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A Boeing 767-300ER airplane named "FLY! PANDA" with a panda-shaped pattern on its body is displayed as invited guests pose next to it during an unveiling at New Tokyo international airport in Narita, east of Tokyo July 24, 2007. The special airplane, designed and operated by All Nippon Airways Co., was made to mark the 35th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Japan and China. The vessel, which is also made to mark the company's 20th anniversary of airline service between Japan and China, is scheduled to commence its service, with the panda design, in July 25 to Beijing. [Reuters]

SANYA, Hainan- Two Chinese naval vessels left here on Tuesday for an 87-day tour that will take them to Russia, Britain, Spain and France. The guided missile destroyer Guangzhou and the supply ship Weishanhu are under the command of Major General Su Zhiqian, deputy commander of the South China Sea Fleet of the Chinese Navy. The Guangzhou -- 155 meters long, 16 meters wide and with a displacement of 5,850 tons -- is said to be one of China's newest naval vessels. The two ships will travel more than 23,000 nautical miles, stopping in Russia's Saint Petersburg, Britain's Portsmouth, Spain's Cadiz, and France's Toulon in succession. More than 500 soldiers and officers are on board the vessels. They will join activities for the Year of China in Saint Petersburg and hold joint rescue exercises with the British, Spanish and French navies.

Westinghouse President and CEO Steve Tritch (L) shakes hands with Wang Binghua, Chairman of the State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation of China, during a signing ceremony to build nuclear power plants at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing July 24, 2007. [Reuters]

China on Tuesday finalized a contract with a consortium, led by the US-based Westinghouse Electric Co, to build four nuclear power reactors in the eastern part of the country.

Neither party revealed the amount involved in the contract but earlier media reports had estimated it to be $8 billion.

China will use Westinghouse's AP1000 technology to build the four reactors, two of which will be in Sanmen, Zhejiang Province, and the others in Haiyang, Shandong Province.

The cooperation between China and the US will be "crucial" in the development of the country's third generation nuclear power technology, Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan said.

"The contract will result in the first-ever use of advanced US nuclear power technology in China," Westinghouse President and Chief Executive Stephen Tritch said.

Based on standard Westinghouse pressurized water reactor technology, AP1000 is "the safest, most advanced nuclear power technology in the world". It has been chosen for at least 12 reactors in the US to be built in the next 10 to 12 years.

The deal is expected to generate at least 5,000 jobs for Westinghouse and its consortium partners, the company said.

Work on the first reactor is expected to begin in 2009, and it will become operational in late 2013. The other three are expected to come on line between 2014 and 2015.

Japan's Toshiba took majority control of Westinghouse last October. Two months later China signed an MOU with the company for the four reactors after it outbid competitors Areva of France and Atomstroiexport of Russia following a two-year negotiation process.

Nuclear power is the most important electricity generating method after thermal power and hydropower in China, and the country has become the third-largest nuclear power producer in Asia. Only Japan and South Korea generate more nuclear power.

All nuclear reactors in operation or being constructed in China have employ the first- or second-generation technology from France, Canada or Russia.

This year the country formed the State Nuclear Power Technology Corp (SNPTC), which is mainly in charge of developing third-generation nuclear power technologies. The registered capital of SNPTC is 4 billion yuan ($528.89 million).

The central government will fund 60 percent of the company, and the rest will come from four large State-owned enterprises, including the country's two nuclear conglomerates CNNC and China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Co.

Ding Junhui of China takes a shoot in the Men's snooker doubles final at the Asian Games, in Doha, December 6, 2006. China's Ding Junhui and Tian Pengfei beats Chan Wai Ki and Marco Fu Ka Chun of Hong Kong, China to win the gold medal.

Models present mobile phones as visitors examine new products at the LG booth during the first day of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom World 2006 in Hong Kong December 4, 2006

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Chinese coach Li Yongbo praised his team for surpassing expectations at the Madrid world championships which ended on Sunday.

