The Islamic Association of China (IAC) held a reception in
Beijing on Monday to mark the annual Id al-Qurban, or feast of
sacrifice, a major Islamic festival celebrated at the end of the
annual pilgrimage to Mecca, which falls on Tuesday.
On behalf of all Chinese Muslims, IAC president Chen Guangyuan
extended good wishes to Muslims both at home and abroad.
China is now into its first year of the eleventh Five-Year
program (2006-2010) for national economic development, and IAC will
call for contributions from Chinese Muslims to that end, Chen
said.
"We will work to arouse Chinese Muslims from different ethnic
groups to make new contributions to the country's economic
construction, national stability and development," he?
said.
Ismail Amat, vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the
National People's Congress, Liu Yandong, vice chairperson of the
National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative
Conference (CPPCC) and head of the United Front Work Department of
the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and vice
CPPCC National Committee chairmen Bai Lichen and Abdul'ahat
Abdulrixit also attended the reception.
Diplomatic envoys to China from Arabic and Islamic countries,
foreign Muslim experts and representatives from some Chinese
central government departments were also present.
(China.org.cn, Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2006)
