern
on Thursday to be prime minister for his third term in a three-party
coalition.

The new government, made of Fianna Fail, the Green Party and the
Progressive Democrats, is also be supported by a number of independent
members of the parliament, giving Ahern a comfortable majority.

Ahern is the first prime minister to serve three terms since Eamon De
Valere in the Irish history.

Ahern's Fianna Fail gained 78 seats in the 166-seat Dail, but failed to
get majority in the parliament in the general election on May 24.

His previous coalition partner, Progreesive Democrats, had a decline,
only with two seats.

The main opposition Fine Gael won 51 seats and its alliance, Labour
Party, got 20 seats. Meanwhile, Green Party gained 6 seats, Sinn Fein
with 4 and Independents with 5.

Ahern has led a coalition government since 1997, a period of sustained
economic growth for the country.

Top World News

� Ahern elected as Irish PM for third term

� Arab League to hold Mideast crisis talks

� Hamas overruns rival Fatah's key posts

� Indonesia man becomes 80th bird flu victim

� Report: N.Korea funds transfer to begin

Today's Top News

� Fast industrial growth ups pressure for rates hike

� 'China not manipulating currency'

� Official: North Korea funds transferred

� Mixed marriages on the increase

� BOCOG to probe child labor allegations

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Learn Mandarin online - G8 leaders set to end summit with Africa pledge

2008-04-10T01:11:00.001-07:00

WORLD / Europe

G8 leaders set to end summit with Africa pledge

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-06-08 08:50

HEILIGENDAMM- Leaders of the world's major powers will turn their
attention to Africa on Friday and are widely expected to announce a US$60
billion pledge to fight AIDS and other killer diseases.

The heads of six African nations will press the needs of the poorest
continent when they join G8 leaders on the final day of their summit,
which produced an agreement on Thursday to pursue "substantial" cuts in
greenhouse gases to combat global warming.

"G8 leaders have just over 24 hours to restore faith in a promise that
represents life or death for millions of people across the world," said
Stop AIDS Campaign coordinator Steve Cockburn.

The G8 countries wrangled late into Thursday night about specifics on aid
for Africa but were expected to broadly recommit themselves to pledges
made at a 2005 summit in Scotland when they said they would double
development funding by 2010.

Two sources in the Group of Eight leading industrialised nations said
officials at the summit venue in the German Baltic resort of Heiligendamm
were close to agreeing on a $60 billion pledge to combat AIDS, malaria
and tuberculosis.

But campaigners for Africa said a $60 billion pledge would fall short of
UN targets.

Two leading campaigners, rock stars Bono and Bob Geldof, put pressure on
G8 summit host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and her fellow leaders
from the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and Russia.

"The chancellor has asked us to trust her and we are tempted, but we
cannot risk being let down by the G8 again," said Bono.

Officials were also tackling an impasse over Kosovo's future late on
Thursday, with France pushing a plan to delay a UN vote on the majority
ethnic Albanian province's independence in exchange for Russia agreeing
not to veto the outcome.

Russia backs Serbia's insistence it should retain sovereignty over the
province, which rebelled against Belgrade's rule in 1998-9. The West
regards independence as inevitable and fears delay will stoke violence in
the southern Serbian region.

IRAN

Officials were also discussing Iran and were likely to confirm plans to
back "further measures" -- in other words more UN sanctions -- against
Tehran if it continues to reject UN demands to halt uranium enrichment in
its nuclear programme.

The United States has accused Iran of having secret plans to build
nuclear weapons. Tehran says its nuclear programme is solely for power to
benefit its economy.

On Thursday, G8 leaders agreed to pursue substantial but unspecified cuts
in greenhouse gases and work with the United Nations to clinch a new deal
to fight global warming by 2009.

The agreement binds the world's largest polluter, the United States, more
closely into international efforts to curb the gases scientists say are
causing dangerous changes to world weather patterns.

But it does not commit the G8 nations to the firm emissions reduction
targets that Merkel had wanted.

U.S. President George W. Bush has refused to sign up to numerical targets
before rising economic powers like China and India make similar pledges.
Convincing them to join the UN process will be crucial to halting global
warming.

Russian President Vladimir Putin turned the tables on Bush by suggesting
the United States use a Russian-controlled radar instead of U.S.
anti-missile hardware in central Europe.

At a meeting with Bush, Putin proposed the United States and Russia
should jointly use a radar in Azerbaijan as part of an anti-missile
shield that would protect all of Europe.

In his comments to reporters, Bush did not directly mention the radar
plan which may have taken the White House by surprise.

"He made some interesting suggestions," said Bush.

Washington has said it wants to deploy 10 interceptor missiles in Poland
and a radar in the Czech Republic as defence against projectiles launched
by what it calls "rogue" states like Iran.

Putin vowed last week to target Europe if Washington pressed ahead with
its central European missile shield plan. Washington has accused Russia
of being uncooperative but Putin's plan would seem to undermine that
criticism, analysts said.

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Learn Chinese online - Bush urged to back UN efforts on climate change

2008-04-09T02:29:00.001-07:00

WORLD / America

Bush urged to back UN efforts on climate change

(reuters)
Updated: 2007-06-05 05:00

Senior officials from Europe, the United Nations and G8 countries piled
pressure on U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday to back U.N. efforts
to combat climate change at a summit of major powers this week.

Bush, who left for Europe on Monday, last week unveiled a plan for
fighting global warming beyond 2012, saying he wanted the world's top 15
emitters to meet later this year and agree new measures to curb emissions
by the end of 2008.

His plan shocked EU leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel
who had wanted the G8 leading industrialised countries to reach a deal on
similar measures at the summit she will host in the Baltic resort of
Heiligendamm.