Chinese coach Li Yongbo praised his team for surpassing expectations at the Madrid world championships which ended on Sunday.

Li had challenged the team to better the two golds, four silver and one bronze taken at the last world championships. They finished with four of the five gold medals at stake in Madrid.

"Due to limits on the number of players at the tournament, the level of competition was greater than before and the achievement was even less easy," Li told the China News Service agency.

Li particularly praised top-seeded men's doubles pair Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng.

"This perfect performance should really lift their confidence in preparing for the Olympic Games," Li said.

He also said China had proved its superiority in the women's doubles where Gao Ling and Huang Sui beat Zhang Yawen and Wei Yili in an all-Chinese final.

"Although we might drop the odd match, our overall superiority is unassailable," he said.

Li was less pleased with the mixed doubles - the only event in which Chinese hegemony was broken at the championships, after Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms beat Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg to win gold in an all-English final.

"I believe they didn't play their best. In principle, there should have been at least one team to break into the semifinals," Li said.

Master-MVA Aspar's 125cc rider Alvaro Bautista (19) of Spain leads the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, north of Tokyo, September 24, 2006

China's 08 Olympics soccer team were beaten 2-0 by their Japanese counterparts in a friendly on August 7 held in Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province.

This match seemed to be auguring things to come as a month later, defending champions China were downed by North Korea 2-1, losing their spot in the semifinals of the AFC U-17 Championship.

Adding insult to injury, the national team, coached by Zhu Guanghu, would obtain more red cards than goals in two games against Singapore, casting a shadow on their bid for qualification for next year's Asian Cup finals.

"Deviating from the correct path, more than a decade of professional reform has produced very little effect," the 62-year-old Jin Zhiyang was quoted by China Youth Daily as saying on September 14.

Jin, former head coach of Beijing Guo'an and Tianjin Taida and assistant coach of the national team during the 2002 World Cup.

Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil returns a ball to Simon Aspelin and Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden during their Davis Cup play-off doubles tennis match in Belo Horizonte, Brazil September 24, 2006.

Benfica's Georgios Karagounis (R) fights for the ball with Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo during their Champions League Group F soccer match at the Luz stadium in Lisbon September 26, 2006

Top seeds Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and Na Li of China were among Tuesday's first-round winners at the U.S.$175,000 Guangzhou International Women's Open.

The U.S. Open semifinalist Jankovic eased past Chinese Meng Yuan 6-0, 6-2, while Li leveled Russian Galina Voskoboeva 6-3, 6-4 at the Tennis Courts of Fangcun Sports Center. Li will battle her countrywoman Tiantian Sun in the second round here.

Two other seeds advanced, as No. 4 Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues grounded Russian Alina Jidkova 6-1, 6-3 and No. 8 Belarusian Anastasiya Yakimova erased Chinese qualifier Shengnan Sun 6-2, 6-1.

Sixth-seeded American Meghann Shaughnessy was sent packing by Croat Jelena Kostanic 6-4, 6-4 on Day 2.

Other opening-round winners were Aussie Alicia Molik, Dutch qualifier Elise Tamaela and Chinese qualifier Jing Ren. Molik fought back to take out American Vania King 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 7-5.

The 2006 Guangzhou winner will collect U.S.$28,000. Chinese Yan Zi defeated Spaniard Nuria Llagostera Vives in last year's finale.

Olympic champion and world record holder Liu Xiang continues to dominate the IAAF world rankings for the men's 110-meter hurdles after winning his event in Shanghai last week.

