51.  A Chinese official said yesterday General Motors Corp. has the edge over Ford in the race to participate in a new automobile plant in Shanghai.

52.  A Chinese official was quoted in the Asian Wall Street Journal, which cited a Reuters report, as saying Elf pulled out because of financing issues.

53.  A sale by China would come after Chinese officials denied knowledge of any imminent imports corn on international markets.

54.  A second Navy aircraft carrier was headed for Taiwan on Tuesday as Chinese officials tried to allay U.S. anxiety over the military exercises.

55.  A number of previous invitations by Beijing were rebuffed, or, more commonly, never answered, Chinese officials say.

56.  A senior Chinese official, Zhao Qiz-heng, elaborated on the Chinese view on Thursday at a news conference.

57.  A spokesman for the American Embassy in Beijing confirmed to The Associated Press that Yang had been detained and said diplomats were in contact with Chinese officials.

58.  Aaron, who was in Beijing to attend a conference and meet with Chinese officials, offered hope that the huge trading partners could ultimately cooperate.

59.  Aaron said he found it encouraging that Chinese officials invited him to China at all.

60.  Above all, Chinese officials seem irritated by what they see as American arrogance in trying to tell the world how to behave.