Special Report: Spring Festival Special 2009

    BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese leaders, including President Hu Jintao, paid visits to former leaders of the state and the Communist Party of China (CPC) to extend new year greetings as the traditional Spring Festival draws near.

    These veteran leaders included former President and Party chief Jiang Zemin, former top legislators Li Peng, Wan Li and Qiao Shi, and former Premier Zhu Rongji.

    The former leaders thanked Hu Jintao and other leaders for the visits and passed on their best wishes to the people of all ethnic groups in the country.

    The Spring Festival, or China's Lunar New Year which falls on January 26 this year, is the country's most important annual event for family reunions.

Chinese president visits army officers ahead of Lunar New Year

Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), talks with a soldier of Beijing Military Area Command in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 21, 2009. Hu Jintao paid visits to the Beijing Military Area Command and a local communication station of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Wednesday, just days ahead of the traditional Lunar New Year. Hu conveyed New Year greetings to the soldiers on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the Central Military Commission. (Xinhua/Wang Jianmin)  Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao paid visits to the Beijing Military Area Command and a local communication station of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Wednesday, just days ahead of the traditional Lunar New Year.

    Hu, who is also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, first conveyed New Year greetings to the soldiers on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the Central Military Commission.  Full story