Liu Xiang of China (L) celebrates as he wins the 110 meters hurdles ahead of Allen Johnson of the U.S (R) during the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix athletics meet in Shanghai September 23, 2006.[

Real Madrid's Raul celebrates scoring against Real Betis during their Trophy of Carranza soccer match at the Ramon de Carranza stadium in Cadiz August 18, 2006. [Reuters]

Real Madrid's David Beckham looks on during their Trophy of Carranza soccer match against Real Betis at the Ramon de Carranza stadium in Cadiz August 18, 2006.[Reuters]

Real Madrid's Ruud Van Nistelrooy (L) celebrates his goal against Real Betis with team mate David Beckham during their Trophy of Carranza soccer match at the Ramon de Carranza stadium in Cadiz August 18, 2006.[Reuters]

Host team China started the fifth day of competition with two gold medals and one silver from the 10,000 meters walking race.  查看全文

China's Yao Ming (R) is fouled by Italy's Denis Marconato during the first round of the world basketball championships in Sapporo August 19, 2006. [Reuters]

China's Yao Ming goes up to shoot against Italy during the first round of the world basketball championships in Sapporo, northern Japan August 19, 2006. [Reuters]

China's coach Jonas Kazlauskas (R) and center Yao Ming react during their game against Italy in the first round of the world basketball championships in Sapporo August 19, 2006. [Reuters]

China's Yao Ming dunks against Italy during the first round of the world basketball championships in Sapporo, northern Japan August 19, 2006. [Reuters]

Nigeria's Aloysius Anagonye (L) dunks the ball beside Venezuela's Victor Diaz (C) and Nigeria's Gabe Muoneke during their match at the world basketball championships in Sendai August 20, 2006. [Reuters]

Italy's Andrea Michelori (L) drives past China's Yao Ming during the first round of the world basketball championships in Sapporo August 19, 2006. [Reuters]

Oscar Torres of Venezuela dunks during their second round match at the world basketball championships against Venezuela in Sendai August 20, 2006.[Reuters]

Venezuela's Richard Lugo (C) struggles for the ball with Nigeria's Ime Udoka (R) and Jeff Varem during their match at the world basketball championships in Sendai August 20, 2006. [Reuters]

L-R) China's Liu Yanan (top) celebrates with teammate Wang Yimei after winning a point over Azerbaijan during their FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary match in Hong Kong August 19, 2006. [Reuters]

Australia's Sam Mackinnon (C) hangs down from a basket after his dunk shot during their first round match against Brazil at the world basketball championships in Hamamatsu, central Japan August 19, 2006. [Reuters]

Australia's Sam MacKinnon (R) goes for a basket as Brazil's Anderson tries to stop him during their first round match at the world basketball championships in Hamamatsu, central Japan August 19, 2006.[Reuters]

Australia's Andrew Bogut (2nd R) and team mates celebrate their 83-77 win over Brazil after their first round match at the world basketball championships in Hamamatsu, central Japan August 19, 2006.[Reuters]

Competitors practice for the 2006 Qingdao International Regatta sailing competition in Qingdao, China's eastern province of Shandong, August 20, 2006. The races begin on August 21, with the regatta as the first trial of an official venue for the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympics.[Reuters]

competitor practices for the 2006 Qingdao International Regatta sailing competition in Qingdao, China's eastern province of Shandong, August 20, 2006. The races begin on August 21, with the regatta as the first trial of an official venue for the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympics.

competitor practices for the 2006 Qingdao International Regatta sailing competition in Qingdao, China's eastern province of Shandong, August 20, 2006. The races begin on August 21, with the regatta as the first trial of an official venue for the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympics.

Iranian military forces run from the down-draft of a helicopter, during a training exercise in Zahedan, in the southeastern province of Sistan va Baluchistan, Iran, on Saturday Aug. 19, 2006. Iran on Saturday launched a series of large-scale military maneuvers aimed at introducing the country's new defensive doctrine, state-run television reported. [AP Photo]

Iranian military forces alight from a helicopter during a training exercise in Zahedan, in the southeastern province of Sistan va Baluchistan, Iran, August 19, 2006. Iran on Saturday launched a series of large-scale military maneuvers aimed at introducing the country's new defensive doctrine, state-run television reported

Iranian army helicopters lift equipment during a war game in Sistan-o Balouchestan province, southeast of Tehran, August 19, 2006. Iran on Saturday launched a series of large-scale military maneuvers aimed at introducing the country's new defensive doctrine, state-run television reported.

