新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 08:00 2014/05/22

The Beijing Hour
 
Morning Edition

Shane Bigham with you on this Thursday, May 22nd, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this morning...
The summit in Shanghai involving more than 20 Asian nations has wrapped up, with a declaration calling for a comprehensive, lasting and just security across the continent...
Russia's president claims he has ordered his military to withdraw from the border near Ukraine...
and a meeting between political opponents in Thailand, called by army officials, resumes later today..
In Business...Russia and China have signed a long-awaited natural gas deal..
In sports...another gold for China IAAF World Challenge in Beijing...
In entertainment...back to the red carpet at the Cannes film festival..
But first... lets get a check on the weather...
 
 
Weather
 
 
Beijing will be sunny today with a high of 35 degree Celsius.
Overnight temperatures should drop down to around 22.
Shanghai will be cloudy during the daytime with a high of 27.
Overnight, temperatures should dip down to 19.
In Chongqing, it will be overcast with a high of 26.
Overnight lows are expected to be around 21.
Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia.
Islamabad will be sunny with a high of 35.
Kabul, sunny with a high of 25.
Over to North America.
New York will be rainy with a high of 21 degrees.
Washington will see thunderstorms with a high of 29 degrees.
Honolulu, sunny, 31.
Toronto, Canada, will see showers with a high of 19 degrees.
Finally, on to South America,
Buenos Aires will be rainy with a high of 15.
And Rio de Janeiro will be sunny with a high of 31 degrees Celsius.
 
 
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Weibo/Wechat account: the Beijing Hour
Email: [email protected].
 
 
Top News
 
 
Asia needs sustainable, durable security: Chinese president
 
Anchor:
The fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia has concluded in Shanghai.
Member countries have issued a declaration calling for a comprehensive, lasting and just security in Asia, echoing Chinese President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the start of the summit.
CRI's Xie Zhao has more.
Reporter:
Referencing a "new Asian security concept", Chinese President Xi Jinping says for most Asian countries, common development is the key to security.
"We believe that it is necessary to advocate a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable Asian security concept. We need to innovate our security concepts, establish a new regional security cooperation design, and jointly build a road for security in Asia that is shared by all."
Xi Jinping says China, as the the new holder of the CICA presidency, would like to see the grouping be a platform for security cooperation among all Asian countries.
"It's the Chinese plan to increase dialogue and cooperation with each party step by step, as well as discuss and draw up regional security conduct codes and new Asian security partnerships. China is willing to establish regular communication with countries in the region. We would like to focus on 3 areas. We are exploring ways to set up an Asian law enforcement security forum, as well as security centers. We also want to help countries in the region better coordinate when it comes to major security events."
Xi Jinping also says Asia needs to adopt a zero-tolerance attitude toward terrorism, separatism and extremism.
As part of his keynote speech, the Chinese President also says this country's peaceful rise stems from Asia, depends on Asia and benefits Asia.
He also notes it’s the Chinese mandate to deal with territorial disputes through peaceful means.
"China has always worked hard to resolve issues around territorial sovereignty through peaceful means. We have already completely resolved border issues with 12 of our 14 neighbours through friendly negotiations."
CICA now has 26 member nations.
The grouping was first established in 1992 as a way for Asian countries to come together to discuss security and development challenges.
For CRI, This is Xie Zhao.
 
