国外媒体:日本首相麻生太郎闪电访华（在线收听）

应国务院总理温家宝邀请，日本首相麻生太郎29日中午乘专机抵达北京，开始对中国进行为期两天的正式访问。

Wen urges Japan to properly handle historical issues

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has called on Japan to honor its promise and handle historical issues in an appropriate way.

In his talks with his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso in Beijing on Wednesday, Wen Jiabao said historical issues are highly sensitive and affected people's feelings.

He called on governments and political figures on both sides to stick to the principles of the four China-Japan political documents, and make unremitting efforts to push forward bilateral ties.

The premier said China is willing to cooperate with Japan to expand youth and non-governmental exchanges, to boost understanding between the two peoples.

Aso is in China for a two-day visit, his first official visit to China since he took office in September.

WHO raises pandemic alert level to Phase 5

As the swine flu situation is continuing to worsen, the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the pandemic alert level to Phase 5, indicating that a full pandemic is imminent.

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan told a teleconference for the media that influenza pandemics must be dealt with seriously and precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world.

This is the second raise of the WHO's pandemic alert system in three days, indicating the quick worsening of the global swine flu situation.

Meanwhile, the US has reported its first death from the swine flu virus.

The victim is a 23-month-old child from the state of Texas.

Costa Rica has become the first Central American country, to confirm a case.

And Germany and Austria, have joined the growing list, of infected countries.

China is offering Mexico humanitarian aid worth five million dollars.

The virus is costing Mexico, close to 60 million dollars, in lost daily tourism income.

The world is still developing a vaccine for the virus.

China urges swine flu prevention education in schools nationwide

The Chinese government has called for education campaigns in schools nationwide to teach all students about the swine flu and its prevention.

A circular jointly issued by the ministries of education and health says the campaigns should be launched as soon as possible, in all schools, to raise awareness of prevention and avoid causing unnecessary panic among teachers and students.

It says schools should emphasize teaching students to develop good hygiene habits, frequently washing hands with soap and fresh water, and covering the mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.

China has no reported swine flu cases, but the possibility could not be ruled out as the swine flu is transnational and already spreading in some countries, according to the circular.