The Beijing Hour
Evening Edition
Rebecca Hume with you on this Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013.
Welcome to this shorter holiday edition of the Beijing Hour for the national day holiday, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this evening，
Chinese President Xi Jinping now in Jakarta on a state visit to Indonesia.
U.S. President Barack Obama postpones his visit to Malaysia amid the partial shutdown of the US government.
Clashes breakout between Brazilian Police and Teachers。
58-fishermen still remain missing following Typhoon Wutip。
Weather
Beijing will be clear tonight with a low of 10 degrees Celsius. Tomorrow sunny with a high temperature of 22.
Meanwhile Shanghai will be cloudy tonight, with a low of 18, cloudy tomorrow, with a high of 24.
Lhasa will have light rain tonight, 5 degrees the low, showers tomorrow with a high of 15.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny, with a high of 33.
Kabul, sunny, 29.
Over in Australia
Sydney, showers, highs of 19.
Canberra, sunny, 17.
Brisbane, overcast, 29.
And finally, Perth will be sunny with a high of 28.
Top News
Chinese president in Jakarta for state visit
Chinese President Xi Jinping is now in Jakarta for a state visit to Indonesia.
It is the first stop of his maiden tour to Southeast Asia since taking office in March.
Xi Jinping has met with his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
The two sides have agreed to lift bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Apart from holding meetings with Indonesian state and business leaders, Xi Jinping is also set to make a speech to lawmakers, outlining his government's policy on Indonesia and the Southeast Asian regional bloc ASEAN.
CRI will bring you a live coverage of this speech from 11am on Thursday.
Xi Jinping is also set to attend an informal economic leaders' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in the Indonesian resort of Bali.
China is Indonesia's second largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching over some 66 billion US dollars last year.
What overseas Chinese feel about China-Indonesia relations
Anchor
As China and Indonesia have enjoyed fast growth for the past few years, many young Chinese people are choosing to study and work in Indonesia.
CRI correspondent Wang Xiao is now in Jarkarta.
Reporter:
25-year-old Chinese girl Yang Liming has been living in Indonesia for almost 5-years.
She finished university in the capital, Jakarta, and found a job there after graduation.
Talking about what drew her here, she says it's a long story beginning with her family.
"My grandparents are natives of Fujian province, but they came to Indonesia to do business. My mother was born and brought up here.Then my mother went back to China and got married. So it's amazing that I can come back to Indonesia for study."
This country is no stranger to her, because her mother always told stories about the place where she was brought up.
So when Yang arrived, she quickly got used to local life, and thought people here were nice and friendly.
"The first day of lunar year is also celebrated here. The local people no matter if they are of Chinese descent or not would go to China-town to buy lanterns, set off fireworks and celebrate the festival together. And they say 'Have a thriving and happy new year' to everyone who looks Chinese. "
Yang is only one of many Chinese who come to Indonesia with dreams.
With the rapid development of economic relations between the two countries, lots of Chinese companies have invested in Indonesia and established branches.
You Qinghe is a Junior college student at President University of Indonesia, majoring in business management.
He has designed a clear career path and has decided to stay here for another 5-years.
"We as overseas Chinese students are very competitive in the job market here, because we can speak English, Chinese and Indonesian. So I plan to enter a Chinese company here after my graduation and work hard."
The China-Indonesian trade corridor has been growing rapidly in recent years, developing from 26.6-billion US dollars in 2009 to an expected 80-billion by 2015.
Chinese foreign direct investment into Indonesia last year reached 2.2-billion dollars.
The close economic relations not only help many Chinese people fulfill their dreams, but also help local Indonesians have better lives.
What's more, tourism has played a leading role in Indonesia, becoming one of China's most important Southeast Asian markets.
Based on data from Indonesian ministry's information center, more than 700-thousand Chinese tourists visited Indonesia last year, and 400-thousand this year between January and July.
For CRI, I'm Wang Xiao.
