Artist cuts an heroic figure for Jiang

Jiang Zemin has ordered 50 statuettes featuring a 17th-century Chinese naval hero who recaptured Taiwan from Dutch occupation as farewell gifts to his military generals.

Chen Renhai , a porcelain artist based in Dehua, Fujian , was commissioned by the Central Military Commission last August to hand-make 50 fine white china statuettes depicting the historic event, the Hong Kong-based Ta Kung Pao reported.

The figures stand 56cm high, which the artist said was his way of pointing out that China is an ethnically diverse country where 56 different ethnic groups live harmoniously.