Kites were flying high above the Tian'anmen Square. One of them, in the shape of the dragon, the sacred totem of Chinese all over the world, caught the eyes of numerous tourists from other parts of the country and overseas.

On the eastern side of the square, visitors kept flocking to the Museum of the Chinese History, where an exhibition on the lifestyle of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) is being held.

Vendors were busying selling kites and miniature national flags. "The flag sells well," said one of the vendors, "They buy more than 100 from me everyday."

Ahmat, an old man wearing a Uygur hat, sat by a lamp standard, massaging his legs. "The square is so big! Very big indeed," he said in Mandarin, with a strong accent, "It's my first visit to Beijing."

To those who work here, the square looks no different from any other day, though the annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) are approaching.

"The NPC and CPPCC meetings are soon to open, but the number of tourists and kite flyers on the square has kept increasing these days," said a guard, whose surname is Wang.

In fact, the number of visitors to this national capital has been on the rise. Last year, 77 million domestic and overseas visitors toured the city.

Beijing's success in its bid for the Olympic Games 2008 and China's entry into the World Trade Organization have made the city a greater attraction for tourists and businessmen in the other parts of the country and the world.

(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2002)