A Beijing Olympic official on April 6 strongly criticized the attempt by "pro-Tibet independence" activists to sabotage the torch relay event in London, calling their actions defiance against the Olympic spirit.

As the torch traveled through 10 London boroughs protesters tried to snatch and extinguish it. They clashed with British police and at least 25 people were arrested.

A spokesman from the torch relay center of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee said that as the highest symbol of the Olympic spirit, the Olympic flame represents peace, friendship and progress.

However, the attempt by a few "pro-Tibet independence" activists is a serious violation of the Olympic spirit, as the Olympic flame belongs to the world, the spokesman said.

Season of Mourning

More than 100 million people mourned for the deceased at graveyards or memorial parks and halls on Tomb-sweepng Day, which fell on April 4, the Ministry of Civil Affairs estimated.

Figures from the ministry's 150 monitoring stations nationwide showed memorial sites in the country received more than 5.6 million people and nearly 600,000 cars on April 4, up 494 percent and 441 percent respectively over the previous day.

The State Council, China's cabinet, revised the nation's official holiday schedule last year to add three traditional festivals including Tomb-sweeping Day in response to public demand.

Fighting HIV/AIDS

China's arduous war against HIV/AIDS gained a powerful new advocate when the State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC) integrated an HIV prevention message into its routine duties.

SAIC is the government organization responsible for the supervision of markets and the enforcement of administrative laws for industry and commerce in the country.

Early last year, and with support from the China-U.K. project China AIDS Roadmap Tactical Support, SAIC began training the head officials of its private economy and advertising sections across China.

To date, 250 chiefs have been trained in HIV prevention skills, policies and regulations. SAIC also urged provincial industry and commerce bureaus to collaborate with private companies to expand efforts to promote HIV/AIDS prevention services for migrant workers.

New Tunnel and Bridge

The main construction work on a bridge and a tunnel project to connect Shanghai with two of its major islands will be completed within the year, according to a report in the Shanghai-based newspaper Wen Hui Bao.

The main construction work on a bridge to connect the two islands, Changxing and Chongming islands, will be finished in the first half of the year, the report said.

The main construction of an 8.9-km tunnel, connecting Shanghai to Chongming island, will also be completed by the end of this year. The bridge and tunnel are expected to put into use in 2010.

Tibetans Benefit

People of various nationalities living in Tibet have benefited from reform and development, said Qiangba Puncog, Chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, on April 9.

"They are real beneficiaries," he stressed. He also attacked the Dalai Lama's claims of "cultural genocide" in Tibet. "The Dalai Lama's claims are lies to instigate antagonism between various nationalities and to cheat the international community," he said.

Tibet has registered an annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of over 12 percent for seven consecutive years. In 2007, the region's GDP reached 34.2 billion yuan ($4.9 billion) with 12,000 yuan ($1,714.3) per capita, he added.