The Beijing Hour
Morning Edition
Shane Bigham with you on this Tuesday, April 15th, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this morning...
The search for missing flight MH370 is finally switching from the surface of the southern Indian Ocean to the seabed 4.5 kilometres below...
The UN Secretary-General is expressing shock and grief over a bomb attack in Nigeria that's killed dozens of people...
And certain high-speed rail lines in China are offering discount tickets for a limited time...
In Business...Chinese households remain optimistic about the economy...
In sports...First round action continues at the ATP's Monte Carlo Masters...
In entertainment...actor Orlando Bloom has been visiting Syrian refugees...
But first... lets get a check on the weather...
Weather
Beijing will be cloudy today, with a high of 24 degree Celsius.
Overnight temperatures should drop down to around 12.
Shanghai will be cloudy during the daytime with a high of 21.
Overnight, it will see little rains with a low of 15.
In Chongqing, it will be overcast with a high of 27
Overnight lows are expected to be around 21.
Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia.
Islamabad will see moderate rain with a high of 23.
Kabul will be drizzle with a high of 10.
Over to North America.
New York will see heavy rains today with a high of 14 degrees.
Washington will be overcast with a high of 22 degrees.
Honolulu, drizzle, 29.
Toronto, Canada, will be cloudy with a high of 9 degrees.
Finally, on to South America,
Buenos Aires will be sunny with a high of 22.
And Rio de Janeiro will see heavy rains with a high of 23 degrees Celsius.
There are several ways to keep in touch with us on the BJH
Weibo/Wechat account: the Beijing Hour
Email: [email protected].
Top News
Robotic submarine to deploy for underwater search
Anchor
The underwater search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight has started, and officials have announced that an oil slick has been spotted close to the search area in the southern Indian Ocean.
CRI's Yu Yang has more.
Reporter
After more than a month of searching for flight MH370, search crews will for the first time deploy a remote underwater vehicle to scour the seabed for wreckage from the plane.
The U.S. navy sub Bluefin-21 will be sent four and a half kilometers beneath the surface, sending back a three-dimensional map of the ocean floor.
Angus Houston is the head of the multinational search team.
"The deployment of the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle has the potential to take us a further step towards visual identification since it offers a possible opportunity to detect debris from the aircraft on the ocean floor."
Over the past 10 days, a pinger locator has picked up four separate signals.
Officials say one of the four signals is very strong and similar to the transmission from an emergency locator beacon.
No new signals have been picked up since Tuesday, suggesting the flight recorders' batteries have finally expired.
US Navy Captain Mark Matthews says the crew has identified priority locations for the sub to search.
"Based upon our broad searching with the Towed Pinger Locator, also based upon some of the returns that were achieved by the sonar buoys that were dropped, we've identified some areas that we prioritise to go evaluate with the site scan sonar search. So our mission right now is to go look at the higher priority areas and to see if there are any debris there."
The sub will take 24 hours to complete each mission including two hours to dive to the bottom of the ocean and 16 hours to search the seafloor.
In its first deployment, it will search a 40-square-kilometer section of seafloor.
Officials have warned that the search could be a long painstaking process, and there's a chance the plane may not be found.
Meanwhile, visual searching for the missing plane continued on Monday with 12 aircraft and 15 ships scouring the ocean surface.
On Sunday, an oil slick was detected by an Australian navy vessel and a sample is now under analysis.
Houston, the head of the search team, says since the value of the visual search is diminishing, the operation may end in the next two to three days.
"We have reached a stage in the visual search where further efforts appear to be unlikely to yield results. So what is normal in these circumstances is the partners, the countries, get together, consult and decide what needs to be done next. And I think that consultation will take place later this week."
Flight MH370 was carrying 239 people including 154 Chinese when it disappeared in early March en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
Locating the flight's black boxes can help to understand what happened during the flight.
For CRI, I'm Yu Yang.
EU expands sanctions against Russia
The European Union has expanded sanctions against Russia following recent developments in the east of Ukraine.
The new sanctions will put more people under asset freezes and visa bans.