European Union countries fear the Bush plan could sabotage efforts to
produce a successor to the Kyoto Protocol under the auspices of the
United Nations. They are hoping to convince Bush to integrate his
proposals with the U.N. process.

Speaking in Berlin after a meeting with leading climate experts, European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso called Bush's proposals a "step
in the right direction" but cautioned Washington against going down a
separate track.

"It was a good step but I think it is important that the commitment of
the United States is not seen to be in parallel or even in contradiction
to the global efforts but as a contribution to the efforts that are being
planned in the United Nations," said Barroso.

Merkel has pressed fellow G8 countries to back a 50 percent cut in
emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 but acknowledged over the past week
she is unlikely to overcome U.S. objections to such a step.

European and U.N. officials hope the Group of Eight (G8) -- Britain,
Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States --
can avert failure by giving political impetus for December U.N. climate
talks in Bali, Indonesia.

They want to launch talks in Bali on extending and expanding the Kyoto
Protocol.

HEATWAVES

Kyoto, which Bush rejected in 2001, is meant as a first step to fend off
projections of ever increasing heatwaves, floods and rising seas linked
to rising emissions of greenhouse gases, mainly from burning fossil fuels.

It obliges 35 rich nations to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 5
percent below 1990 levels by 2008-12. Bush said it would cost too much
and wrongly omitted developing countries.

Yvo de Boer, the U.N.'s top climate official, acknowledged the G8 was
unlikely to agree on the firm emission reduction targets Merkel had
pushed for, but said the summit could still be a success in moving the
climate debate forward.

"I still think that this G8 can fulfil a very important role," he said,
suggesting leaders could agree on a need to launch negotiations in Bali
for sharp emission cuts, based on the latest scientific findings about
warming.

He said the G8 summit declaration should state clearly that U.S. plans
were "complementary" rather than a rival track to the United Nations.

Hans-Joachim Schellnhuber, head of a top German climate research
institute and an adviser to Merkel, echoed that view.

"It would be really problematic to invent something new outside the U.N.
process," he said. "Under no circumstances can the U.N. process be
brought into question."

Merkel received backing for her push from top British, French and
Canadian officials.

An aide to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who met the chancellor
in Berlin ahead of the summit, told reporters: "We're closer to Merkel
than to Bush on this issue."

China, the world's number two emitter of greenhouse gases behind the
United States, also issued a climate change plan. The plan vows to combat
global warming through energy saving, agricultural adaptation and forest
planting.

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Chinese Lesson - Nuclear impasse hangs over two Koreas' talks

2008-04-08T01:06:00.001-07:00

WORLD / Asia-Pacific

Nuclear impasse hangs over two Koreas' talks

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-05-29 10:48

SEOUL - The two Koreas will try to mend relations at cabinet-level talks
on Tuesday, but the North's refusal to act on a nuclear disarmament deal
could lead Seoul to delay rice aid promised to its impoverished neighbor.

Logo of Banco Delta Asia is displayed at its headquarters in Macau. The
United States believes a banking dispute blocking a nuclear disarmament
accord will drag on and has pressed North Korea to start shutting its
reactor in return for a firm US promise of a solution, a report said
Monday. [AFP]

South Korea had pledged to send 400,000 metric tons of rice this month to
help North Korea battle its chronic food shortages.

"The rice will be sent to the North. But the shipment is delayed because
of various situations," a senior South Korean Unification Ministry
official told Yonhap news agency on Monday.

The South has said it would suspend the aid if its neighbor behaved
badly. North Korea's firing of a short-range missile last week is likely
to have exacerbated tensions between the two states.

The ministerial talks are slated to run through Friday. Past sessions
have been marked by drama, such as a Pyongyang walk-out last year when
Seoul said it would suspend rice handouts due to the North's test-firing
of ballistic missiles in July 2006.

South Korea has been hesitant to resume regular rice aid because North
Korea missed a deadline to start shutting down its reactor and source of
plutonium for bombs that was set in a six-country deal reached in
February.

The two Koreas shared a moment of reconciliation on May 17 when they sent
the first trains across their border since the 1950-1953 war, which ended
in a truce and not with a peace treaty.

South Korea, which promised about $80 million in aid to the North to
allow the run on tracks built by Seoul, wants to see regular rail travel
between the two.

The meeting will start with a welcoming banquet on Tuesday night in Seoul.

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Chinese Mandarin - Romario's 1,000th career goal surrounded by questions

2008-04-07T01:10:00.001-07:00

Sports / Soccer

Romario's 1,000th career goal surrounded by questions

(Ticker)
Updated: 2007-05-22 08:44

RIO DE JANEIRO - It is somewhat fitting that joy over Romario's 1,000th
goal has been tempered by suspicion and a little derision.

While only the stoniest of hearts would deny one of the modern era's
greatest strikers one last hurrah, the controversial nature of the
'landmark' affords it a slightly hollow air.

As with Pele, the only other footballer to make four figures in his goals
tally, the mathematics involved are open to question.

Romario has included strikes from his pre-professional days and
exhibition games, and quite possibly those scored at his local park and
on his PlayStation, rendering the occasion of his 1,000th goal
meaningless in some senses.

His global pursuit of the goals needed to reach his self-appointed tally,
which has taken him from Rio to Adelaide via Miami, also has reeked of
desperation at times.

But Romario de Souza Faria deserves to be recognized as one of the game's
all-time greats - albeit a flawed one.

Sunday's 1,000th goal, scored from the penalty spot for Vasco da Gama
during their clash with Sporting Recife, was met with unbridled joy and a
pitch invasion in the stadium, and great happiness among his millions of
fans in Brazil generally.