 
New powers at CICA are willing to contribute to regional cooperation
 
Anchor:
This year's CICA event has seen participation from more countries and organizations.
CRI's Chen Feng has more.
Reporter:
At this year's summit, Shanghai Cooperation Organization and CICA have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote the establishment of partnership among different organizations and forums in the region.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization, or SCO, Secretary-General, Dmitry Fedorovich Mezentsev, says the signing of the memorandum will help to exchange information, strengthen anti-terrorism efforts and protect the safety of people in the region against the current international backdrop.
"Very complex situations have been going on in the international environment. Unfortunately, things are not getting better. So we now have to step up our cooperation to expand to other areas, including politics, security, economy as well as public and social cooperation."
All of the six SCO members are also member-states of CICA.
Before this year's summit, CICA consisted of 24 members and 13 observers. And at this year's summit, two observers have been elevated as formal member-states of this inter-governmental forum. They are Bangladesh and Qatar.
At a joint interview, Bangladesh's Foreign Minister, Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, says to achieve a win-win situation in the region will be the responsibility of Bangladesh as well as other CICA member-nations in the years to come.
Bangladesh will do its part to speed up the construction of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic corridor, the so called "South Silk Road", which has just started.
"This is a good example of how the neighboring countries can come together and create a situation where all of them will benefit. There will greater people-to-people exchanges. There will be connectivity in different forms. "
Bangladesh is now extending its railway line to its border with Myanmar, which in the future will extend further, to China and India.
With Qatar becoming a new CICA member-state, the Middle-Eastern nation's Deputy Prime Minister, Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud, expressed enthusiasm over Qatar-China cooperation.
"Qatar and China have enjoyed broad cooperation in politics, economy, trade, and investment. There are quite a few mutual investment projects between the two countries and we expect to have more. To develop a good relationship with China is always the priority of our diplomacy. "
The SCO, Bangladesh and Qatar all agree that this century will be Asia's century, and this CICA summit has set higher goals for the cooperation among regional countries.
At present, CICA is a regional organization. Its influence is expected to reach other regions in the world in the future.
For CRI, this is Chen Feng in Shanghai.
 
 
Troops withdrawal to create positive environment for election: Putin
 
Russian President Vladimir Putin says he ordered troops to withdraw from regions near Ukraine to create a positive environment for Ukraine's presidential vote.
Putin made the comment while attending a security summit in Shanghai.
"This has been done not because we are timid about keeping our troops there; we are, after all, a sovereign state and we keep our troops where we want. But in order to create additional favourable conditions for Ukraine's presidential vote and end speculation around this issue, such a decision has been taken."
The Russian president says the pullout will be clearly visible in satellite images.
He adds that continued fighting in Ukraine will make it hard for the Kremlin to deal with the winner, while stressing that political processes are better than armed confrontation.
While the US and NATO say they have not seen any sign of the withdrawal, Secretary of State John Kerry said during his visit in Mexico that the US welcomes the move.
"Hopefully, we in fact are in a good moment not a moment of one party out winning another but at a constructive moment where there's a possibility of the people of Ukraine being able to determine their future and all of us trying to find a way to further deescalate this crisis, that's our goal and that's what we are focused on."
Ukrainians are set to vote in a presidential election on Sunday.
With two regions declaring independence in the east, the Ukrainian government sees the election as a vital step in restoring stability in the country.
The latest opinion poll shows confectionery magnate Petro Poroshenko is on track to win the first round of voting.
He is followed by the former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko with just over 10 percent support.
Extra security measures will be taken in the eastern Donesk and Luhansk regions, which have declared independence.
UN human rights officials say 127 people have died during the clashes in east and south Ukraine.
 
 
Army backed meeting to be continued in Thailand
 
Face-to-face talks between key political rivals in Thailand are expected to resume later today.
Wednesday's meeting was chaired by the Thai army chief in an effort to mediate escalating tension in the country.
An army official says the first meeting aimed to fine-tune a common understanding between rival parties.
"This is a very positive move we have seen today. Just to emphasize again that all of the attendants come to the meeting today understand the implication of what we are doing now is that we are doing for the best of the country and for the whole Thai citizens, not for one particular group."
Many of the country's highest-profile political figures were summoned, including the acting Prime Minister, leaders from both pro and anti-government groups, and members from the Election Commission.
The talks come on the heels of the powerful Thai army imposing Martial Law this week amid the lingering political unrest in the country.
The head of the Thai military says they've stepped in to restore order and rebuild investor confidence.
At the same time, he's warning the military will take action against anyone who uses weapons or harms others.
Both pro- and anti-government protesters remain out in force.
The army has confined them to their separate protest sites in Bangkok.
The acting prime minister has been asking for new elections to be called for August, after a snap poll in February was annulled by the courts.
 