The decision comes as the EU's foreign ministers met up in Luxemburg to discuss the current tension over Ukraine.
UK Foreign Minister William Hague:
"We have agreed among foreign ministers to expand the sanctions - the second tier of sanctions - and to add further names to the those sanctions, so we have taken that decision in the council today. We have also stressed the urgency of completing the work on a possible third tier of more far-reaching sanctions should those become necessary, and the European Commission have assured us that that work is almost complete."
Tensions in Ukraine accelerated over the weekend as pro-Russian activists occupied government buildings in more eastern cities, demanding a referendum.
On Monday, pro-Russian protesters seized a police building in an eastern city following the government's deadline for protesters to leave official buildings or face eviction.
The EU and U.S have accused Russia of stirring up the unrest.
Russia denied the allegation, saying Moscow fears that the use of armed force against pro-Russian protesters in Ukraine may lead to a civil war.
Earlier, the U.S. said that it says no military solution to the current tension.
Washington has threatened to target Russia's key economic sectors including energy and banking.
It has also signed a one-billion-dollar loan guarantee for Ukraine, part of an aid package in support of the country's economic recovery.
U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden is expected to travel to Ukraine next Tuesday.
UN chief shocked by deadly attacks near Nigerian capital
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed shock and sadness over a deadly bomb attack near Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
At least 70 people were killed and 124 others injured after the explosion happened at a bus station early Monday morning when the station was full of commuters.
The explosion left a hole in the ground that is more than a metre deep, and it destroyed 30 vehicles nearby causing secondary explosions as fuel tanks ignited and burned.
Nigeria's president has blamed the attack on Boko Haram Islamists.
Chinese FM Wang Yi meets German FM Steinmeier
Anchor
Top diplomats from China and Germany have met again. It's the fourth round of ministerial-level strategic talks between the two countries.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has given a briefing on China's diplomatic stance.
Our reporter Xie Zhao has more.
Reporter
Foreign Minister Wang Yi stresses that China is committed to maintaining regional peace and stability.
He says that overall, the relationship between China and neighboring countries is good. And China's development is offering huge opportunities and dividends for them.
However the foreign minister contends that recently, certain parties in the region have violated the consensus secured with China and provoked controversies.
Wang Yi notes that as long as the relevant parties can correct their wrongdoings and get back on the track of negotiations, the controversies can be controlled and eventually be addressed.
Wang Yi also calls for an objective international attitude towards dealing with issues in the Asia-Pacific region.
The two top diplomats also exchange views on the situation in Ukraine.
Wang Yi reiterates that China is taking and will always take a neutral stance when it comes to the situation in the eastern Europe country.
Wang Yi emphasizes that China supports a political solution as the only way to address the issue.
According to Wang, the Ukrainian issue is also one of the topics at his meeting with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.
"Lavrov will visit Beijing tomorrow and I will discuss this in depth with him. China will continue to play a role in solving the issue of Ukraine."
For his part, German Foreign Minister Steinmeier has also called for efforts to reduce tensions in Ukraine.
"We not only talked about issues concerning our two countries, but also about international issues, including the crisis in Ukraine. We reached a consensus on advocating activities for reducing tension and we both hope the issue can be solved in non-violent ways. We also reached consensus that it was a dangerous antecedent to change the border of two nations willingly. On this issue, the international community must be clear."
Steinmeier also talks about the recent visit by President Xi Jinping to Germany, hailing it as a sucess in deepening bilateral ties.
The two foreign ministers have also agreed to futher strenthen bilateral talks and co-operation.
For CRI, Im Xie Zhao.
China, India Vow to Advance Partnership
High-ranking officials from China and India have vowed to enhance cooperation between the two countries.
Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin and Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh held strategic talks on Monday, in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.
Liu says bilateral relations have seen a very good beginning this year, which marks the Year of Friendly Exchanges between China and India. And China is ready to work with India to advance the partnership to a new level.
Sujatha says all political parties in India share the desire to advance the India-China.