And Romario was typically understated in his reaction. "It's an historic
landmark, not only for me, but for my parents, my family, my friends and
for Brazil as a whole," he said. "It was God who wanted the goal to go in
today."

But understatement is something which has rarely been associated with the
41-year-old striker, who throughout his career has drawn adoration from
fans with his goals, and fury from managers for his off-field antics.

He was once banned from the Brazilian national team by Carlos Alberto
Parreira after reacting angrily to being named as a substitute for a Copa
America match.

And he has at times appeared to view football as an irksome, if lucrative
distraction from drinking and cigar smoking.

However, even Romario's most blinkered detractors, and there are many,
would struggle to deny his genius for finding the net.

The statistics are telling.

A whopping 98 goals in 109 games for PSV Eindhoven, his first European
club, 34 in 46 for Barcelona and 41 in 46 during his first spell at Vasco
- a fit and motivated Romario was the very definition of a 'goal-machine'.

Adept at finding space where there appeared none, he had few peers as a
one-on-one finisher in his heyday and turned the toe-poke into an
art-form.

All those qualities were evident during his finest achievement, when he
scored five goals to spearhead Brazil's successful bid for the 1994 World
Cup in the United States.

That performance elevated Romario to the position of the world's greatest
player, but, remarkably, just two years later he was back in the relative
obscurity, at least in European eyes, of Brazilian football.

And his relatively short spell at the top of European club football, the
acid test for the planet's greatest talents, means his legacy will never
be what it could have been.

He may not have had the grace of Thierry Henry, the blistering pace of
Ronaldo or the sheer skill of Ronaldinho.

But Romario the arch poacher deserves his place in the pantheon of
footballing greats.

I'm sure he would raise a glass to that.

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Learn Chinese online - Yao may get help from Hakeem Olajuwon in summer

2008-04-06T01:06:00.001-07:00

Sports / Basketball

Yao may get help from Hakeem Olajuwon in summer

By JONATHAN FEIGEN (Houston Chronicle)
Updated: 2007-05-09 09:20

Yao & Hakeem?

Rockets center Yao Ming said he has discussed working with former Rockets
star Hakeem Olajuwon in the offseason.

"It would be a great chance for me, if I can learn from him, one of the
best centers in the NBA history, and particularly a legend for the
Rockets," Yao said. "I would love to. I'm working on it."

Yao's summer plans

Yao Ming will have what he called a "small surgery" on a toe, possibly
preventing the troublesome toenail from growing back. He said he expected
that procedure to keep him from working out for only "a couple weeks."

He said he will likely train with the Chinese national team for a short
period this summer but will have no competitions.

"I need some training," he said. "I'll take the first month off and then
get back to training and work on my skills."

Mutombo mulling return

Frustrated with a decreased role in the Rockets rotation, center Dikembe
Mutombo said he was reconsidering his plan to return for another season.

"I just spent a week with my kids, and I talked with my wife about it
again," Mutombo said. "I'm just frustrated with the fact there was a
chance to go to the second round, at least. After contributing the way I
did contribute during the course of the season, I felt I did deserve a
little time in the playoffs to play. The opportunity was not given to me.
I'm a little bit disappointed about it."

Mutombo averaged just eight minutes per game in the postseason.

"I'm a free agent now," said Mutombo, 40. "I just want to go think about
how many people I can change their lives in Africa. After that, maybe
I'll think about basketball again."

Spanoulis uncertain

Though under contract, Rockets rookie guard Vassilis Spanoulis said he
did not know whether he wanted to be back with the Rockets next season.

"Now is time to rest a little bit, to clear my mind for a big season for
me, maybe the toughest in my life, in my career," said Spanoulis.

"I want to speak with the guys and know what's going on with my future.
We'll see. I have a contract. I can't say now nothing. I have to clear my
mind, rest and get with the guys up in the office who showed me a lot of
love and support this year.

"I love this team, but I have to think what is best for my future. The
people here showed me a lot of love, a lot of support a lot of advice
this year."

Rockets assistant general manager Daryl Morey said team officials will
meet with Spanoulis today to discuss his future and said that the Rockets
would like him to play with the summer league team.

Spanoulis said he also plans to train with the Greek national team this
July.

Looking for toughness

Rockets center Yao Ming said he talked with Rockets general manager
Carroll Dawson and his successor Daryl Morey about changes he would like
to see but would not offer details about their conversations.

"Generally, CD told me from his experience, our team definitely will be
getting better and I believe it. I love to believe it," Yao said. "We
need more experience. We need player that can finish the game and can
play under the pressure, like in the playoffs."

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Learn Chinese online - Putin firm in final union address

2008-03-27T06:13:00.001-07:00

WORLD / Europe

Putin firm in final union address

(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-04-27 07:51

Russian President Vladimir Putin attacked US foreign policy and urged a
revival of traditional values Thursday in a hawkish speech that laid out
a route for Russia to follow long after he steps down next year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers the annual state of the nation
address to the Federation Council, the upper house of parliament in
Moscow's Kremlin Thursday, April 26, 2007. [AP]

Making his last annual address to lawmakers, Putin said he was suspending
Russia's commitments under the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty and
linked the move in part to US plans for a missile shield in eastern
Europe.

He gave no clear answer to the question preoccupying Kremlin-watchers and
investors who Putin would endorse as his replacement when his second and
final term ends next March.

But he set the tone for Russia's next presidency, announcing a spending
splurge on housing, pensions, defense and mammoth infra-structure
projects including a canal to link the Caspian and Black Seas.

In a swipe at opposition groups who have taken to the streets alleging he
is backtracking on democracy, the president railed at "extremists" and
said foreign cash was being used to upset Russia's political stability.

