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Tuesday, January 11, 2011
(RTTNews) - Chinese President Hu Jintao has told visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates that Beijing successfully conducted the first test-flight of its J-20 stealth fighter.
Gates told reporters that during his meeting with Hu on Tuesday afternoon in the capital, the Chinese leader confirmed having tested the most modern war plane.
The 18-minute flight from the Aircraft Design Institute near the south-western city of Chengdu early Tuesday afternoon was cheered by hundreds of spectators, Chinese online media reported.
Responding to Gates' query, Hu said timing of the "pre-planned test" was a coincidence and that it had "absolutely nothing to do with" his visit.
The stealth fighter "formed part of China's normal military modernization," according to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei.
Read More : Chinese President Tells US Defense Chief It Tested Stealth Fighter
Monday, January 10, 2011
Chinese box office takings surged 64 percent to 10.2 billion Chinese yuan ($1.5 billion) in 2010, although film officials say the figure still lags more developed markets and urged local filmmakers to make better movies that can compete with Hollywood blockbusters like "Avatar" and "Inception."
China's Film Bureau also said in a report issued late last week that the country added 313 movie theaters and 1,533 new screens last year, for a total of just over 6,200 screens.
The box office figures were boosted by the huge success of "Avatar." The James Cameron 3-D sci-fi epic was the biggest hit in China last year with a total take of $204 million. The top-grossing Chinese film in 2010 was the Feng Xiaogang summer earthquake epic "Aftershock," which earned $100 million. Jiang Wen's political satire "Let the Bullets Fly," released in December, was also a big local hit, with Chinese media saying its latest earnings have surpassed $75 million.
The Film Bureau, however, said the Chinese box office is still developing and urged local directors to improve the quality of their work.
Read more: 2010 Chinese box office surges to $1.5 billion