He expressed the belief that no matter which political party wins the general election underway this month, India's policy toward China will not be changed.
How Do China and the US Make Positive Interaction in Asia Pacific
Anchor
Continuing on the topic of China's foreign relations,
A recent survey by the US-based Pew Research Center shows that mistrust between Chinese and Americans is on the rise. Our reporter Zhang Wan takes a closer look at what has led to the increase in mistrust.
Reporter
Based on the survey by the Pew Research Center, only 33 percent of Americans now have a positive view of China, while the number was 51 percent two years ago. Since the survey was initiated in 2008, the number of positive views on China among Americans has been declining.
Born in the 1980s, a young Chinese man named Zhang Zhi says he believes the United States is neither an enemy, nor a friend.
"China and the United States are both enemies and friends, or let's say, neither enemy nor friend. I think it really depends on trust. In some fields, both countries trust each other, however, in other core areas, we trust America, but they don't trust us. In addition, what I hate about America most is that they seem to try and 'contain' China's interests and development."
However, the former Director for China with the National Security Council of the United States, James Keith says most Americans do not believe that American policy towards China is containment, where most Chinese believe it is.
He says the source of that misunderstanding comes from a sense of uncertainty.
"Most observers speaking from the American perspective would now say that where the US and China relationship will be in 20 year, 30 or 40 or 50 years is uncertain, and because of that uncertainty that creates the opportunity for mistrust and the opportunity for worse-case scenarios to play out."
But what can China and the US do to remove that trust deficit? The President of the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs, Yang Wenchang.
"First, I think China and the United States are peers, rather than teacher and student. I would like to describe the relationship between China and the US as three stones: two of them are gemstones, which we should make bigger; the other one is a stumbling block, which we should remove. The two gemstones indicate the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, as well as personnel exchanges, while the stumbling block refers to the mistrust, especially regarding security."
Former US Senator Max Sieben Baucus, who arrived in Beijing as the US Ambassador less than a month ago, says he took the job because he believes that the US-China relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world.
"Forty years ago, our annual bilateral trade was less than 100 million, and to an investment to each other's market was close to zero. Today, more than 700,000 jobs in the US depend on trade with China. More than half a trillion dollars in goods and services are between our two economies each year. US companies have invested over 70 billion dollars in China by the end of 2012. The total value of Chinese investment deals in the US surged by nearly 6 billion dollars by the end of last year."
Both experts and diplomats agree that what's important for China and the US at the current stage is to expand cooperation, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, as well as manage the differences between the two countries.
For CRI, I am Zhang Wan.
High speed train lines offer discounts
Anchor
Tickets for 90 high-speed trains, with service numbers beginning with "G", have once again gone on sale in China. This time, more routes are joining in. Discounts vary between 20 and 30 percent.
Li Dong has details.
Reporter
Trains that mainly run between Beijing and Shanghai and between the capital and Guangzhou have joined this round of discounts.
Unlike the previous discount policies, this time, passengers who buy second class ticket will also enjoy a discount, although the discounts in this category are not part of the official announcement. Plus, the discount will last for a whole year regardless when passengers make the purchase.
However, the discounts are only for passengers who travel from Monday to Thursday, and for weekends,the Mayday holiday and other national vacations are not included in the discount this time.
Yang Xuan likes traveling. She welcomes the ticket price cut.
"I will choose the high speed train when I travel if it goes where I want to go. Because it takes much less time to go to the railway station than going to the airport, not to mention the time you spend on security checks and having a long journey to the downtown area when you arrive at your destination airport. As a passenger, I welcome the ticket discount. But I wish the discount covered a longer time period and more lines."
Processor Liu Baocheng of the University of International Business and Economics says this is a step forward for the reform of the China Railway Corporation or CRC.
"The railway business used to be state owned. The first step to reform it is to have a corporation run the operation. The joining of private capital means the operation should be market oriented. Providing discounts is a necessary step to face market competition. For instance, the lowering of the ticket prices for business class and first class may attract more customers who used to take second class. This can better integrate the resources and lower the operational costs."
