05-01-08

中國開通新大橋 (New Bridge Opens in China)

中國星期四將在長江三角洲正式開通號稱世界最長的跨海大橋。

官方的新華社說，這座36公里長的大橋將跨越中國金融和商業中心上海附近的杭州灣。大橋將連接上海和浙江省的港口城市寧波。

新華社說，這座橋梁將把上海和寧波之間的行程縮短120公里。大橋預計將緩解這個經濟蓬勃發展地區的交通堵塞問題。

這座橋梁在2003年11月開始動工。

China will officially open what is being described as one of the world's longest sea-crossing bridges today (Thursday) in the Yangtze River Delta.

State-run Xinhua news agency says the 36-kilometer bridge will span the Hangzhou Bay near China's financial and commercial hub, Shanghai. It will link Shanghai to the port city of Ningbo in Zhejiang province.

Xinhua says the bridge, will cut the length of the trip between Shanghai and Ningbo by 120 kilometers, and is expected to reduce traffic congestion in the booming economic region.

Construction on the bridge began in November 2003.

中國人在法國零售商店前舉行抗議 (Chinese Stage Protests in Front of French Retail Outlet Stores)

數以百計的示威者星期四在四座中國城市集會，表達對北京奧運會的支援並譴責國際社會抗議在西藏的鎮壓行動。

官方的新華社說，示威活動在湖南省會長沙以及福州、重慶和瀋陽的法國零售巨商家樂福的商店門外舉行。

支援者揮舞中國國旗，呼喊支援奧運和譴責西藏獨立的口號。

上個月，北京奧運火炬在巴黎接力傳遞，有支援西藏的示威者試圖從一名座輪椅的中國運動員手中奪取火炬。從這以後，家樂福成為宣泄民族主義情緒的目標。

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in four Chinese cities today (Thursday) to express support for the Beijing Olympics and denounce international protests over the crackdown in Tibet.

State-run Xinhua news agency says the demonstrations took place outside stores belonging to French retail giant Carrefour in Changsha, capital of the province of Hunan, as well as the cities of Fuzhou, Chongquin, and Shenyang.

The supporters waved Chinese national flags and shouted slogans supporting the Olympics and denouncing Tibetan independence.

Carrefour has been the target of angry nationalist fervor since last month's relay of the Beijing Olympic torch in Paris, when pro-Tibetan demonstrators tried to snatch the flame from a wheelchair-bound Chinese athlete.