Xi Jinping's new type of major power relationship
Anchor
Since taking office in March, Chinese president Xi Jinping has been actively travelling around the world.
As part of many of his stops, Xi Jinping has floated several new ideas that may define China's relationship with the rest of the world.
To that end, CRI's Zheng Chenguang earlier spoke with Tao Wenzhao, researcher with the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
…
That was Tao Wenzhao, researcher with the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, speaking to CRI's Zheng Chenguang.
US president postpones Malaysia visit amid government shutdown
U.S. President Barack Obama has postponed his visit to Malaysia amid the partial shutdown of the US federal government.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will represent him instead.
Obama was scheduled to visit Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines as well as attend a APEC forum.
His visit would have been the first by a US president to Malaysia in almost half a century.
U.S government went into partial shutdown on Monday after lawmakers were unable to come up with a new federal budget.
It has left hundreds of thousands of U.S federal government employees without work.
Obama has issued a new statement, pointing the finger at House Republicans for the current federal government shutdown.
"Republicans in the House of Representative refused to fund the government unless we de-funded or dismantled the Affordable Care Act. They've shut down the government over an ideological crusade to deny affordable health insurance to millions of Americans. In other words, they demanded ransom just for doing their job."
At the same time, Obama is also moving to defended his signature health care law, known as Obamacare.
Obama says Republicans in Congress "chose" the government shutdown that "did not have to happen."
Americans are the big losers in government shutdown
Anchor
The unprecedented shutdown of the federal government in the United States has led to more than a quarter of the federal employees out of work.
The overall economic cost of the shutdown is estimated at over 300 million US dollars per a day.
Our Washington correspondent Xiaohong has more.
Ann:
Tuesday, October the first, is the first day since the US federal government entered a shutdown in 17 years. While law makers are busy pointing fingers to each other over the failure to pass a budget that has led to the scenario, the public is furious.
“I'm very angry about it.”
“You know the frustration is because it seems that it could be avoided.”
“Trim down their paycheck. Not mine!”
As a result of the government shutdown, over eight hundred thousand federal workers, more than a quarter of its entire workforce, are forced to lay off, for a period of time that no one can predict. One of them has this to say.
"We'll have to look into using our savings account, whatever is there. We'll have to look about, maybe putting off our mortgage payment."
Meanwhile, the hustle and bustle at the National monuments, museums and zoos are gone. Some four hundred national parks are closed.
A 63-year-old retired man told a local TV station that his dream vocation is now destroyed by the government shutdown.
"The Grand Canyon is something I wanted to see as a child. And now I'm 63 years old. I'm gonna see it for the first time. But now I'm gonna get there and I can't see it."
Some analysts have put the price tag for the government shutdown at some 300 million US dollars per a day. And the world renowned rating company Moody said in its report that if the shutdown lasts three to four weeks, it will cost the US economy about 55 billion dollars.
CBS anchor Bob Schiff points out that the American people are the big losers in the shutdown crisis.
"There will be debate in the days to come about who's fault to all of this was, which party won. All I know is the big losers are the American people."
Both the Senate and the House are in session on Tuesday, trying to put forward some kind of a resolution. However, the American people say they are not going to trust them. Opinion polls the approval rate of the Congress stood at only 10%, the lowest in history.
For CRI, I'm Xiaohong in Washington.
S.Korea, U.S. to preemptively respond to signs of North Korea's nuclear threats
South Korea and the United States say they will launch pre-emptive measures if they detect any signs of nuclear strikes from North Korea.
The agreement has been signed following the annual Security Consultative Meeting between South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin and his U.S. counterpart Chuck Hagel.
The so-called Tailored Deterrence Strategy, stipulates Seoul and Washington will use military strikes against the use of nuclear arms by North Korea.
Tensions mounted on the Korean peninsula earlier this year following North Korea's third nuclear test and its long- range rocket launch.
Israeli PM Angers Iranians
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drawn angry responses from Iran after declaring Israel would never allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons.