Nowadays, many air companies operate the routes between Beijing and Shanghai. The abundant flights result in fierce price competition. Big discounts are offered to passengers, sometimes even up to 73 percent, much lower than the high-speed train ticket.
Liu adds that offering discounts is just part of CRC's market-oriented reform program. He advises CRC to think about upgrading the service quality of the high speed train.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
Biz Reports
Anchor
First off, a check on the closing numbers in North America and Europe.
Joining me on the desk, CRI's Tu Yun.
U.S. stocks rebounded on Monday from the sell-off last week.
Citigroup's better-than-expected quarterly earnings and robust retail sales boosted market sentiment.
Shares of the company jumped more than 4 percent.
Blue chips Dow Jones Industrial Average gained more than two thirds of a percent.
The S&P 500 rose four fifths of a percent.
And the tech-heavy Nasdaq picked up one percent.
Over in Europe, major indexes also went higher boosted by strong U.S. economic data.
But investors remain cautious as possible military conflict in Ukraine looms.
Both London's FTSE 100 and Frankfurt's Dax increased nearly one third of a percent.
And Paris's CAC 40 edged up two fifths of a percent.
Households remain optimistic about China's economy
A survey shows that Chinese households remain largely optimistic about the country's economy despite its moderate slowdown.
The China Wealth Index, compiled by the Bank of Communications and information and measurement company Nielsen to gauge sentiment among Chinese households, was at 130 in April, similar to the reading recorded in January.
A reading above 100 reflects optimism.
The component indices showed that household confidence in the economy stayed at 131, and their willingness to invest remained flat at 117.
But the index measuring people's willingness to buy homes shed 2 points from January, coming in at 102 in April.
China's economy softened in the past quarter as growth in industrial production, fixed-asset investment and retail sales all dipped into multi-months lows.
New development plan for Yellow River golden triangle
Anchor
China's State Council has approved a plan to promote regional cooperation in the Yellow River "golden triangle."
The region, covering inland Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan provinces, is expected to be a new engine for economic growth in less developed central and western China.
Efforts shall be made to improve transportation connectivity in the region, to mobilize resources, and promote common development.
The provinces are also asked to make joint efforts in tackling environmental pollution and promoting environmental protection.
For more on this, we're joined live now by Gao Shang, Analyst with GuanTong Futures.
Questions
1 There are minerals to be mined and agricultural products that need to be moved... what kind of infrastructure does the region need in order to develop those sectors?
2 How great is the need for civilian infrastructure projects in this region, and is that included in this announcement?
3 Does this signal the start of major development in central and western regions of the country? What do you see in these areas 10 years from now?
4 What lessons have been learned during development in coastal areas, and how do these lessons apply when it comes to development in landlocked areas?
Back Anchor:
Gao Shang, Analyst with GuanTong Futures
Chinese mining giant acquires Peruvian copper mine for 5.8 billion USD
A Chinese mining company is set to buy a key Peruvian copper mine for nearly 6 billion US dollars, making one of China's largest mining acquisitions to date.
Melbourne-based MMG, the overseas unit of state-owned China Minmetals, will hold a 62.5 percent stake in the Las Bambas mine after the deal.
Las Bambas is one of the world's biggest copper projects.
It is currently owned by Swiss commodity trading and mining giant Glencore Xstrata.
The mine could produce over 2 million tons of copper concentrate in its first five years of operation.
The transaction is set to close by this autumn.
Private jets expo held in Shanghai to attract buyers
About 180 of the world's top business aircraft makers and operators will participate in a major aviation expo in Shanghai starting from today.
Manufacturers including Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, and Gulfstream will display nealry 40 planes at the three-day exhibition held at Shanghai's Hongqiao International Airport.
Industry reports suggest that China has become the world's major business jet market, chalking up the fastest growth rate in that sector.
Last year, Shanghai's two airports handled over 4,400 private jets.
The figures represented about 30 percent of the total on the Chinese mainland.