However, the thread that ran through his 72-minute address was what he
called Russia's moral state.

"Our nation's spiritual unity and the moral values which unite us are as
important a factor in our development as political and economic
stability," he said, urging greater efforts to preserve Russia's culture
and language.

First deputy prime ministers Sergei Ivanov and Dmitry Medvedev, the men
regarded as front-runners for Putin's job, sat side by side listening to
the speech along with lawmakers, religious leaders and ministers in the
Kremlin's Marble Hall.

Putin confirmed next year's address would be read by a different
president. "It is premature for me to come out with political last wills
and testaments," he added, to applause.

In his seven years as Russian leader, Putin has overseen steady growth in
incomes and a return to political stability after years of turmoil.

But relations with the United States have soured dramatically and his
critics say he is turning Russia away from the West and tightening state
control over all areas of life.

1 2

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Today's Top News

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Learn mandarin - US shooter troubled parents as kid

2008-03-27T05:11:00.001-07:00

WORLD / America

US shooter troubled parents as kid

(AP)
Updated: 2007-04-19 16:28

SEOUL, South Korea - The shooter in the Virginia Tech massacre had
troubled his parents as a child because of speech difficulties, a
newspaper reported Thursday.

South Korean citizens participate in a candlelight vigil for the victims
of the Virginia Tech shooting massacre in Blacksburg, Va., in front of
Seoul City Hall Wednesday, April 18, 2007. [AP]

Cho Seung-hui left South Korea with his family in 1992 to seek a better
life in the United States, Cho's grandfather told the Dong-a Ilbo daily.
Cho killed himself and 32 others at Virginia Tech in the deadliest
shooting rampage in US history.

Relatives said they had minimal contact with the family after they left
South Korea.

"How could he have done such a thing if he had any sympathy for his
parents, who went all the way to another country because they couldn't
make ends meet and endured hardships," Cho's maternal grandfather,
identified only by his last name Kim, was quoted as saying.

The 81-year-old Kim said Cho "troubled his parents a lot when he was
young because he couldn't speak well, but was well-behaved," the report
said.

Kim said he had little communication with Cho's family after they left
for the US

Cho's uncle - his mother's younger brother - also told the newspaper that
he was unaware of how Cho's family was doing.

"I don't even know my sister's phone number," the uncle said, adding he
last talked to Cho's mother in October, the report said.

"Before she emigrated in 1992, she told me she was leaving for her
childrens' education. Since she emigrated, I haven't seen her for nearly
15 years," the uncle - also identified by just his last name Kim - was
quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, South Koreans mourned the deaths of those killed in the
Virginia Tech shootings at a special church service Thursday, some
fighting back tears from the guilt that a fellow South Korean was
responsible for the massacre.

About 130 people gathered at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul,
casting their heads low as they sang sad hymns and prayed for the souls
of those killed. A small table adorned with white flowers, candles and a
US flag was set up in the center of the chapel in memory of the victims.

"As a mother myself, my heart really aches as if it happened to my own
children," said Bang Myung-lan, a 48-year-old housewife, holding back
tears. "As a Korean, I am deeply sorry for the deceased."

"Among the 32 killed were bright students who could have contributed
greatly to society, and it's a big loss for all of us," Cardinal Nicolas
Cheong Jin-suk told parishioners. "As a South Korean, I can't help
feeling apologetic about how a Korean man caused such a shocking
incident."

The cardinal said everyone should work together to prevent a recurrence
of "such an unfortunate event."

"It is beyond my understanding how such a thing can occur - especially to
think a Korean is responsible for this," said 68-year-old Lee Chun-ja
after the service. "It really tears my heart. Something like this should
never happen again."

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Learn mandarin - McCain stands firm on right to bear arms

2008-03-27T04:12:00.001-07:00

WORLD / Reactions

McCain stands firm on right to bear arms

(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-04-18 06:45

LAREDO, Texas: US Senator John McCain says the shooting rampage at
Virginia Tech does not change his view that the Constitution guarantees
everyone the right to carry a weapon.

"We have to look at what happened here, but it doesn't change my views on
the Second Amendment, except to make sure that these kinds of weapons
don't fall into the hands of bad people," McCain said on Monday in
response to a question.

The Arizona Republican was campaigning in the Texas-Mexico border city.

"I do believe in the constitutional right that everyone has, in the
Second Amendment to the Constitution, to carry a weapon," he said.
"Obviously we have to keep guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens."

The Second Amendment reads: "A well regulated militia being necessary to
the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear
arms shall not be infringed."

McCain and other presidential hopefuls issued statements expressing shock
and grief over the attacks.

"As a parent, I am filled with sorrow for the mothers and fathers and
loved ones struggling with the sudden, unbearable news of a lost son or
daughter, friend or family member," read a statement by Senator Hillary
Rodham Clinton.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Republican, called it a "day of
national tragedy, when we lost some of our finest to a senseless act".
Giuliani canceled all his campaign events for yesterday.

Democratic candidate John Edwards said in a statement: "We are simply
heartbroken by the deaths and injuries suffered at Virginia Tech. We know
what an unspeakable, life-changing moment this is for these families and
how, in this moment, it is hard to feel anything but overwhelming grief,
much less the love and support around you. But the love and support is
there."

Republican candidate Mitt Romney said: "The entire nation grieves for the
victims of this terrible tragedy that took place today on the campus of
Virginia Tech. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their
families and the entire Virginia Tech community."

Democratic Senator Barack Obama said the nation is mourning the dead and
praying for their families and for the wounded. "Today, we are a grieving
and shocked nation. Violence has once again taken too many young people
from this world."

An outpouring of horror filled US newspapers yesterday raising questions
about gun regulations seen by some as too lax.

