Global warming causes China to experience warmest year since 1951.

(From BBC Monitoring International Reports)

Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency)

Beijing, 31 December: China experienced its warmest year in 2006 since 1951 with temperatures on average one degree higher than in normal years.

But there was less rain. The annual meteorological report released here Saturday by the China Meteorological Administration said average rainfall - at 596.1 millimeters - was down 16 millimeters on normal years.

Dong Wenjie, director of the Beijing Climate Centre, said the high temperatures were due to global warming.

Less rain, hotter temperatures and a …