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Premier Wen calls for nationwide efforts in rescue, relief after “most destructive” quake since 1949

Special report: Strong Earthquake Jolts SW China

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao greets local people during an inspection in Muyu Township of Qingchuan County, one of the worst-hit area of Guangyuan City in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 15, 2008. Wen is here to oversee rescue work and visit survivors.(Xinhua/Tao Ming)
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CHENGDU, May 16 (Xinhua) — Rescue operation and disaster relief for victims in the worst earthquake over decades are of top priority of the nation, and thus require concerted efforts from the whole country, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Thursday night.

Monday’s 7.8-magnitude earthquake that ravaged southwestern Sichuan Province and was felt in most parts of the country was the “most destructive” tremor and had the “most wide-spreading impact” since New China was founded in 1949, Wen said on a meeting of the rescue headquarters under the State Council headed by himself.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L) comforts local people in Muyu Township, Qingchuan County, southwest China’s Sichuan Province May 15, 2008. Qingchuan County is one of the worst-hit areas in Sichuan Province. Premier Wen is here to oversee rescue work and visit survivors. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)
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It was even more powerful than the Tangshan earthquake in 1976,Wen said. The catastrophe in northern Hebei Province claimed about240,000 lives three decades ago.

He hailed the efficiency and order the country has maintained for the past 80 hours as the country focused its resources on saving lives and disaster relief work for quake victims.

He said the government will stick to its “people-first” policy in its future rescue operations and reconstruction works.

A mother deadly cries after knowing her child lost life in the devastating earthquake in Sichuan Province May 15, 2008. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)
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“Saving lives is still our top priority, as long as hope of survival still exists,” Wen said, urging that social stability to be maintained.

He warned relevant authorities to pay special attention to the prevention of plagues.

He said supplies of food, medicines, and tents must be ensured.

More than 50,000 people are feared dead in Sichuan alone after Monday’s earthquake, with confirmed death toll in the province hitting 19,509 by Thursday afternoon.

Emotional premier moves Chinese amid quake effort
BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — Few things other than stories of victims rescued following China’s most deadly earthquake in 32 years would touch the Chinese heart now. But the emotional Premier Wen Jiabao did. Full Story

Premier continues inspection in quake-hit Guangyuan

BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived at Guangyuan City in southwest China’s Sichuan Province here Thursday morning. Wen spent three hours by ship to go to Muyu Township, Qingchuan County, one of the worst-hit area of Guangyuan City to oversee rescue work and visit survivors. Full Story

Premier orders deployment of 90 more helicopters for quake relief

BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has ordered the armed forces and civil aviation department to deploy 90 more helicopters for rescue missions in quake-hit Sichuan province. Full Story

from CHINA.COM

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Photo: Torchbearers Hu Yuan and Pan Hao pass the torch

Torchbearers Hu Yuan (R) and Pan Hao pass the torch during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Ruijin, southeast China’s Jiangxi Province, on May 14, 2008.

(Photo credit: Song Zhenping/Xinhua)

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Photo: Torchbearer Wang Rushen holds up the torch

Torchbearer Wang Rushen holds up the torch during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Ruijin, southeast China’s Jiangxi Province, on May 14, 2008.

(Photo credit: Zhang Wu/Xinhua)

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Jinggangshan

Jinggangshan is located in the southwest of Jiangxi province. It has a population of 149.7 thousand and covers an area of 1291.5 square kilometers. The city is an old revolutionary base.

Jinggangshan is known as “the cradle of China’s revolution.” In August 1927, Mao Zedong, along with other revolutionaries, founded the first rural revolutionary base here, beginning a new era in Chinese history.

Besides being a famous revolutionary base, Jinggangshan is also well-known for its natural beauty.

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Olympic torchbearers heavy-hearted for quake victims

The last torchbearer kindles the cauldron at the end of torch relay in Jinggangshan.

JINGGANGSHAN MOUNTAINS, Jiangxi Province, May 15 (Xinhua) – As the Olympic flame shed light Thursday on Jianggangshan Mountains, the relay organizers and torchbearers were heavy-hearted for victims of a deadly earthquake in southwest China.

Donation boxes were placed along the 14.5-kilometer route to collect funds for the quake-stricken areas.

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Wenchuan county of Sichuan Province at 2:28 p.m. Monday. Death toll from the quake climbed to14,866 by 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, according to official statistics.

All the people in the opening ceremony of Jianggangshan Mountains relay, started at 8:00 in Huangyangjie Pass which is 1,343-meter above sea level, observed a minute of silence to those killed in the quake.

“Let the torch relay pass our blessings and care to the quake sufferers,” said Xie Ru, vice governor of Jiangxi province, while hosting the simplified opening ceremony.

“I hope the Olympic torch can pass confidence and hope to the disaster areas,” said 53-year-old torchbearer Jiang Yiman, a China’s Red Cross worker.

“The Olympic torch relay represents not only peace, harmony, but more importantly the care between each other. I hope the relay can deliver a message of strength, confidence and hope,” added Jiang.

According to Jiang, China’s Red Cross has raised donations valued 120 million RMB (17 million US dollars) for earthquake relief.

The relay is set to wrap up at 12:00 a.m. with firefighter Liu Hao as the last torchbearer.

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Liu Qi meets San Francisco supervisors board president

Liu Qi (R) meets Aaron Peskin.

(BEIJING, November 26) — BOCOG President Liu Qi met with the visiting president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Aaron Peskin, here Monday afternoon.