The New York Times called Monday's carnage "another horrifying reminder
that some of the gravest dangers Americans face come from killers at home
armed with guns that are frighteningly easy to obtain".

"It seems a safe bet that in one way or another, this will turn out to be
another instance in which an unstable or criminally minded individual had
no trouble arming himself and harming defenseless people," the paper's
editorial said.

The Washington Post said it was "the deadliest mass shooting of civilians
in American history".

"Young lives brimming with promise and possibility were cut short by that
now familiar campus scourge: an aggrieved gunman, or gunmen, on a
rampage," the Post wrote, referring to earlier incidents such as the
Columbine High School shootings in Colorado in 1999.

"Under what circumstances, and where, did the gunman obtain his weapons?"
the paper added. "And why are gunmen so apt to carry out their lethal
rampages at American schools?"

The New York Times emphasized that Virginia imposes few restrictions on
the buying of handguns and has weak gun licensing requirements.

"What is needed, urgently, is stronger controls over the lethal weapons
that cause such wasteful carnage and such unbearable loss."

Agencies

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Learn Chinese - Richardson sees N.Korea set for nuclear deal

2008-03-27T03:11:00.001-07:00

WORLD / Asia-Pacific

Richardson sees N.Korea set for nuclear deal

(Reuters/AP)
Updated: 2007-04-09 13:31

U.S. presidential candidate and governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson,
center, poses with his delegation members on arrival at an airport in
Pyongyang, North Korea Sunday, April 8, 2007. The four-day trip that
started Sunday with the endorsement of the administration of U.S.
President George W. Bush comes days before a crucial deadline in a recent
nuclear disarmament accord. [AP]

WASHINGTON - New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, leading a U.S. delegation
on a visit to North Korea, said he believed Pyongyang was ready to end
its nuclear weapons program and improve relations with the United States,
NBC Nightly News reported on Sunday.

Richardson's delegation arrived ahead of an April 14 deadline for North
Korea to begin dismantling its nuclear program under an agreement in
six-party talks with the United States, South Korea, Japan, Russia and
China.

Special coverage:
North Korea Nuclear Issue
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N.Korea plans to close nuke facility
N.Korea insists US unfreeze $25m
Dispute over N.Korea funds may be over
Nuke disarmament complex: IAEA
DPRK 'committed' to disarmament pact

"I believe for the first time they do want to enter into an agreement
with the six-party countries and they want a better relationship with the
United States," Richardson told NBC.

"They know that the key is dismantling their nuclear weapons."

Richardson's delegation is on a mission to oversee the return of remains
of American soldiers from the Korean War but many hope to get a sense of
the reclusive communist country's thinking about the nuclear issue during
the visit.

The Bush administration's top Korea expert, Victor Cha of the National
Security Council, is part of the U.S. delegation, signaling a willingness
by the White House to engage the North Koreans if they reciprocate, NBC
said.

Richardson, a Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S.
ambassador to the United Nations, visited North Korea in the 1990s and in
2005.

Although North Korea invited Richardson alone, the White House joined the
trip partly to make sure he did not deviate from official U.S. policy,
NBC said.

Willing to allow UN inspections

North Korea's top nuclear negotiator told U.S. envoys Monday that his
government would immediately invite U.N. nuclear inspectors into the
country if US$25 million in disputed North Korean funds are released to
Pyongyang.

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan met with Bill Richardson
and Anthony Principi, U.S. President George W. Bush's former veteran
affairs secretary, who were visiting Pyongyang.

Kim "indicated that the North Korean government would invite the ...
inspectors back the moment the funds are released to the North Korean
government," Principi told reporters after the meeting.

Kim also told the U.S. delegation of the difficulty of shutting down its
main nuclear reactor by a Saturday deadline called for in a February
nuclear disarmament accord, he said.

"They can make a beginning, but whether they can completely shut down a
nuclear reactor in such a short time would be very difficult," Principi
said.

There has been little progress in implementing the landmark February 13
nuclear agreement in which North Korea promised to take initial steps
toward dismantling its nuclear program, including closing its main
nuclear reactor and providing a full list of its nuclear facilities.

North Korea has refused to move forward due to the delayed transfer of
US$25 million frozen by Macau authorities after the U.S. blacklisted a
bank in that Chinese administrative region in 2005 for allegedly helping
Pyongyang launder money.

Last week, the State Department said that a hitch stalling the release of
the funds had been resolved, potentially clearing the way for the
disbursement of the money. No details were released on when or how the
money would be transferred.

Richardson said his delegation pushed Kim for a show of good faith that
North Korea was ready to move forward in it obligations under the
February 13 deal. He said the U.S. side asked for a meeting of the
six-nations involved in nuclear disarmament talks before Saturday, when
Pyongyang is supposed to shut down its nuclear reactor and let in U.N.
nuclear inspectors.

"Our negotiators are ready to meet with the North Koreans immediately so
that this effort to dismantle their nuclear weapons is concluded,"
Richardson said.

Reporters were allowed to view the first minutes of the meeting. Kim said
that the visit was the first one that included both Democratic and
Republican American officials since Bush took office.

"In light of current international relations and DPRK-US relations, your
current visit to our country is of very great significance," Kim said
through an interpreter.

As the officials met, hundreds of children and women in brightly colored
traditional Korean dresses practiced dances that they will perform on
Sunday, when North Koreans celebrate the 95th anniversary of the birth of
Kim Il Sung, the country's founding president and the father of current
leader Kim Jong Il.

Richardson has regularly made diplomatic trips, often on his own
initiative, to a number of global hot spots. Though visits to North Korea
by senior U.S. officials are rare, this was Richardson's sixth.

