IN BRIEF (Page 4)

Unfeathered friends flock together

As an icy nightfall wind whipped across Miyun reservoir, a White-naped Crane raised its wings with a lazy flap, almost like a yawn, before rising into the air. Five hundred meters away, 20 bird watchers shivered in the bushes as they attempted to capture the bird's exotic dance through cameras and binoculars. More than 500 of the birds had alighted by the reservoir, 90 kilometers northeast of Beijing's urban area, pecking, preening and shaking their tail feathers.

Birding: A potted history

Unlike professional ornithologists or biologists, who engage in the study of birds via formal scientific methods, most birdwatchers pursue the activity for recreational and social reasons.

Growth in China

China is a great place for bird watching. The country's enormous geographical diversity provides ideal habitats for large numbers of birds. And now an increasing number of birders are visiting the country as members of tour groups.

Tea time loses its popularity

The early bird catches the worm, and that used to be the case for the producers of Longjing tea, as the early tea harvested before Qingming (Pure Brightness) Festival used to reap them high rewards. However, this year the bottom has fallen out of the market and prices have plummeted.

Tour with win-win results

President Xi Jinping arrived in Beijing on Sunday morning after visits to Russia, Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Congo.

Chinese doctors help and learn in Africa

Xia Wei, assistant researcher with the national immunization program of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said his three-month stint as a World Health Organization volunteer in Africa has helped him in his work back home.

Firm rebuilds major national road in the Republic of Congo

In the west-central African country of the Republic of Congo, Mayombe is a name that inspires both love and hate in local residents.

Retired teacher made African dance her life

Li Yayuan has the looks of a classic Chinese dancer. But she devoted her career of more than 50 years to African dance and became the first non-African to gain approval from two nations on the continent to teach their ethnic dances.

Bilateral relations a top priority

Top Chinese and Indian leaders on Wednesday made assurances that the development of bilateral relations is among the top priorities of each other's foreign policy and pledged to safeguard peace in their border areas.

Republic of Congo 'cherishes friendship with China'

The Republic of Congo cherishes the 50 years of close friendship with China and hopes that President Xi Jinping's visit to Brazzaville on Friday - the first by a Chinese head of state since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1964 - will bring even greater cooperation, said Daniel Owassa, the country's ambassador to China.

Managing trade like running the UN

As deputy director of a small sector of the Yiwu International Trade Center in Zhejiang province, Zhu Xingping thinks he is doing as decisive a job as the secretary-general of the United Nations.