The Great Wall of China?s leap to the top of the new seven wonders of the world list has restored China?s sense of national pride and eased frazzled nerves, state media said yesterday.

The seven winners were announced in Lisbon after what was the biggest online poll at www.new7wonders.com involving 100 million voters.

The other winners are, Petra in Jordan, Brazil?s statue of Christ the Redeemer, Peru?s Machu Picchu, Mexico?s Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, the Colosseum in Rome and the Taj Mahal in India.

?The Swiss-orchestrated poll has been constantly testing our nationals? nerves ever since it was launched eight years ago,? the China Daily said in an editorial. The New7Wonders Foundation was set up in 2001 by Swiss-Canadian adventurer Bernard Weber.

?With the competition heating up last year, more and more Chinese were put on tenterhooks by the ever-changing results of the voting. At one stage when votes for the Great Wall lagged behind the top seven candidates, some even lashed out at the validity and fairness of the competition,? the China Daily said. ?Now that the Great Wall has won, so has our national pride.?

The poll organisers say the contest was a chance to level the global cultural playing field and recognise the achievements of societies outside Europe and the Middle East.

Indians celebrate ?new? wonder Taj Mahal

Indians handed out sweets and set off fireworks outside the Taj Mahal monument on Sunday to celebrate its inclusion in a list of ?new? seven wonders and promised discounts to tourists. The result of nearly 100 million votes beamed early morning in India, where hundreds thronged the 17th century monument built by Mughal ruler Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Many distributed sweets and greeted others in the streets in Agra, home to the monument. ?It?s a victory of love, the message which the Taj stands for,? chanted gleaming poud Indians?