Five-star flag flies at Gasherbrum area, photo from Xinhua, July 3.

Cheers for the successful ascending of Chinese mountaineers, photo from Xinhua, July 12.

At 9:20 am of July 12 (12:20 of Beijing Time), a new world record was come forth in the Kunlun Mountain area, three main team members of Tibet Mountaineering Expedition (TME), Tsering Dorje, Penba Tashi and Lodro topped the Gasherbrum I (8,068 m), the world 11th highest mountain. Since then, TME has ascended all the 14 mountains over 8,000 meters in the world within 14 years.

Up to now, there are 13 mountaineers who have ascended the 14 highest mountains in the world including three Tibetan guys. These three Tibetan mountaineers make China become a new member of "14 Club" (a group famous among the world mountaineering circle). Founded at the end of 1992, "China Tibet Mountaineering Expedition for world's 14 highest mountains" is the only mountaineering team for climbing world's 14 highest mountains as a whole group.

Just as excited as Penba Tashi, the climbing leader, Tsering Dorje said in tears:" I am hardly to say anything though there are so many words." Tsering Dorje highly praised the Sino-Pakistan assistants for their contribution to this climb.
Penba Tashi who was injured in an accident in 2005 was really excited. "Many thanks to all the guys for giving me such a chance. Many thanks to all my friends for their support and care," Penba Tashi said. "Congratulations on your dream-realizing," said Samdrup, the head of TME.

The only female member of TME, Jiji also topped the mountain. After her husband, Renna (a former member of TME who has topped the world's 13 highest mountains) passed away in the accident in 2005, Jiji was determined to take part in the climbing for Gasherbrum I to realize her husband's dream. Now, she has succeeded and furthermore, Jiji also becomes the first woman in China who has ascended the Gasherbrum I as well as the first one to climb an overseas mountain over 8,000 meters.

Some other Chinese assistants, Penba Tashi, Penba Dondrup and Soniam Tashi and Pakistan assistants, Nyssa, Naser and Feid also topped the mountain.

TME started to leave the Camp III at 6,920 meters at 22:00 (local time) of July 11. At 14:44 of July 12, 40 minutes after their ascending, they started to go back to the Camp III and finally came back to the Camp II at night.

"The success of climbing all the 14 mountains over 8,000 meters is based upon many mountaineers' efforts. Our success is the pride of our expedition, the pride of Tibetan people and the pride of Chinese people. Without our country's development, without new Tibet's processing, there won't be any success of our expedition," said Dondrup, head of Tibet Mountain Expedition.