Chinese outbound investment in real estate set to double
US-based global real estate services provider Colliers International is predicting that investors from the Chinese mainland are likely to double their outbound real estate investment this year compared to last year.
Colliers attributes this predicted growth to further appreciation of the yuan and the high yields of real estate overseas.
The company says real estate investment by Chinese mainland totalled to 16 billion USD last year.
That is compared to a mere 69 million USD in 2008.
The most popular targets of outbound Chinese capital in the last five years have been London, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sydney and Melbourne.
The next wave of purchasing is expected to affect real estate markets such as Seattle, Munich, Paris, and Brisbane.
U.S. Commerce departments makes affirmative preliminary ruling on Chinese fridge products being subsidized
The U.S. Commerce Department has made a preliminary determination that some Chinese refrigeration products have received countervailing subsidies of nearly 29 percent.
This means punitive duties will be imposed on these products after final rulings are made this autumn.
The U.S. Commerce Department ruling came after a Louisiana-based fridge producer filed a complaint against Chinese refrigeration products last year.
The company alleged that some refrigeration products from China were sold in the U.S. market with dumping margins at almost 200 percent.
Official data from the US suggests that imports of these products from China were estimated at nearly 35 million U.S. dollars last year.
US retail sales achieve biggest increase in 18 months in March
US retail sales recorded their largest gains in 18 months in March, in the latest sign the economy was on track to accelerate in the second quarter.
The Commerce Department says retail sales increased 1.1 percent last month, the biggest rise since September 2012.
Retail sales account for a third of consumer spending in the United States.
Meanwhile, retail sales also added to positive employment data.
Job growth averaged 195,000 per month in February and March.
First-time applications for jobless benefits in early April fell back to their pre-recession level.
Headline News
Robotic submarine to deploy for underwater search
After a month of searching on the surface of the southern Indian Ocean, the international effort to find a missing Malaysia Airlines flight is finally turning its attentions to the deep water.
A remote-control US sub is to make a dive to the ocean floor, a 4.5 kilometre journey that is expected to take 2 hours.
The Bluefin-21 will relay a three-dimensional map of the ocean floor to search crews.
Over the past 10 days, several signals have been detected, with one in particular coming in very strong and with the right characteristics of a locator beacon from a black box flight recorder.
But no new signal has been detected since Tuesday, meaning the locator beacon's battery has likely expired.
Officials are warning people that it may take several days to locate the planes flight recorders or other wreckage, and there is a chance nothing will be found.
Russia: armed force against protesters may lead to civil war in Ukraine
Moscow is expressing concerns that the current situation in Ukraine could lead to civil war in that country.
Moscow's ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has voiced alarm over the use of force against pro-Russian demonstrators in eastern Ukraine, essentially echoing statements made by his government over the weekend.
Tensions escalated on Sunday following an armed confrontation between Ukrainian security forces and pro-Moscow protesters, which killed at least one person and injured 10 others.
Ethnic Russians in the region seized government buildings and expressed a desire to follow Crimea's lead and break away from Kiev.
Ukraine's president ordered a "counter-terror operation" there.
Syria misses deadline for chemical weapons removal: OPCW-UN Mission
The Syrian government has missed a deadline under the agreement to remove all chemical weapons from the country.
Under an agreement with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, and the United Nations, Syria was supposed to have removed all chemical weapons except those in inaccessible areas by this past Sunday.
The Syrian government is now being called upon to step-up its efforts and complete the work by April 27th.
A spokesman for the UN warns that missing the new deadline could have a serious impact on efforts to destroy Syria's chemical agents by the previously agreed deadline of June 30th.
The OPCW says about two-thirds of Syria's chemical weapons stockpile has been removed from the country.
That includes more than 57 percent of the priority-one chemicals, the most dangerous kind.
Kansas shootings suspect to face hate crime charges
A 73-year-old former Ku Klux Klan member will face hate-crime charges, following a deadly shooting in suburban Kansas City on Sunday.
Frazier Glenn Cross was arrested after three people died following two shootings. Two people at a Jewish community centre were killed and the other victim was killed at a retirement home.
