Valentine＇s Day Cynicism

THE debate on whether to observe Valentine＇s Day on February 14 heats up every year with as much intensity as a new romance. On the Intemet both supporters and opposers are many. On the evening of February 12, 2009, two men in Changsha City, Hunan Province erected a banner on the pedestrian thoroughfare of Huangxing South Road with the slogan, ＂It is everyone＇s duty to boycott repugnant Valentine＇s Day.＂ On the banner are the many signatures of netizens who agree to do just that.     

Human Rights Forum Held in Beijing

A symposium on how to tackle the challenges to women workers＇ rights was held in Beijing on March 8, the International Women＇s Day.     

Valentine＇s Choices： For Love or Money

PEOPLE in love are not the only people in bliss on Valentine＇s Day. Merchants whose deals are related to this lover＇s commemoration are also active, doing their utmost to win customers.     

Let Us Join Hands to Promote the Peaceful Development of Cross Straits Relations and Strive with a United Will for the Great Renaissance of the Chinese Nation —— Speech at a Forum Marking the 30th Anniversary of the Issuance of the Message to Our Compatriots in Taiwan

Comrades and Friends
Tomorrow is New Year＇s Day of the year 2009. It is on just such festive occasions as this that we miss our nearest and dearest the most. Accordingly now, on behalf of the people of all ethnic groups on the mainland of our motherland, I would like to extend our sincerest greetings and heartfelt felicitations to our compatriots in Taiwan!     

Hu Jintao Visits Exhibition on Tibet Democratic Reform

Prior to the Emancipation Day for One Million Serfs in Tibet on March 28, Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China＇s Central Committee and state president, paid a visit to the exhibition on the 50 Years of Democratic Reform in Tibet held in the Cultural Palace of Nationalities in Beijing. Other Party and government leaders Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang also visited the exhibition separately.     

Messages Encoded in Bird-and-Flower Paintings （PartⅡ）

IN the West, red roses are a symbol of romantic love, yellow roses of friendship. To observe Valentine＇s Day, various kinds of roses are marketed on China＇s streets and lanes. In ancient China flowers symbolized sentiments. For instance, twin lotus flowers on one stalk or two trees with branches interlocked were imagined to be devoted couples. The lotus flower connotes nobility, and the peony, wealth and rank. For thousands of years these flowers have been key elements in the composition of bird-and-flower paintings.     

Commentary on the Newly Published White Paper Concerning the Rule of Law in China

On February 28, 2008, the State Council Information Office published a white paper entitled China＇s Efforts and Achievements in Promoting the Rule of Law. This document is the first white paper published by the government on China＇s rule of law. It contains eight chapters and six appendices to review China＇s achievements on the road to practicing the rule of law in a compre- hensive way, and to expound the official Chinese policy and position on this is- sue. With some essential points inside, the publication of this white paper is of great significance, especially this year, to China＇s rule of law, human rights prog- ress, and its communication and dialogue with the international community.     

Taiwan＇s Indigenous Tribes Exhibition in Capital

The Exhibition of the History and Culture of Taiwan＇s Indigenous Tribes opened in the Cultural Palace of Nationalities in Beijing on December. 21, 2009. This, the first large-scale theme exhibit on China＇s mainland, is a systematic and comprehensive presentation of the history and culture of tribes indigenous to Taiwan.     

Reflection of feminism in modern China —— Reflection of feminism in modern China

The women＇s liberation movement in China started after the first opium war and it took shape with the aim of protecting the race and salvaging the country. Doubtlessly, the emergence of modern feminism opened the precedent in the theory of women＇s liberation in China and exerted a profound and far-reaching influence on women＇s liberation afterwards. But we must face up to the fact that there was some traps or misunderstanding of modern feminism, which were unfavorable for realizing women＇s rights and such influence was long, so much so that till today we are still seeing its existence. It is, therefore, necessary to have a full reflection of modem feminism, unveil the original meaning of women＇s rights and make women＇s rights return to human rights in order to make the development of women＇s fights continue.     

Changes at Panjiayuan Flea Market

EVERY morning before 9 o＇clock, Shu Jianjun gets to his shop in Beijing＇s Panjiayuan Flea Market. He displays a wide variety of seals in the counter beside the shop＇s door and waits for customers. Shu is greatly skilled at engraving people＇s images on small rocks. As well as handicrafts made by craftsmen like Shu, visitors to Panjiayuan market are dazzled by the endless array of products on sale.     