Liu welcomed the guest and said that the Chinese government would further strengthen support for the preparatory work, as this year is the most crucial year of the Games preparations. On various occasions, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have voiced their full support for the preparations.

Liu said San Francisco is the only city in North America on the route of the Beijing 2008 Olympic torch relay. The Olympic torch has passed through the San Francisco Bay four times. “We believe with the support from the San Francisco government, the preparatory work for the relay of the Beijing Olympic torch in San Francisco will unfold successfully.”

Peskin congratulated Liu on the achievements of the Games preparations, saying that Beijing would host a successful edition of the Olympic Games. San Francisco will fully cooperate with BOCOG to get ready for the relay of the Olympic torch, Peskin remarked.

Present at the meeting were BOCOG Executive Vice-President and Secretary-General Wang Wei and BOCOG Executive Vice-President Jiang Xiaoyu.

Liu Qi (R) presents a gift to Peskin.

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Super Girls and Happy Boys have fun filming volunteer music video

Filming begins for volunteer song music video
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(BEIJING, December 2) — Laughter and fun abounded at Beijing’s Shimao Tianjie Sunday evening when various winners from the hit singing competition shows “Happy Boy” and “Super Girl” gathered to begin filming the music video for a Chinese song to encourage Olympic volunteerism. Those who took part in the music video hope to use the song to call on more people to volunteer for the Olympics.

The song, whose title translates roughly to “You, me, and him — happily we participate,” is an original, Olympic-themed song that emphasizes how volunteers work together to contribute their spirit to the Olympics.

Super Girls” and “Happy Boys” add to the fun on the set of the music video
The lyrics are short and to the point, and they are easy to remember, an official for the music video said, adding that the song has a catchy tune to connect with a wide audience.

Su Xing, a “Happy Boy,” hopes to become a language volunteer. Su has studied abroad in the past and would like to use his language skills to provide translation services to foreigners.

All smiles: Huang Yali (L, 1) and the other participants
The Olympic music videos are sponsored by Synear Food Holdings Limited, the exclusive supplier of quick freeze food products for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Popular singers like Han Hong, the group Yu Quan, and Wang Feng, among others, have all lent their talents to the videos.

Audiences across China will be able to catch the volunteer music video on TV beginning early next year.

Dancing to keep warm

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IOC president satisfied with preparations for 2008 Games

(Lausanne, December 12) — IOC President Jacques Rogge expressed his satisfaction over the preparatory work for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, including the construction of the Olympic venues on Wednesday.

Rogge was present at a press conference held at the end of a three-day meeting of the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In response to a question from a Xinhua reporter, Rogge commented that he was very pleased to see the smooth progress of the preparations for the Olympics.

He noted that although there are no major problems to be resolved, a series of jobs and issues still need to be worked out with the Olympics only 241 days away.

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Blog SEO

Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the practice of stocking articles with keywords in order to achieve a high search engine ranking. There are plenty of reasons to want to be on the first page of a search, the most important is because many people find what they’e looking for there, and don’t generally delve further. If you want people to find your blog in a search, it doesn’t hurt to use SEO. What follows are some tips for using blog SEO.

Blog SEO: Use Popular Keywords and Phrases for Titles: It’d helpful if you entitle each blog post with a different SEO keyword or phrase. Search engines like blogs because they update often. Using keywords in the titles will help to catch their attention. The keywords should make sense, however. Nothing turns a off blog reader more than reading a poorly written blog peppered with keyphrases. Search for keywords using online tools such as this one by Digital Point.

Use Lots of Links: In addition to to articles and posts outside of your blog, be sure to link to post inside your blog as well. If you wish for certain posts to come up with certain keyword phrases, “anchor” those keywords to the post. For instance, if I wish to have this article rank high in searches for “Blog SEO, I will use a link with those words every time I use this piece as reference.

Make Sure Other Blogs Link to You: One of the best ways to catch the attention of search engines is to have lots of back links. Create link-worthy content and encourage others to link to your blog and posts.

Update Often: Search engines like to see lots of content. By posting several times a day, the search engine spiders are more likely to index your pages. Now, of course, you want to provide quality content with important keywords. Don’t just provide content for content’s sake.

Be Patient: It takes time to rank in the search engines. If you want to make it onto the first page it can take months, over a year even. While you’re waiting, work diligently to provide content and encourage others to link to you.

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China to better use Civilian Nuclear Energy

China is willing to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation on civilian nuclear energy with other nations, a senior Chinese official attending a meeting on nuclear energy in Vienna said on Sunday.

The peaceful use of nuclear energy was important to the Chinese government, Chen Deming, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, told the second ministerial conference of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP).

Chen, head of the Chinese delegation, said China has fixed on its policies on route and closed nuclear fuel cycle for the development of nuclear electricity.

He said that as long as nuclear security and non-proliferation were assured, the peaceful use of the nuclear energy could be extended around the world in a safe, economic and reliable way.

With an open and constructive attitude, China is ready to strengthen cooperation on global nuclear energy with other nations.

On the sidelines of the conference, Chen Deming also met Samuel Bodman, the minister of energy department of the US, and exchanged opinion on issues of mutual concern.

The delegates from 16 states, including China, also signed a document on the principles of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) at the conference.

The GNEP, which is sponsored by the US, is aimed at guaranteeing broad access to nuclear technologies and preventing proliferation.

The second ministerial conference of the GNEP was held at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Sunday and was attended by 38 ministers and senior officials from different countries as well as key intergovernmental organizations such as the IAEA and Eurotom.

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