He said the timing of his visit is important and will show North Korea
the United States' good intentions.

Richardson's group is expected to oversee the transfer of remains from
the North Korean army to U.N. personnel.

On Wednesday, the delegation plans to drive from Pyongyang to South
Korea, hopefully with the U.S. remains.

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Chinese Online Class - Bush to Iran: 'Give back the hostages'

2008-03-26T06:28:00.001-07:00

WORLD / Middle East

Bush to Iran: 'Give back the hostages'

(AP)
Updated: 2007-04-01 15:08

US President Bush listens to a question regarding Attorney General
Alberto Gonzales during a joint news conference with Brazil's President
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, not pictured, at Camp David, Md., Saturday,
March 31, 2007. [AP]

CAMP DAVID, Md. - US President Bush on Saturday said Iran's capture of 15
British sailors and marines was "inexcusable" and called for Iran to
"give back the hostages" immediately and unconditionally.

Related readings:
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Blair warns Iran standoff could escalate
Blair hopes diplomacy gets sailors back
Iran: Brit sailors may face charges
Blair calls capture of sailors 'serious'

Bush said Iran plucked the sailors out of Iraqi waters. Iran's president
said Saturday they were in Iranian waters and called Britain and its
allies "arrogant and selfish" for not apologizing for trespassing.

"It's inexcusable behavior," Bush said at the Camp David presidential
retreat, where he was meeting with the president of Brazil. "Iran must
give back the hostages. They're innocent. They did nothing wrong."

It was the first time that Bush had commented publicly on the captured
Britons. Washington has taken a low-key approach to avoid aggravating
tensions over the incident and shaking international resolve to get Iran
to give up its uranium enrichment program.

Bush did not answer a question about whether the United States would have
reacted militarily if those captured had been Americans. The president
said he supports British Prime Minister Tony Blair's efforts to find a
diplomatic resolution to the crisis, now in its second week.

Bush would not comment about Britain's options if Iran does not release
the hostages, but he seemed to reject any swapping of the British
captives for Iranians detained in Iraq.

"I support the prime minister when he made it clear there were no quid
pro quos," Bush said.

Like Bush's words, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comments were
his most extensive on the crisis. They tracked tough talk from other
Iranian officials, an indication that Tehran's position could be
hardening.

"The British occupier forces did trespass our waters. Our border guards
detained them with skill and bravery," Iran's official news agency quoted
Ahmadinejad as saying. "But arrogant powers, because of their arrogant
and selfish spirit, are claiming otherwise."

Britain, however, appeared to be easing its stance, emphasizing its
desire to talk with Iran about what it termed a regrettable situation.

"I think everyone regrets that this position has arisen," British Foreign
Secretary Margaret Beckett said at a European Union summit in Bremen,
Germany. "What we want is a way out of it."

Iran appeared unreceptive to possible talks with Britain.

"Instead of apologizing over trespassing by British forces, the world
arrogant powers issue statements and deliver speeches," Ahmadinejad told
a crowd in southeastern Iran.

The British sailors were detained by Iranian naval units March 23 while
patrolling for smugglers near the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab, a waterway
that has long been a disputed dividing line between Iraq and Iran.
Britain also insists the sailors were in Iraqi waters.

In London on Saturday, the political wing of the Iranian opposition group
Mujahedeen Khalq said the capture was planned in advance and carried out
in retaliation for U.N. sanctions over Iran's nuclear program. The group
is listed as a terrorist group by Britain, the U.S. and the European
Union.

Blair has expressed disgust that the captured service members had been
"paraded and manipulated" in video footage released by Iran. He warned
Tehran that it faced increasing isolation if it did not free them.

Britain has frozen most contacts with Iran. The U.N. Security Council has
expressed "grave concern" about the incident. The EU has demanded the
sailors' unconditional release and warned of unspecified "appropriate
measures" if Tehran does not comply - a position the Iranian Foreign
Ministry called "bias and meddlesome."

Ahmad Bakhshayesh, a professor of politics in Tehran's Allameh
University, said he's convinced that Iran is prepared to stand its ground
and insist that the British violated Iranian territory.

"Iran will seriously continue the case and will put them on trial,"
Bakhshayesh said. "Only an apology by Britain can stop it. Iran thinks
that Britons trespassed to test Iran's reaction, and now London is trying
to isolate Tehran instead of apologizing."

But British officials are hopeful that diplomacy can resolve the crisis.
The Foreign Office confirmed Saturday that Britain had replied to a
letter received earlier in this week from the Iranian embassy. It
declined to reveal the nature of either letter.

"We have been exchanging letters with the Iranian government, and we will
continue to conduct or diplomatic discussions in private," a spokesman
said on the government's customary condition of anonymity.

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Chinese Online Class - Bush to Iran: 'Give back the hostages'

2008-03-26T06:27:00.001-07:00

WORLD / Middle East

Bush to Iran: 'Give back the hostages'

(AP)
Updated: 2007-04-01 15:08

Bush would not comment about Britain's options if Iran does not release
the hostages, but he seemed to reject any swapping of the British
captives for Iranians detained in Iraq.

"I support the prime minister when he made it clear there were no quid
pro quos," Bush said.

Britain, however, appeared to be easing its stance, emphasizing its
desire to talk with Iran about what it termed a regrettable situation.

"I think everyone regrets that this position has arisen," British Foreign
Secretary Margaret Beckett said at a European Union summit in Bremen,
Germany. "What we want is a way out of it."

Iran appeared unreceptive to possible talks with Britain.

"Instead of apologizing over trespassing by British forces, the world
arrogant powers issue statements and deliver speeches," Ahmadinejad told
a crowd in southeastern Iran.