 
Libyan PM calls for national dialogue amid "coup" standoff
 
Libya's prime minister is calling for a national dialogue in order to reach a peace deal.
Ahmed Maitiq made the call after a retired general mobilized forces, attacked Islamists, and detained several lawmakers.
"We can lead this country away from weapons. We should talk in order to establish a country where all views and sides are respected, for Libya's interests, and without weapons."
General Khalifa Haftar has led a series of campaigns against Libya's interim parliament in the name of "purging terrorists."
He is urging the judiciary to appoint a crisis government to oversee new elections.
Libya's election commission has earlier announced parliamentary elections to be held on June 25th.
Many lawmakers have condemned the general's actions, accusing him of attempting to stage a coup.
However, in recent days, the general has received support from some political parties, army units, and armed groups.
Since the downfall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has become an arena for different interest groups who all are trying to fill the power vacuum in the North African Country.
 
 
At least 27 killed in Nigeria: reports
 
At least 27 people are reported to have been killed in two villages in north-east Nigeria, close to the town where hundreds of schoolgirls were kidnapped last month.
Witnesses in the village of Alagarno say gunman stormed the village, razed homes and fired on fleeing residents.
The attacks came just a day after twin car bombs exploded at a market in Nigeria's central city of Jos, killing over 100 people.
Extremist Islamist group Boko Harma has been blamed for the blasts.
The group abducted over 200 schoolgirls last month, threatening to sell them into slavery.
Countries including China, US and UK have offered assistance in finding the schoolgirls.
The US has already sent about 80 military personnel to Chad to help with the search.
Nigerian authorities have vowed to fight terror acts in the country.
Nigerian Government Spokesman Mike Omeri:
"The security forces and the government of Nigeria, and indeed the citizens of Nigeria, are not deterred, and that we are even more now pulling together to get to the end of this."
Boko Haram, which started its uprising five years ago, has been trying to overthrow the government and establish an Islamic state.
 
 
Iran, IAEA agree to resolve more key issues of Iranian atomic plan
 
The International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran have agreed to take further steps to resolve concerns over the possible military dimensions of Tehran's nuclear program.
An IAEA statement says the sides have agreed to five practical measures to be implemented by Iran by August 25th of this year.
Two measures deal with the long-stalled investigation into allegations that Iran is attempting to develop nuclear weapons in secret.
Iran has been consistently denying such allegations.
 
 
China’s new environmental law
 
Anchor:
China's recent amendment to its environmental law includes punishments for polluting industries that are much more harsh than before.
For answers to how the law can be effectively enforced and other questions, CRI's Zheng Chenguang has talked to Alex Wang, assistant professor of Law at the University of California Los Angeles.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Stocks
 
U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday, after minutes of the Federal Reserve's last meeting showed central bankers have discussed the eventual tightening of monetary policy but made no decisions on which tools to use.
The Minutes show the Fed staff presented several approaches to raising short-term interest rates, but said the discussion was simply "prudent planning" and not a sign rate hikes would come any time soon.
The Dow rose 1 percent, the S&P 500 gained 0.8 percent and the Nasdaq added 0.9 percent.
Goldman Sachs was the top gainer on the blue chip index, up 2 percent.
Tiffany jumped 9 percent as one of the best performers on the S&P 500 after the jewelry retailer raised its full-year profit forecast.
Target Corp reported lower quarterly profits but showed signs of progress in efforts to rebuild customer confidence. The stock ended 1 percent higher.
Meanwhile, European markets advanced as new data shows British retail sales growth hit a 10-year high in April and the consumer confidence indicator increased in both the European Union and the Eurozone in May.
Germany's DAX rose 0.6 percent, France's CAC 40 added 0.4 percent and the FTSE 100 in London gained 0.3 percent.
 
 
China, Russia ink long-awaited gas deal
 
The Chinese and Russian governments have finally inked a long-awaited natural gas deal.
The documents have been signed at a ceremony attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Shanghai.
The 30-year deal comes a day after visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin said that "significant progress" had been made on the price issue.
"As you know, the work yesterday went on until 3:30am in the morning. Thanks to mutual compromises, we successfully managed to negotiate clauses in the contract that are acceptable. Both sides, in the end, are satisfied with the compromises that were reached.
The talks, which first began in 2004, stalled numerous times over pricing issues.
The agreed price is not known.
The new deal should allow Russia to supply China with about one-tenth of this country's overall natural gas needs by 2020.
The contract will see the east route pipeline start providing China with 38 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from 2018.
The gas deal gives Moscow an economic boost and satisfy China's demand for clean energy to tackle air pollution and pursue sustainable development.
 
