Ethnic minority people in Nanning celebrated and danced in colorful folk costumes to provide a warm welcome to the central government delegation that arrived at the local airport on Wednesday, December 10th, 2008. The delegation, led by senior official Zhou Yongkang, plans to attend the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Thursday. [Photo: gxnews.com.cn]

Communist Party of China (CPC) senior official Zhou Yongkang arrived in Nanning on Wednesday to attend celebrations marking the 50th founding anniversary of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Zhou, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, arrived at the regional capital Nanning around 4 p.m., leading a delegation from central government.

They were warmly received at the airport by local officials and people, who cheered and danced in colorful folk costumes.

The region, gateway to southeast Asia, was founded on Dec. 11, 1958. As one of China's five minority autonomous regions, it has 12 ethnic groups.

The delegation also included Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang; Ismail Tiliwaldi, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress; Du Qinglin and Li Zhaozhuo, vice chairmen of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Li Jinai, director of the General Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

Activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary are scheduled to be held in Nanning this week.