Zhou Yongkang (2nd R, front), member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the central government delegation, inspects a police van in Bose, southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Dec. 13, 2008. Zhou was in Guangxi to extend the central government's congratulations and good will to the people of Guangxi, one of China's five minority autonomous regions. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese leader Zhou Yongkang continued his visit in Bose City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on Saturday as locals held celebrations for the 50th birthday of the autonomous region.

    Zhou was in Guangxi to extend the central government's congratulations and good will to the people of Guangxi, one of China's five minority autonomous regions.

Zhou Yongkang (2nd L, front), member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the central government delegation, talks with rural left-behind children, whose parents are both working in the cities, at a village in Bose, southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Dec. 13, 2008. Zhou was in Guangxi to extend the central government's congratulations and good will to the people of Guangxi, one of China's five minority autonomous regions. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Photo Gallery>>>

    Zhou, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Saturday morning presented a floral basket to a monument in commemoration of revolutionary martyrs killed in the Bose Uprising in 1929.

    The event marks the establishment of the CPC's armed forces in Guangxi to fight against local warlords, as well as the growth of the CPC's power at its early stage.

    Following decades of construction and development, Bose has developed into an industrial center, producing aluminum and electricity.

    During his visit to the Guangxi branch of the Aluminum Corporation of China Limited (CHALCO) in Bose, Zhou encouraged the company to research and develop more innovative technology to boost the development of the company and Guangxi's economy.

    Zhou also inspected a water control project in Bose, which was built two years ago for the purpose of flood control, irrigation and electricity production.

    Zhou has been staying in Guangxi since Wednesday when he led the central government delegation to attend the celebrations marking the 50th founding anniversary of the minority autonomous region.

    The autonomous region was founded on Dec. 11, 1958 and has 12 ethnic groups. The total population in Guangxi by the end of 2007 was more than 50 million, one-third are of the Zhuang ethnic minority.