 
China-Iceland Free Trade Agreement comes into force on July 1st
 
Anchor:
China's Ministry of Commerce has announced a China-Iceland Free Trade Agreement that will take effect on July 1st.
It's China's first free trade agreement with a European country.
It covers trade, investment, intellectual property rights and services, and more.
For more on this FTA, we are joined on line with our financial commentator, Cao Can.
Questions:
1, What's in this deal that will be of interest for regular Chinese consumers?
2, What kind of opportunities can investors expect from this agreement?
3, A China- Switzerland Free Trade Agreement also comes into force on July 1. Though neither Iceland nor Switzerland belongs to the European Union, will these agreements play any role in solving trade frictions between China and the EU? If so, how?
Anchor:
That's Cao Can, our financial commentator.
 
 
Four more local gov'ts get bond-issuance autonomy
 
Four more Chinese local governments have been given autonomy to issue bonds directly as part of a pilot program, bringing the total number to ten.
The new local governments are Beijing, Jiangxi, Ningxia and Qingdao.
Local governments of Shanghai, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Shenzhen launched the pilot in October 2011.
Authorities of Jiangsu and Shandong provinces joined the pilot last year.
Local governments used to be banned from selling bonds directly.
The Ministry Of Finance would float bonds on behalf of local governments each year.
A lack of direct financing channels has forced local governments to set up thousands of companies, known as financing vehicles, to raise money for infrastructure projects.
However, the companies have come under fire for being poorly supervised and managed, as well as building up default risks.
 
 
China's PV industry opposes U.S. investigation
 
China's photovoltaic industry says it opposes the United States' decision to move forward with a second anti-dumping investigation on Chinese PV products.
Representatives from China's PV industry gathered in Shanghai to protest the US investigations and called for the U.S and China to solve the disputes through negotiations
China's photovoltaic products have been targets of United States and European Union anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations.
This year's case is the second U.S. investigation against Chinese PV products after a similar one in 2011.
The U.S. Department of Commerce is expected to release the preliminary investigation results in June.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
Asia needs sustainable, durable security: Chinese president
 
The Shanghai Declaration calls for a comprehensive, lasting and just security in Asia.
The statement echoes the call made by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the start of the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia.
The event in Shanghai has now concluded.
President Xi also touted a "new Asian security concept" and told the assembled leaders that common development is key to security.
He has called on the 26 member nations to adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism, separatism, and extremism, and for the resolution of territorial disputes through peaceful means.
 
 
China, Russia ink long-awaited gas deal
 
The Chinese and Russian governments have finally inked a long-awaited natural gas deal.
The agreed price is not known.
The new deal should allow Russia to supply China with about one-tenth of this country's overall natural gas needs by 2020.
The contract will see the east route pipeline start providing China with 38 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from 2018.
 
 
Egypt's Mubarak sentenced to 3 years in jail for embezzlement
 
Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has been sentenced to three years in jail for embezzlement.
The court in Cairo has also sentenced two of Mubarak's sons to 4-years in prison for the same offense.
The three have been convicted of pocketing public funds used for the maintenance and upkeep of the presidential palace.
They've also been hit with fines totaling over 17-million US dollars.
Mubarak, his two sons, and four of his aides were originally charged with misappropriating some 14-million dollars earmarked for the presidential palace.
The four aides were eventually acquitted for a lack of evidence.
 
 
Army backed meeting to be continued in Thailand
 
Face-to-face talks between key political rivals in Thailand are expected to resume later today.
Wednesday's meeting was chaired by the Thai army chief in an effort to mediate escalating tension in the country.
Many of the country's highest-profile political figures were summoned, including the acting Prime Minister, leaders from both pro and anti-government groups, and members from the Election Commission.
The talks come on the heels of the powerful Thai army imposing Martial Law this week amid the lingering political unrest in the country.
 