LeBron James (C) of the US goes up to shoot as China's Yao Ming (L) guards during the first round of the world basketball championships in Sapporo, northern Japan August 20, 2006.

US player Dwight Howard (L) fights for a rebound with China's Yao Ming during the first round of the world basketball championships in Sapporo August 20, 2006. [Reuters]

Dwyane Wade (C) of the US goes up to shoot past China's Yao Ming during the first round of the world basketball championships in Sapporo, northern Japan August 20, 2006. The United States crushed China 121-90 to underline their status as favourites at the world basketball championship, [Reuters]

Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, a transvestite from India, looks at a dress made of condoms by Brazilian artist Adriana Bertini at the International AIDS conference in Toronto August 17, 2006. The exhibit aims to get people comfortable about condoms, especially those living in countries where the little piece of latex is considered taboo.

Brazilian artist Adriana Bertini poses with one of her dresses made of condoms on exhibit at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto August 17, 2006. The exhibit aims to get people comfortable about condoms, especially those living in countries where the little piece of latex is considered taboo

Liu Xiang, the 110m hurdles world record holder and Olympic champion, runs as he stars in a film promoting the image of Shanghai, in front of the Grand Theatre in Shanghai August 19, 2006.

Tehran - Iran on Sunday test-fired a surface-to-surface short-range missile a day after its army launched large-scale military exercises throughout the country, state-run television reported.

Washington - The United States hopes it will avoid filing lawsuit to the World Trade Organization against China to fix trade problems that have strained relations, the top US trade official said on Friday.

"Quite frankly, I'd rather not litigate in the World Trade Organization," US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said in an interview taped for C-Span television's "The Newsmakers," which will air on Sunday.

"I would rather have China fix the problem whether it's a market access problem or a problem related to intellectual property or so on," she said.

Schwab will travel to China in late August after attending the annual economics ministers meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, next week.

The United States, the European Union and Canada already have taken one step toward a WTO case against China for tariff policies they said discriminate against foreign auto parts.

Washington also has been considering another case aimed at getting Beijing to toughen its enforcement of laws against pirating and counterfeiting goods.

American companies said they lose billions of dollars in China each year because of the fake goods, some of which end up back in the United States.

Schwab said she planned to discuss both issues with her Chinese counterpart, as well as US concern that China honor commitments to open its financial services market.

The United States also wants China to become much more engaged in nearly 5-year-old world trade talks, which were suspended last month after countries failed to agree on how much to cut agricultural and manufacturing tariffs.

China's environmental chief has blamed fraudulent project approval procedures and slow construction of pollution control facilities for the rise in pollutant emission in the first half of the year.

Encephalitis B has killed 26 people in China so far, as seven more were reported died from the disease in the north of the country.

Beirut, Lebanon - Standing in the midst of the rubble of south Beirut, Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora called the Israeli bombing campaign "a crime against humanity," and Lebanon's defense minister warned any group that breaks the Middle East ceasefire will be dealt with harshly.

Sapporo, Japan - The United States crushed China 121-90 to underline their status as favourites at the world basketball championship on Sunday. (See Full Coverage on the FIBA World Championship 2006 )

Beijing - Prolonged hot weather and severe drought have left 18 million people in China short of drinking water and damaged vast areas of arable farmland.

Beijing - Prolonged hot weather and severe drought have left 18 million people in China short of drinking water and damaged vast areas of arable farmland.

China's Liu Hong survived a yellow-card warning to claim the women's 10,000m race walk title at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Beijing on Saturday.

The 19-year-old clocked a personal best time of 45 minutes and 12.84 seconds under sweltering conditions, while compatriot Chai Xue finished sixth in 48:09.51.

Russia's Tatyana Shemyakina was edged to the second position in 45:34.41, while Romanian Anamaria Greceanu finished the podium after clocking a distant 46:45.67.

Liu, who has been mainly practising the 20 km, attributed her victory to her tactics.