Among the victims are a 14 year old boy and his grandfather.
Police say Cross is a known white supremacist with affiliations to various hate groups.
Prosecutors plan to file charges of first-degree murder against him, along with the hate-crime charges.
World powers discuss global nuclear governance in Beijing
Five nuclear powers have begun meetings in Beijing, discussing ways to enhance global nuclear governance.
China is hosting the United States, Russia, Britain, and France -- all members of the UN Security Council.
Major pillars of the talks include disarmament, non-proliferation, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
At the opening ceremony, China's Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong stressed that universal security is the fundamental goal of global nuclear governance.
He also emphasized that the leadership role of the P5 states is a major driving force for global nuclear governance.
Newspaper Picks
BEIJING NEWS
Headline
Lanzhou taps safe again
Summary
Testing of Lanzhou's tap water shows benzene levels have dropped and now meet national safety standards once again.
Lanzhou authorities says they will keep an eye on the tap water quality.
SHANGHAI DAILY
Headline
Air quality index gets new hourly updates
Summary
The Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau says a new air-quality measure that provides hourly updates will be introduced.
The bureau says the index will include hourly updates for all major pollutants, including PM2.5 and PM10.
Officials say readings for both measures will be available via the Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Center's website and its smartphone app, and will be included in TV news broadcasts and on social media.
BEIJING TIMES
Headline
China launches crackdown on online porn
Summary
The national anti-porn agency has announced China has renewed its campaign against the spread of pornography on the Internet.
The agency says all online texts, pictures, videos and advertisements with pornographic content will be deleted.
Websites, web channels and columns will reportedly be shut down or have their administrative license revoked if they are found to produce or spread pornographic information.
CHINA DAILY
Headline
China to boost crop insurance
Summary
China's top insurance regulator says the country will intensify its efforts to promote crop insurance, with insured farm produce to cover 60 percent of the country's cultivated land by 2020.
Insurers will be encouraged to cover farm produce prices, rural houses and infrastructure.
GLOBALTIMES
Headline
Coaches to be focus of new anti-doping investigation
Summary
More focus will reportedly be put on coaches in future doping investigations as Chinese anti-doping workers seek to update their methods.
A database is to be set up, including information on thousands of coaches.
BEIJING MORNING POST
Headline
Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway sees 200 mln trips
Summary
Data released by China's railway authorities shows that train trips on the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway have topped 200 million.
The rail line is more than 13-hundred kilometres long and the train's speed cuts the trip down to less-than five hours of travel time.
SOUTH CHINA METROPOLITAN DAILY
Headline
Poultry product ban
Summary
Hong Kong's Center for Food Safety has announced it has banned the import of poultry and poultry products including eggs from Kumamoto Prefecture of Japan, effective immediately.
The move is for the protection of Hong Kong's public and animal health as the center received notification from Japanese authorities about an outbreak of high-pathogenic H5 avian influenza on a broiler farm.
Special Reports
Divorce rates on the rise in China
Anchor
In today's Special Report, we take a look at the rising divorce rate in China.
Recent numbers suggest that some 10 thousand marriages break up in the country every day.
This has come as a shock to this nation of 1.3 billion people – where the family unit is seen as the lynchpin of society.
Doris Wang has more.
Reporter
Divorce rates in China have been on the rise for ten consecutive years.
Last year alone saw a shocking 3.1 million divorces.
This seems to become a major trend in line with developed countries in Western Europe and North America.
Susanne Choi is a sociology professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She says the changing status of women in society is one of the contributing factors to this statistic.
"Our values are definitely changing. For example, some women, you know, even if they experience abuse or unhappiness in marriage, they may think that it's important to keep the marriage intact for the sake or welfare of the children. But now, women may think that their welfare is important too. That's one possibility. But I think to explain the rapid increase in divorce, probably we have to think more about the increase in economic status or independence or education of women. "
Over the years, the concepts of marriage and divorce have evolved from a public to a more private affair.
The most recent development was in 2001, which got rid of the requirement that couples wanting a divorce had to get employer approval in order to do so.