At the UN General Assembly Netanyahu claimed his country's future was threatened by a nuclear-armed Iran and urged the international community to keep pressure through sanctions.
Khodadad Seifi, a deputy Iranian ambassador to the UN, fired back at Netanyahu claiming his remarks were misleading.
"We just heard an extremely inflammatory statement made by the last speaker in the Assembly's general debate, in which he made allegations against peaceful nuclear activities of my country. I do not want to dignify such unfounded accusations with an answer other than categorically rejecting them all. He tried to mislead this august body about the Iranian nuclear program."
Outside the UN, Danny Danon, the Israeli Deputy Defense Minister, explained Israel remains cautious about Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's recent address.
Danon claims the address to the West concerning Iran's non-weaponized nuclear advancement was a cover for the pursuit of nuclear arms.
Clashes Breakout Between Brazilian Police and Teachers
Clashes have broken out in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro between police and striking schoolteachers.
Police reportedly have used tear gas, percussion grenades, and rubber bullets against the strikers.
In retaliation the teachers erected burning barricades in an attempt to hinder riot police.
Schoolteacher and striker Flavia Rodrigues has spoken out about the strike.
"We are in total desperation because it has been almost 50-days of the strike and we don't know what to do anymore, because everything that was proposed, contemplated for us to do peacefully, we did. Now we can only cry because look at how they treat education professionals."
The strikers originally had gathered in front of City Hall to oppose Mayor Eduardo Paes' salary proposal which the teachers claim doesn't adequately address their demands.
Rio's police forces have come under heavy criticism lately for their violent responses to a series of street protests this summer.
58 fishermen remain missing after Typhoon Wutip
58-fishermen remain missing after three fishing boats sank on Sunday afternoon amid Typhoon Wutip in the South China Sea.
The boats, all from Guangdong, went down near the Xisha Islands.
Altogether five boats with a total of 88 people aboard were caught in the Typhoon.
Four fishermen are confirmed dead.
Rescuers have so far managed to pull 12 people alive from water.
"I definitely would die if I had to wait one more day. There wasn't any single drop of water."
Dozens of ships and airplanes are continuing searching the waters for more survivors.
China's Construction Companies Build Lead in the World
Anchor:
Chinese construction machinery companies are making moves to match up against international competitors.
Since the home-grown companies have gotten more involved in the global market, China is carving out a sizable share.
CRI's Lucy Du has more.
Reporter:
Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group, XCMG, located in Eastern China, ranks at the top of China's construction machinery industry, where half of the world's demand comes from.
It is also listed among the world's top five companies in the industry.
Yu Aijun, Director of XCMG's Excavators Department, says that they are eager to meet international competition.
"Even though we are a domestic company, we are facing competition from all over the world. Construction machinery giants like Caterpillar are all producing excavators in China. Our advantage is the cost efficiency, but there are still gaps between us and international industry leaders."
To improve their strengths, XCMG also upgrades their technology.
Jiang Nan is a director of the group.
"The current development focuses on substituting traditional manpower with automated processes. We are adopting digital control assembly lines that require minimum manpower. We are also using machines for manual work like welding."
Wang Yansong, the vice president of the group, says that their success is not limited to excavator sales.
"Our cranes take up half of the domestic market share. We also produce equipment for road construction, which is the first in the industry. Our excavators sell over 15,000 units. Our loaders and equipment for concrete also stand strong in the market."
As part of their international development, the group has merged and cooperated with other overseas companies.
Wang says this is a test of their abilities to operate and manage in a cross-cultural setting.
Wang adds that over 5 percent of their annual revenue goes to the research fund, to ensure that innovation and product quality thrives in the company.
Their goal is to climb to third in the world's ranking in the next five years.
For CRI, I am Lucy Du.
Tourism law forces agencies to play by new rules
Anchor
China's first tourism law has taken effect in October.
It bans profits from hidden traveler costs, such as mandatory shopping outings.