 
Thousands in Yemen demand separation from north
 
Thousands of protesters have held a rally in southern Yemen demanding separation from the north.
The protests were organized by the Southern Movement and high-ranking members of the former state of South Yemen, which was independent until unification in 1990.
While unification happened peacefully, the relationship deteriorated in 1994. Southerners have complained of being marginalized, particularly after losing a 4-month civil war in '94.
There is concern the tension is creating instability and this could let groups like al-Qaeda gain a foothold.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
BEIJING TIMES
Headline
National Energy Administration officials under probe
Summary
China's prosecuting authorities have decided to investigate two officials with the National Energy Administration who are suspected of receiving bribes.
They are Hao Weiping, head of the NEA's nuclear power department, and Wei Pengyuan, vice director of the NEA's coal department.
 
BEJING NEWS
Headline
Eight died in knife attack in central China
Summary
It happened in central China's Henan Province on Wednesday, said to be the result of a neighborhood dispute.
The suspect has been arrested. Further investigation is under way.
 
BEIJING MORNING POST
Headline
Three died and 25 injured in a subway knife attack in Taipei on Wednesday.
A young man allegedly began to assault passengers with a knife in a carriage at about 4:30 pm.
He was captured by police.
The death toll now stands at 4.
 
BEIJING YOUTH DAILY
Headline
39 convicted of spreading terrorism in Xinjiang
Summary
The suspects have been found guilty of spreading online terrorism videos and other crimes.
Some of the videos provide instructions on how to construct deadly weapons.
The criminals were also convicted of organizing, leading and participating in terrorist organizations.
 
SHANGHAI DAILY
Headline
14 held over service revealing sex of unborn babies
Summary
They are said to have sent blood samples taken from pregnant women on the Chinese mainland to Hong Kong for tests to establish the sex of the fetus.
China banned this practice in 1994 but the test is legal in Hong Kong. With huge demand from mainland women, illegal agents have emerged.
 
GLOBAL TIMES
Headline
Gov’t to grant loans to aid graduate start-ups
Summary
The State Council pledged to roll out a series of supporting policies as soon as next week to achieve the goal of 800,000 fresh entrepreneurs in the four years to 2017.
 
CHINA DAILY
Headline
China's giant pandas arrive in Malaysia
Summary
A pair of giant pandas from China arrived in Kuala Lumpur Wednesday morning on a 10-year loan, coinciding with the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia.
Malaysia signed a deal with China to lease a pair of giant pandas for 10 years, as a part of the plan to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
Chinese Get Driver's License in South Korea
 
Anchor:
The latest numbers show that some 70-thousand Chinese have chosen to go to South Korea, not only for shopping and sightseeing but also to apply for driver's licenses.
CRI's Chi Huiguang finds out more.
Reporter:
In China, it can take would-be drivers anywhere from three to four months up to a year just to get a driving license.
And the cost is also double that of South Korea. Because of this, Chinese people visiting South Korea are getting drivers licenses there, then coming back to China and having them converted to local licenses.
Forty-six-year-old Chinese national, Wang Yingfang, traveled to South Korea by ferry with four other hopefuls. If she gets her license, she can convert it to a Chinese one by simply passing a written test back home.
"It is easy to get a driver's license in South Korea. But I just feel nervous. I'm very happy because it is fast and easy to convert it into Chinese one."
A driving school in the suburbs of Seoul can be a buzzing operation which sees some 200 Chinese applicants a month. In the class, half of the students listens to a Korean-speaking teacher, while the Chinese students who don't understand Korean fix their eyes on a TV screen showing sample questions for written tests in Chinese.
It takes only a week to get a license at state-appointed driving schools in South Korea. The instructor spoke some Chinese words like 'clutch,' but most of the training was done with hand gestures.
Yuk Soon-ho is a South Korean instructor:
"These Chinese people are in a panic when they first come here. And after watching them panic, we've been thinking what we can do for them. In this sense, we are learning a little Chinese now."
Statistics from South Korea's national police agency show that the number of Chinese holding Korean licenses has tripled in that time.
According to a website offering trip packages to South Korea for Chinese looking to apply for driver's licenses and shopping, it will take about seven to eight days to get both the license and a tour in Seoul. The trip package includes training on paper and test driving on the road and applying for the tests, paper and road examinations, plus a shopping and sight-seeing tour. Actually, there can be three whole days of visiting and shopping that don't include anything regarding obtaining a driver's license.
Niu Ziming, an officer of the vehicle management station in Beijing, explains the rules of the licenses converting in China.
"As long as you have an official foreign license rather than an international driver's license, you can convert it to domestic driver's license, but you have to pass the traffic rules examination at a vehicle management station first. Actually, you don't need to go to driving school registration, or to take the road test. Of course, your age and physical condition should meet the requirements for drivers."
Anchor:
CRI's Chi Huiguang reporting
 
