Beijing - Christmas is normally a happy time for the millions of workers at vast factory complexes in China's southern manufacturing powerhouse of Guangdong province.

The workers can relax in the knowledge that the export orders they have just completed will bring them relative prosperity, at least for a few months.

But this year, Christmas will instead be an anxious time for many Guangdong workers as they seek new jobs before they use up their dwindling savings.

Beijing, Nov. 11: The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday expressed regret over Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.

"We deeply regret the Indian side''s remarks that take no regard of the historical facts. China and India have never officially settled demarcation of borders, and China''s stance on the eastern section of China-India borders is consistent and clear-cut," spokesman Qin Gang said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Beijing - China on Tuesday confirmed that Thai former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had visited the country recently but declined to elaborate as state media said he was already on his way out of China on Monday.

"Mr Thaksin was in China on vacation," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters. "I don't have any further information on that."

The official China Daily newspaper said it had spoken to Thaksin by telephone while he was in Beijing.

"I will keep travelling," the newspaper quoted him as saying on Monday. "I'm leaving Beijing at the moment."

Beijing - China on Tuesday expressed anger at Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee's statement that a disputed Himalayan border region was an "integral part of India."

"We deeply regret the Indian side's remarks, which take no regard of the historical facts," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said after Mukherjee's weekend visit to the north-eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

Beijing - One of southern China's largest cities is considering disposing of milk banned from sale after the scandal of melamine contamination by recycling it in bricks, local media said on Tuesday.

Beijing - China's monthly trade surplus hit a new peak in October despite slowing export growth amid the global financial crisis, the government said on Tuesday.

Exports were valued at 128.3 billion dollars and imports at 93.1 billion dollars, giving a record trade surplus of 35.2 billion dollars for the month, the Chinese customs administration reported.