BEIJING, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended an art performance to entertain military veterans and ex-officers on Tuesday.

    Prior to the performance, representatives of army men participating in the relief efforts against the deadly May 12 earthquake, three taikonauts who operated the Shenzhou-7 manned spacecraft went onto the stage to give Spring Festival greetings to military leaders and veterans.

Hu Jintao (R front), general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), shakes hands with old comrades and retired cadres of the army, in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 13, 2009. Hu watched the performances along with old comrades and retired cadres of the army and extended greetings to them, wishing them all good health and a happy Spring Festival. (Xinhua/Wang Jianmin) Photo Gallery>>>

    Artists performed dances, songs and dramas that praise the country's reform and opening-up drive in the past three decades, the current modernization of China's armed forces, and the old days when old generations of servicemen fought for the founding of New China.

    Also present at the gathering were senior military officials Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, and military veterans including Zhang Wannian and Cao Gangchuan.