"I was too anxious and the yellow card alerted me. I tried to relax after that and raced better," Liu told a post-match press conference.

"We've prepared well for this race and were confident about clinching the title.

"The result proved that our tactics were quite right," she added.

Liu guessed that Chai ran out of energy so that she could not stay in the leading pack.

"It's a pity that Chai did not catch up with me in the final stage. She might be too tired," Liu said.

HAVANA - Acting President Raul Castro said Cuba remains open to normalized relations with the United States, but warned the Bush administration in his first comments since assuming power that it will get nowhere with threats or pressure.

SHANGHAI: China's largest commercial lender, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), denied on Friday that loopholes in its online banking system had caused the loss of customers' funds.

However, about 200 of the ICBC's e-banking customers from across the country, who claim to have lost sums up to 389,000 yuan (US$48,600), have demanded compensation from the bank.

Experts said that improvements are needed to ensure the security of China's online banking system, noting that the incident would put off many potential customers.

The security of online banking was placed under spotlight recently when the 200 alleged victims of ICBC's defective Internet banking service formed an alliance to safeguard their rights and threatened to take the bank to court.

A number of cases have been revealed recently in which online banking customers suffered losses as a result of hacking, fake websites or viruses.

In the latest incident, a court in East China's Zhejiang Province ordered a branch of the Agricultural Bank of China to compensate Hong Rongyao to the tune of 102,500 yuan (US$12,800) after his password was stolen and a large amount of money was taken from his account.

But the large number of victims of ICBC's allegedly defective online banking system has drawn particular attention.

"We will file a collective lawsuit and ask for compensation for the losses resulting from the loopholes in ICBC's online banking system, and end the bank's infringement of its customers' rights," the organizer of the customer alliance said on its website.

The lender was also accused of failing to deal with hackers and being unable to provide a safe online banking network. Each victim's name, place of residence and the amount of money lost was posted on the site.

A man named Pang Feng from Shanghai lost 389,000 yuan (US$48, 000), the largest amount on the list.

The site also posted a wanted notice for a man, aged around 30, who is suspected of stealing 427,000 yuan (US$53,400) from ICBC's online banking service.

But the bank fought back on Friday. A statement on the ICBC website said that customers' failure to safeguard their card numbers and passwords had caused the losses.

The bank, pointing out that its online banking service has 20 million customers, said that the losses were "isolated cases."

Since 2003, the lender has required its customers to use USB-Shield, a patented customer certificate to help avoid risks such as hacking, fake websites or viruses.

"The large number of alleged thefts shows that commercial lenders' online banking services are not 100 per cent secure," said Li Hong, dean of the banking studies department of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.

"The incident might have an impact on customers using the service in the future," he added.

BEIJING - China raised rates on Friday for the second time in four months in the latest effort to slow a boom in credit and investment that risks destabilising the world's fourth-largest economy.

The People's Bank of China, the central bank, said on its Web site (www.pbc.gov.cn) that it had ordered an increase of 0.27 percentage point in commercial banks' benchmark one-year deposit and lending rates.

Tests carried out into China's first AIDS vaccine suggest the drug could prove effective at protecting people against the HIV virus, the Ministry of Science and Technology announced on Friday.

Belgium's player Stein Huysegems controls the ball during a training session of the Belgian squad in Kraainem near Brussels, August 14, 2006

German national soccer players (L-R) Bernd Schneider, Lukas Podolski, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Manuel Friedrich head footballs during a training session in Berlin August 14, 2006. The German national soccer team will play against Sweden in a friendly soccer match in Gelsenkirchen on August 16. [Reuters]

Barcelona's newly signed soccer player Gianluca Zambrotta stretches during his first training session with the team in Barcelona, Spain August 15, 2006

Barcelona's newly signed soccer player Liliam Thuram (R) speaks with team mates Ronaldinho (C) and Samuel Eto'o (L) during a training session in Barcelona August 15, 2006

Yao Ming, right, and Wang Zhizhi, left, of China try to grab the ball from Andrew