This aims to promote sound development of tourism by protecting legitimate rights of consumers and travel agencies as well as advocating tourism etiquette.
CRI's Su Yi has more.
Reporter
The new law stipulates that travel agencies cannot deceive tourists into buying tour products with low prices and later earn profits through shopping trips or extra fees.
Before the law, a considerable number of travel agencies were found to be arranging mandatory shopping.
Wang Xiaorun is a tourist from Beijing.
"Many travel agencies are like that. After no more than one hour of touring, the guide would promote local products and push you to buy it. Despite that we don't like shopping in designated stores, we have to. It's a waste of time. That's awful."
The new law enables tourists to protect their rights through legal means.
Dai Bin is head of the China Tourism Research Institute.
"The major breakthrough of the law is that tourists can file lawsuits once their interests have been harmed."
Tour operators earned commissions by arranging shopping trips as part of the tours.
With such practices outlawed, agencies have raised prices in order to recover costs.
Ge Lei is general manager of the market sector of the China Youth Travel Service.
"We also welcome stricter implementation of the tourism law since it can bring prices of the industry to reasonable standards. Only by improving products and services can we better protect customers' interests."
For CRI, I'm Su Yi.
Scandinavia-China Dialogue concert held in Stockholm upon National Day
Anchor
A Scandinavia-China concert has been held in Stockholm to mark China's National Day.
The main artists are blind Chinese flautist Wu Jing and her teacher Jan Bengtson from the Swedish Royal Orchestra.
CRI's special correspondent Chen Xuefei has more.
Ann:
Wu Jing is currently studying with Jan Bengtson, chief flautist at Swedish Royal Orchestra. She said that this was a concert aiming at a dialogue in music between China and Sweden. It is also a celebration of China's National Day.
"As you know Oct. 1 is China's National Day, so we choose a special song the Love of the People's Republic to present it to our motherland."
Wu Jing also acted as a host herself with both Swedish and Chinese.
The two artists have played both Chinese and Swedish music. The Chinese music include Jesmine Flower, The Sea, my Homeland, Butterflies Love and the Melody of the Yangtze River, with flutes and accompanied by Piano, Cello and Violin.
Born in Huangqiao Taixing,Jiangsu province, Wu became blind when she was just 15 months due to eye cancer. But she has been studying hard and trained even more than many normal children with flute, sport and languages. She came to Sweden in 2008 to study and work at promoting cultural exchanges between Sweden and China.
Bengtson explained how they came up with the idea of mixing Chinese and Scandinavian music.
"We try to find music both from China and Scandinavia, so we can make a mix . Just let the music meet and see what will come out, just an experiment. For me it is fantastic, a lot of them reminds of Swedish folk music, so it will be a good symbol. "
The performance really won a lot of applauses and was well commented.
Emily Reinson is one of the 300 audiences who attended the concert.
"I think it is a perfect mix of the Chinese and Swedish and it is a kind of similar type of music, but you can hear the melody is a little bit different. So I think it is very beautiful blend."
For CRI, this is Chen Xuefei reporting from Stockholm.
Traffic volumes spike on National Day
China's public transportation network has been seeing its travel peak as the 7-day National Day Holiday gets underway.
Passengers are cramming into the lobbies of railway stations across the country.
China's railway network is expected to carry more than 10 million people during the holiday.
Highways are also witnessing a surge in traffic.
The Chinese government has scrapped the expressway tolls for cars with seven seats or fewer during the holiday.
To handle the sudden surge of crowds, tourists attractions have taken various measures such as adding more ticket offices.
The peak is expected to last until Saturday.
That's it for this edition of the BJH
A quick recap of the headlines BEFORE WE GO...
Chinese President Xi Jinping now in Jakarta on a state visit to Indonesia.
U.S. President Barack Obama postpones his visit to Malaysia amid the partial shutdown of the US government.
Clashes breakout between Brazilian Police and Teachers.
58-fishermen still remain missing following Typhoon Wutip. |