 
Sports
 
 
Xie Wenjun takes second title in a week in the 110-meter hurdling
 
From the track and field's IAAF World Challenge's Beijing stop,
Chinese hurdler Xie Wenjun claimed his second IAAF event title in less than a week when he clocked the fastest time in the men's 110-meter hurdle --- 13.31 seconds.
The 23-year-old won his first Diamond League race in Shanghai on Sunday, with a personal best time of 13.28 seconds.
American Ryan Wilson took the silver in 13.37 and his compatriot Kevin Craddock won the bronze.
Defending champion David Oliver withdrew because of illness.
In the 100-meter sprint, Justin Gatlin won the event with a season best of 9.87 seconds.
The victory is the second for the 32-year-old as Gatlin also won the men's 100 meter in 9.92 seconds at the Diamond League event in Shanghai this past Sunday.
Earlier, two-time Olympic champions Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica won the women's 100 meter race in 11.14 seconds.
In men's pole vault, Xue Changrui bettered China's national record with a mark of 5.80 meters to clinch victory.
18-year-old Wang Jianan won the men's long jump with a leap of 8.09 meters.
In other events, Croatian Ana Simic was crowned women's high jump champion by clearing 1.98 meters.
Funmi Jimoh from the United States won the women's long jump in 6.56 meters.
 
 
Guo'an moves closer on leaders position after a 4-0 thrashing of Hangzhou
 
Football news from the Chinese Super League,
Defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande were held to a 1-1 draw by Guizhou Renhe last night at Tianhe Stadium.
Guizhou took the lead when striker Chen Zijie scored the only goal in the first half.
But Guangzhou netted the equaliser less than 15 minutes into the second half when defender Meifang headed in a corner from Alessandro Diamanti.
It's the first goal for the 24 year-old Mei, who left Wuhan Zhuo'er and joined Guangzhou at the beginning of this season.
Guangzhou remain leaders on the table but only hold a one-point advantage over second placed Guo'an.
The capital side thrashed Hangzhou Greentown 4-0, earning a precious three points.
Guo'an has a record of three losses and one draw against Hangzhou in their previous meetings at Workers' Stadium.
Elsewhere in the CSL,
It was Changchun Yatai beating Liaoning Whowin 2-0.
Tianjin Teda edged Dalian Aerbin 3-2.
And Henan Jianye stumbled, losing 2-1 at home to Shanghai Shenxin.
Tonight, Guangzhou Fuli will take on Shandong Luneng.
Luneng has a fair chance to cement its position in fourth place if they win.
Luneng is now ahead of Shanghai East Asia but only on goal differential.
 
 
Chinese women take on World Cup holders Japan in Asian Cup semifinal
 
On the women's side,
The Chinese women's soccer team will take on reigning World Cup champion Japan later this afternoon.
The two sides will be playing to reach the final of the Asian Cup.
The other semi-final sees defending champion Australia going up against South Korea.
Earlier, Thailand qualified for the 2015 women's World Cup in Canada after clinching a play-off victory over Vietnam.
The 2-1 win afforded Thailand fifth place at the Asian Cup and the last of the continent's qualifying spots for the Canada World Cup.
It's also the first time in history for Thailand to qualify for a World Cup.
 