Ahmad Bakhshayesh, a professor of politics in Tehran's Allameh
University, said he's convinced that Iran is prepared to stand its ground
and insist that the British violated Iranian territory.

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Chinese School - Wednesday's order of play

2008-03-26T05:23:00.001-07:00

Sports / Games Info

Wednesday's order of play

(worldsnooker.com)
Updated: 2007-03-28 10:04

Here's the schedule for day three of the Honghe Industrial 2007 World
Snooker China Open at the Student Gymnasium in Beijing.

All times are local (GMT + 7 hours)

3pm

Mark Williams v Jamie Cope

Steve Davis v Stuart Bingham

Shaun Murphy v Mei Xiwen

Stephen Maguire v Mark King

7.30pm

Barry Hawkins v Ding Junhui

Ken Doherty v Li Hang

Anthony Hamilton v Mark Selby

Peter Ebdon v Joe Swail

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Chinese Mandarin - Iran seizes 15 British sailors

2008-03-26T04:16:00.001-07:00

WORLD / Middle East

Iran seizes 15 British sailors

(AP)
Updated: 2007-03-24 08:54

Commodore Nick Lambert, commander of the British Royal Navy frigate HMS
Cornwall, speaks aboard his ship Friday March 23, 2007in this image made
from television. [AP]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Naval forces of Iran's Revolutionary Guards
captured 15 British sailors and marines at gunpoint Friday in the Persian
Gulf - a move coming during heightened tensions between the West and Iran.

U.S. and British officials said a boarding party from the frigate HMS
Cornwall was seized about 10:30 a.m. during a routine inspection of a
merchant ship inside Iraqi territorial waters near the disputed Shatt
al-Arab waterway.

Iran's Foreign Ministry insisted the Britons were operating in Iranian
waters and would be held "for further investigation," Iranian state
television said.

A U.S. Navy official in Bahrain, Cmdr. Kevin Aandahl, said Iran's
Revolutionary Guard naval forces were responsible and had broadcast a
brief radio message saying the British party was not harmed.

In London, the British government summoned the Iranian ambassador to the
Foreign Office, and Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said he "was left
in no doubt that we want them back."

Iranian TV quoted an Iranian Foreign Ministry official as saying the top
British diplomat in Tehran had been called in to receive Tehran's protest
of the "illegal entry" into Iranian waters.

"This is not the first time that British military personnel during the
occupation of Iraq have entered illegally into Iran's territorial
waters," the unidentified official was quoted as saying.

Britain's Defense Ministry said the Royal Navy personnel were "engaged in
routine boarding operations of merchant shipping in Iraqi territorial
waters" and had completed a ship inspection when they were accosted by
Iranian vessels.

The eight Royal Navy sailors and seven Royal Marines were part of a task
force that protects Iraqi oil terminals and maintains security in Iraqi
waters under authority of the U.N. Security Council.

The Cornwall's commander, Commodore Nick Lambert, said the frigate lost
communication with the boarding party, but a helicopter crew saw Iranian
naval vessels approach.

"I've got 15 sailors and marines who have been arrested by the Iranians
and my immediate concern is their safety," he told British Broadcasting
Corp. television.

Lambert said he hoped it was a "simple mistake" stemming from the long
dispute between Iraq and Iran over demarcating their territorial waters
just off the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab, a waterway that divides the two
countries.

White House press secretary Tony Snow said the Bush administration was
monitoring events. "The British government is demanding the immediate
safe return of the people and equipment and we are keeping watch on the
situation," Snow said.

The incident occurred as the U.N. Security Council debates expanding
sanctions against Iran seeking to force Tehran to suspend uranium
enrichment. The U.S. and other nations suspect Iran is trying to produce
nuclear weapons. Iran denies that and insists it won't halt the program.

Iran's leaders also have denied allegations by the U.S., Britain and
others that Iranians are arming Shiite Muslim militias in Iraq.

Hours before the seizure of the Royal Navy team, British Lt. Col. Justin
Maciejewski told BBC Radio 4's "Today" program from the Iraqi city of
Basra that Iranians provided weapons and money to militants who are
attacking British troops in southern Iraq.

The U.S. military has leveled similar charges, saying Iranians send arms
to Iraqi extremists, including sophisticated roadside bombs.

This week, two commanders of an Iraqi Shiite militia told The Associated
Press in Baghdad that hundreds of Iraqi Shiites had crossed into Iran for
training by the elite Quds force, a branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guard
thought to have trained Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.

With tensions running high, the United States has bolstered its naval
forces in the Persian Gulf in a show of strength directed at Iran. A
strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis recently
joined a similar force led by the carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

U.S. officials have expressed concern that with so much military hardware
in the Gulf, a small incident like Friday's could escalate into a
dangerous confrontation.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, warned this week that if
Western countries "treat us with threats and enforcement of coercion and
violence, undoubtedly they must know that the Iranian nation and
authorities will use all their capacities to strike enemies that attack."

The seizure of two Royal Navy inflatable boats took place just outside
the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab waterway, a 125-mile channel dividing Iraq
from Iran. Its name means Arab Coastline in Arabic, and Iranians call it
Arvandrud �� Persian for Arvand River.

A 1975 treaty recognized the middle of the waterway as the border. Iraqi
leader Saddam Hussein canceled the treaty five years later and invaded
Iran, triggering an eight-year war.

"It's been in dispute for some time," said Aandahl, the U.S. Navy
official in Bahrain. "We've been operating there for a couple of years
and we know the lines very well. This was a compliant boarding, this
happens routinely. What's out of the ordinary is the Iranian response."

In June 2004, six British marines and two sailors were seized by Iran in
the Shatt al-Arab. They were presented blindfolded on Iranian television
and admitted entering Iranian waters illegally, then released unharmed
after three days.