THIS WEEK

正EXTENDING WARM GREETINGS Middle school students in Xingtai,north China’s Hebei Province,display greeting cards in celebration of World Hello Day on November 19.Everybody can participate in World Hello Day,which falls on November 21 every year,simply by greeting 10 or more others.The holiday,which originated as a response to the 1973 Arab-Israeli War,aims to demonstrate the importance of     

From Trespasser to Honorary Citizen——Life of a British Great Wall Preservationist in China

Roaring on the streets in Yulin in northwest China＇s Shaanxi province, some vehicles were escorting the town＇s newly-named honorary citizen, William Lindesay from Britain, to a ceremony to award him the title of honor.     

Romanian Folk Treasure Exhibited in China

The compilation of a collection of five books or book series on China＇s ethnic issues, including China＇s Ethnic Mhaorities; A Brief History of China＇s Ethm＇c Minorities Series, A Brief Language History of China＇s Ethnic Minorities Series, A Brief Introduction to National Autonomous Regions Series, and Journal Series of Sociological and Historical Surveys on China＇s Ethnic Minorities, was organized by the State Ethnic Affairs Commission. The collection is a systematic presentation of the life situations of ethnic minorities in China and the achievements made in ethnic affairs. The now complete collection comprises 419 volumes of 351 kinds, amounting to a total of 100 million Chinese characters.     

FASHIONABLE CELEBRATION

An employee of China Railway Construction Engineering Group walks the runway at a fashion show hosted by the company to celebrate International Women’s Day in Nanjing,Jiangsu Province,on March 7.SOCIETY Waterfall Scenery Tourists take in the scenery of the Hukou Waterfall on the Yellow River in Shaanxi Province on March 8.The waterfall is witnessing an increased water flow due to warm temperatures.     

Online and Off

China＇s population of Internet users now numbers 298 million, and the worldwide web has profoundly impacted people＇s lives in both positive and negative ways. On the eve of this year＇s sessions of the National People＇s Congress （NPC） and the Chinese People＇s Political Consultative Conference （CPPCC）, Premier Wen Jiabao engaged the nation＇s netizens during a two- hour interactive web chat. During the sessions, Wen regularly logged on to collect the people＇s opinions on their progress.     

People＇s Communes

CHINA＇s individual agricultural economy based on private ownership was transformed into cooperative economy based on public ownership between 1949 and ＇ 1956. During this time span the ＂communistic commune;＂ the ＂col ective farm＂and the ＂people＇s commune＂ successively appeared in rural areas. In 1958, shortly after Chairman Mao Zedong said, ＂It is good to establish people＇s communes,＂ the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China established people＇s communes throughout the country. Documents at that time stated： ＂The realization of communism in our country is not a thing of remote future. We must actively establish people＇s communes and explore a concrete way to communism.＂ By the end of October 1958, more than 26,000 people,s communes housing 120 million rural households -- 99 percent of all rural households in China - had been set up.     

Civil Society to Be More Active in Human Rights Affairs

Nobody can become an expert on the United Nations in one week. But a week-long training workshop on international human fights treaties in Geneva, Switzerland may herald more active participation of China＇s civil society in the country＇s commitment to these principles.     

China On Parade ——A Feast for 1.3 Billion People

ON October 1, 2009, the world＇s biggest birthday party was held in Tian anmen Square in central Beijing -200,000 people gathered to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the People＇s Republic of China. The rest of the public watched the live broadcast on TV or online, sharing the pride and confidence of a nation rejuvenating itself on its great joumey of opening-up and reform.     

IVlao＇s Hometowr to Embrace More＂Red＂ Tourists

THE 116th anniversary commemoration of Mao Zedong＇s birth, held on November 15, 2009 at Beijing＇s Great Hall of the People, had an unusual twist. This year＇s ceremony included a seminar on how to promote Mao＇s philosophy and the ＂red culture＂ that his charisma has inspired, reflected in the construction of a 12-hectare theme park.     

SOCIETY

正Army Day Officers and soldiers line up to form the number "89" on the Chinese missile destroyer Xi’an to celebrate the 89th anniversary of the establishment of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army(PLA)on August 1.The warship was part of a Chinese fleet participating in the Rim of the Pacific multinational naval exercises in the area of the Hawaiian sea.