 
Thunder take on Spurs in Game 2, but Ibaka still a doubt
 
In the NBA playoffs,
Game two of the Western Conference final between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder gets underway in a couple of hours.
The Spurs are leading the series 1-nothing after they took the opener 122-105 earlier on Monday.
The Thunder's shot-blocker, Serge Ibaka, missed the opener due to injury but has since said he can't sit out and watch another loss for Oklahoma City.
With Ibaka, Oklahoma City has beaten San Antonio 10 of the past 12 games.
But it is still unclear whether the team will allow him to return to the court for this match or after the series shifts to Okalahoma City next game.
Yesterday, The Miami Heat evened their Eastern Conference final with Indiana, downing the Pacers 87-83 in Game 2.
The Heat's Dwyane Wade scored 23, and said it all boils down to a will to win that they turned the game around.
Indiana's Lance Stephenson tied his playoff career high with 25 points in the loss.
The series now shifts back to Miami for Game 3 on Saturday.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Coming Home/Gui Lai screens at Cannes
 
Zhang Yimou's epic new movie "Coming Home" has just screened at the Cannes Film Festival.
The powerful performances by Chinese actors Gong Li and Chen Daoming, have reportedly left audiences in tears.
 (Coming home trailer)
The film tells the story of Lu Yanshi (Chen Daoming) who is sent to a labour camp as a political prisoner during China's Cultural Revolution, his wife Feng Wanyu (Gong Li) is injured in an accident. When he's released during the lasts days of the Revolution he returns home to find his wife has amnesia and is unable to recognise him.
Zhang Yimou has directed films that have found great success all around the world, including "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers, but warned that the quality of Chinese films need to improve if they're going to compete with Hollywood.
"So although the Chinese market is growing, it's actually the second largest film market on the planet. Hollywood's films are dominating the whole world. The only reason it hasn't come to China that much is because we have a quota, limiting how many films can come to China each year. If this quota is lifted, say five years from now, I still think Hollywood films would be a stronger power compared with Chinese cinema. It all comes down to quality at the end of the day. In either commercial or artistic movies you have to have extremely high quality films. And that's the challenge that Chinese cinema has to face in the near future."
Coming home or Gui Lai was released in China last week.
 
 
JJ Abrams gives fans chance to appear in Star Wars
 
(Star Wars)
Star Wars fans have the chance to appear in the new film.
JJ Abrams, the director of the seventh installment in the franchise has announced a new competition online.
Entry to the contest will cost a minimum donation of $10 dollars and the lucky winner will get a free trip to London and behind the scenes access to the set and meetings with the cast, in addition to the film role.　
The director explains the reason for the competition
“That's right -- you'll be in 'Star Wars.'　But the greatest part is that by entering to join us, you'll actually help us launch something else.　'Star Wars: Force for Change,' a brand new initiative, which is dedicated to finding creative solutions to some of the world's biggest problems.　It's about helping kids all around the world by supporting　UNICEF Innovation Labs and projects. It's a great thing, you can check it all out on omaze.com/starwars.　But thank you again for your incredible support, we look forward to seeing you on-set.”
Entries to "Force for Change" can be made at www.Omaze.com/StarWars.
 
 
New Batman vs Superman movie to be called 'Dawn of Justice'
 
(Superman)
Warner Brothers has announced the title of the Batman vs Superman movie which shall be entitled "Dawn of Justice."
This follow up to Man of Steel will see Henry Cavill reprising his role as the caped cruisader while Ben Afleck will play Batman and the Israeli actress Gal Gadot will play Wonder Woman.
This movie is expected to lead to another film called "Justice League" which Zack Synder is also set to direct.
Dawn of Justice is set for release on May 6th 2016.
 
 
Iranian Happy video dancers released on bail
 
(Happy)
A group of Iranians who were arrested last week for filming a video of themselves dancing to Pharrell Williams' song "Happy" have been released on bail.
Police described the clip as "vulgar" and said it had "hurt public chastity."
The video shows three men and three unveiled women dancing around the streets and rooftops of the Iranian capital.
Pharrell Williams himself protested against the arrests writing on his Facebook page:
"It is beyond sad that these kids were arrested for trying to spread happiness."
The Happy we are from Tehran video soon went viral and has been seen more than 40,000 times.
 
 
That’s it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
The summit in Shanghai involving more than 20 Asian nations has wrapped up, with a declaration calling for a comprehensive, lasting and just security across the continent...
On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Shane Bigham in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together.