Vali Nasr, a senior fellow for Middle East Studies at the Council on
Foreign Relations, suggested Friday's detention could be connected to the
arrest of five Iranians in a U.S.-led raid in northern Iraq in January.
The U.S. said the five included a Revolutionary Guard general.

"I think Iran sees this as retaliation for the arrest of their own
personnel. They have repeatedly said that they want their personnel
released," Nasr said. "So they are either signaling that they can do the
same thing or they are trying to bring attention to it."

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Free Chinese Lesson - Thousands protesters against Iraq war

2008-03-26T03:12:00.001-07:00

WORLD / America

Thousands protesters against Iraq war

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-03-18 09:06

Thousands of anti-war demonstrators, some carrying yellow and black signs
reading "U.S. out of Iraq now!" marched on the Pentagon on Saturday, one
of several protests worldwide to mark four years of war.

Thousands of protesters against the war in Iraq walk in the March on the
Pentagon in Washington, March 17, 2007.[Reuters]
The march, on a cold, cloudy and windy St. Patrick's Day, comes just
before the fourth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war on Tuesday and
40 years after a similar protest at the Pentagon over the Vietnam War.

On a stage in the Pentagon parking lot, speaker after speaker demanded
the end of the war in Iraq and some called for President George W. Bush's
impeachment. A flag-draped coffin was displayed near the stage bearing a
picture of a young soldier killed in Iraq.

"We're here in the shadow of the war machine," peace activist Cindy
Sheehan said. "We need to shut it down."

Wearing a black ski cap, Sheehan said soldiers like her son, Casey, who
was killed in Iraq, were being sent "to die for nothing."

A woman for the group that organized the protest told the cheering crowd,
"Impeach Bush, impeach Cheney, impeach Gates." The latter references were
to Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Jonathan Hutto, a 29-year-old active-duty sailor who served in Iraq,
urged the demonstrators to tell lawmakers "to get a backbone and spine"
and stop the war.

The march began near the Vietnam War Memorial, just a few blocks from the
White House, and proceeded across the Potomac River toward the Pentagon.

A smaller group of war supporters held a counter-demonstration with signs
that said: "Win the war or lose to jihad," "Our troops are shedding their
blood to keep terrorists from America," and "St. Patrick: Drive the
Democrats from our land."

One of the supporters, Vietnam War veteran David Warne, 57, said, "What
you need to have is the military fight a war, not a bunch of
politicians," referring to efforts by Democrats in Congress to limit the
war.

1 2

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Chinese Mandarin - Japan to probe WWII military brothels

2008-03-25T09:17:00.001-07:00

WORLD / Asia-Pacific

Japan to probe WWII military brothels

(AP)
Updated: 2007-03-09 06:43

TOKYO - Under intense pressure from Asia and the United States, Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday that ruling party lawmakers will
conduct a fresh investigation into the Japanese military's forced sexual
slavery of women during World War II.

Abe triggered outrage in China, North and South Korea and the Philippines
last week by saying there was no proof the women were coerced. He said
Monday that Japan will not apologize again for the Japanese military's
"comfort stations."

Abe also faces pressure from the United States, where the House of
Representatives is considering a resolution urging Japan to formally
apologize for its wartime brothels. Japanese leaders apologized in 1993
for the government's role, but the apology was not approved by
Parliament. Abe said Thursday that he "basically stands by the 1993
apology."

The government is ready to cooperate with the investigation, Abe said
Thursday, amid calls for a review from conservatives who question many of
the claims by victims and others who say the government kidnapped the
women and forced them into sex slavery.

"I was told the party will conduct an investigation or a study, so we
will provide government documents and cooperate as necessary," Abe told
reporters.

The top government spokesman said earlier Thursday that Japan's position
on the coercion of women into sex slavery during the war had been
misinterpreted and misrepresented by the U.S. media, and that Tokyo would
soon issue a rebuttal.

Demonstrators hold banners at a rally to protest Japanese Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe's remarks on 'comfort woman'--Japan's euphemism for wartime
sex slaves-- near the parliament in Tokyo March 7, 2007. The protestors
are holding banners calling on Japan to acknowledge that comfort women
were coerced into serving in Japanese military brothels. [Reuters]

"My remarks have been twisted in a sense and reported overseas, which
further invites misunderstanding," Abe said. "This is an extremely
unproductive situation."

Historians say that about 200,000 women �� mostly from Korea and China ��
served in Japanese military brothels throughout Asia in the 1930s and
1940s. Accounts of abuse by the military have been backed up by
witnesses, and even former Japanese soldiers.

Abe's statement contradicted evidence in Japanese documents, unearthed in
1992, that historians said showed that military authorities had a direct
role in working with contractors to forcibly procure women for the
brothels.

But prominent Japanese scholars and politicians routinely deny direct
military involvement or the use of force in rounding up the women,
blaming private contractors for the abuses.

The fallout from the remarks continued to build Thursday.

The coercion of women into prostitution was "one of the key, serious
crimes committed by Japanese imperial soldiers," Qin Gang, a Chinese
Foreign Ministry spokesman said during a regular news briefing.

"We hope that Japan can show courage, take a responsible attitude toward
history," he said.

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Chinese language - Athlete and actress give New Year blessing

2008-03-25T08:10:00.001-07:00

Sports / Celebrity

Athlete and actress give New Year blessing

(sina)
Updated: 2007-02-14 11:16

Shuttler Bao Chunlai (L) and actress Liu Tao pose for a group of photos
for Power Sports, a Chinese language sports newspaper before the Chinese
Lunar New Year comes to give readers New Year blessing. [sina]

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

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