Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday afternoon paid a three-minute silent tribute to victims of the May 12 earthquake in the central government compound of Zhongnanhai in Beijing.

At a ceremony that began at 2:28 p.m., Hu, in a dark suit with a white flower pinned to the chest, bowed his head under a national flag which was lowered at half-mast. He looked sad and solemn.

He was joined by his colleagues in China's top decision-making body, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, including Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang.

(CCTV May 20, 2008)