China

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Gu Ji Bin, 62, is one of the men from Harbin, China, the artisan ice sculptors who came to the United States to create colorful scenes from the DreamWorks' production of "Merry Madagascar" for this years ICE! show in National Harbor, Md, Thursday, November 9, 2011. (Rod Lamkey Jr. / The Washington Times)

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An artisan ice sculptor from Harbin, China works on a wall of crystal clear ice as he and others work on the huge ice slide, and as others on their team work to create colorful scenes from the DreamWorks' production of "Merry Madagascar" for this years ICE! show in Oxon Hill, Md, Thursday, November 9, 2011. (Rod Lamkey Jr. / The Washington Times)

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Chinese President Hu Jintao appeared unmoved by President Obama's efforts to have China's monetary policy loosened, saying yuan exchange rates are not to blame for the U.S. trade deficit and weak job market.

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Chinese President Hu Jintao appeared unmoved by President Obama's efforts to have China's monetary policy loosened, saying yuan exchange rates are not to blame for the U.S. trade deficit and weak job market, according to the Xinhua News Agency. (Associated Press)

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President Obama (right) and his wife Michelle (second from left) greet Chinese President Hu Jintao (second from right) and his wife Liu Yongqing before their dinner at the APEC Summit in Honolulu on Nov. 12, 2011. (Associated Press)

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Illustration: China and U.S. by Alexander Hunter for The Washington Times

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Protesters carrying a Goddess of Liberty march through Hong Kong in late May ahead of the 22nd anniversary of China's crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Beijing. (Associated Press)

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An international crew of researchers - from left, Alexey Sitev of Russia, Romain Charles of France, Suhrob Kamolov of Russia, Alexander Smoleevskiy of Russia, Diego Urbina of Italy/Colombia and Wang Yue of China - gives a thumbs-up after a 520-day simulation of a flight to Mars, in Moscow on Tuesday. (Associated Press)

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THE FUTURE IS HERE: Machines operate on one of China's first 0.5mm LCD glass-product lines at Chengdu COE Technology Co. in Chengdu, China. China is pushing to develop its high-tech industry. (Associated Press)

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China is using every means available to fill the burgeoning demand for electricity around the nation — such as this wind farm south of Urumqi city in Xinjiang, China — as well as to add to its portfolio of exports to the West. (Associated Press)

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A family rests in its new apartment home after relocating from farmlands in northern China. While trying to protect farmland from development amid a housing boom, officials are going after the land under farmers' homes. (Associated Press)

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Sales promoters talk to visitors at a housing fair in Nanjing, China. With real estate prices through the roof, 70 to 80 percent of potential buyers are unable to purchase housing some of China's major cities. (Associated Press)

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HOT WHEELS: European car companies seem to be winning the race for well-to-do customers in China. The country and its free-spending new rich have made it a key growth market for makers of luxury goods. (Associated Press)

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A man and woman kiss at the riverfront promenade called "the Bund," one of the most popular tourist spots in Shanghai, an economic hub for China's changing economy. (Associated Press)

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"I believe China's economy can achieve longer-term, better quality growth," Premier Wen Jiabao told more than 1,500 industry, government, technology and civil society leaders at September's annual meeting of the New Champions - "The Summer Davos" - held by the World Economic Forum at the Dalian World Expo Center in northeastern China.

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A container ship visits the port in Ningbo, China, which has been in business for 1,200 years and now handles more than 100 million tons of cargo a year. It is one of the few in the world to reach that mark. (Orange County [Calif.] Register)

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Cars ready for driving come off the final assembly line in Ningbo, China. In 2006, China became the world's third-largest car market with sales soaring by 40 percent to 4.1 million vehicles, though it could be years before the country's products make a dent in the world market. (Orange County [Calif.] Register)

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South Korean President Lee Myung-bak (left) speaks with Chinese President Hu Jintao during a roundtable meeting at a G-20 summit in Cannes, France on Nov. 4, 2011. (Associated Press)

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"We can pay this money, but we need to know why we have to," Chinese artist Ai Weiwei says Tuesday of China's demand for $2.4 million in back taxes and fines from the dissident, who was detained for nearly three months earlier this year. "We cannot just unwittingly hand over a sum of money." (Kyodo News via the Associated Press)