CNN International to Cover 60th Anniversary of the Republic of China

CNN International is to mark the 60th Anniversary of the People's Republic of China with two exclusive interviews as part of its 'Talk Asia' programming.  The interviews, taking place within the half hour programme will be with two of China’s pioneering ‘Taikonauts’ - Yang Liwei and Zhai Zhigang.

The network also reports live from Tiananmen Square on October 1, bringing the morning’s military parade, President Hu’s speech and the evening’s gala and fireworks to its viewers in more than 250 million households around the world. Beijing-based correspondents John Vause and Emily Chang also contribute special reports looking at issues including China’s challenges in the next sixty years, the growth of the country’s military power, and the threatening problem of corruption.

Online, the dedicated website section at www.cnn.com/china has a multimedia special on Chairman Mao's birthplace of Shaoshan, featuring an audio slideshow on the memories and impressions of tourists and local residents alike. CNN’s Eileen Hsieh also recounts the celebrations of the 60th anniversary in an online newscast broadcast in Mandarin which will also be available at www.cnn.com/china.

As part of the exclusive ‘Talk Asia’ interview, Yang Liwei and Zhai Zhigang give CNN a tour of the Astronauts Center of China and sit down with senior international correspondent John Vause to recall the moments they made history, before revealing what’s next for the country’s space exploration program.