China turns to the rat for luck

Last Modified: 07 Feb 2008
Source: ITN

Celebrations have been taking place in Beijing to mark the start of Chinese New Year.

The year that the world's most populous nation is hosting the Olymipics is also the Year of the Rat.

In Beijing revellers have been celebrating a week long holiday, setting off firecrackers and rockets with abandon.

The focus of the the city is the ancient Bell Tower where people queued for hours to have a go at ringing in the New Year at the turn of midnight.

But this is only the third time the capital city of Beijing has seen a celebration like this.

Until three years ago they were banned.

But despite 30 years of growth many people in rural China are struggling to make ends meet.

Recent torrential snow storms have left 80 people dead and 300,000 homes destroyed.

The regional press says millions of people could spend the biggest festival of the year in the cold and dark.

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