The changes in Chinese society have also led to young people, especially those who are born after 1980, to feel less committed to traditional marriage than their parents.
Young Chinese are taking charge of their own lives and making independent decisions.
Despite the many changes, loyalty remains an important factor for couples to stay together.
Therefore, the leading cause of most divorces in China is infidelity or extramarital affairs.
Aside from the increase in divorces, another phenomenon is emerging in this country, cohabitation.
Today, many young couples are living together before they are married.
Wu Qiong, a professor and researcher at Peking University, said although this will allow the couples to get to know each other, it may also end in disaster.
"Cohabitation is a double-edged sword. On a positive note, if people get to know more about each other before their marriage, this may lower the divorce rate because a lot of divorces are actually happening shortly after marriage and this allows them to get to know their daily routines. On a negative note, if the cohabitation turns to a permanent state, which is not a favorable position because then it's not that people are getting divorced but they are not getting married, which is happening in some of the Western countries now."
China is changing at a rapid pace and marriage appears to be changing as well.
However, it still remains to be seen whether this is a positive development in a society that has upheld the traditional idea of marriage for thousands of years.
Back Anchor
That is CRI's Doris Wang reporting.
Sports
Stepanek, Dolgopolov, and Kohlschreiber through to second round at MCM
In tennis,
First round action at the ATP's Monte Carlo Masters continues today.
Roberto Bautista Agut upset Canada's Vasek Pospisil 6-2, 6-2 to slip into the second round.
Radek Stepanek, Fabio Fognini, Alexandr Dolgopolov, and Philip Kohlschreiber are also through after early wins yesterday.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic will hit the clay-court with a second round matchup against Spain's Albert Montanes.
"One thing is for sure, I enjoy and I love playing here in Monte Carlo, it's the place where I spend most of my time in the last six years when I'm not playing tournaments. I have lots of friends who come and support, the family members and home is just a few minutes away. So, that's the beauty of it. It's the first time I find myself in a position as a title holder, last year I won in a great match against Nadal who won it eight years in a row, so I always look forward playing in Monte Carlo."
Top ranked Rafael Nadal also had a bye in the first round. He won his first Monte-Carlo title back in 2005, and is looking to add another to his collection.
"I am ready to try and play well in the first round. Always this tournament starts from the first round, not from the final. The draw closed with 55 of the rankings, so every match is dangerous, very match is really difficult to win. I'm going to fight to be ready for the action."
Nadal will face either Gilles Simon of France or Russian qualifier Teymuraz Gabashvili in the second round.
West Ham hopes to get further away from relegation zone with win over Arsenal
In football,
West Ham will face Arsenal today in their English Premier League matchup.
Sam Allardyce's side is sitting in 11th, seven points off relegation with five season games remaining. So they're not desperate, but they're also not yet safe.
"We've got five very tough games to go and we've got to try and pick up as many points as we can. Everybody looks at Arsenal now (then) Crystal Palace, West Brom, Tottenham and Manchester City and if you look at the form of all of those teams, Arsenal perhaps have slipped a bit but the rest are all on top form. West Brom and Crystal Palace particularly are achieving fantastic results at this moment in time, so we've got five very difficult games that we focus on one at a time."
Arsenal have slumped recently and dropped down to fifth, which means they're in danger of missing out of the Champions League.
Red Bull appeals to have Daniel Riccardo's second-place finish reinstated
In Formula One news,
Red Bull appeared in court yesterday to appeal the governing body's decision that stripped driver Daniel Riccardo of his second-place finish at the Australian Grand prix last month.
Riccardo and his team had their second-place finish and those 18 points taken away for breaching the championship's rules on how quickly fuel can be burned up.
Speaking for the plaintiff, Mercedes lawyer Paul Harris argued that Red Bull was in "flagrant breach" of F1 rules, and the decision should stand.
The verdict is expected to be passed along sometime this morning.
Michael Phelps to compete in Arizona swim meet
The most decorated Olympic athlete of all time, Michael Phelps, is set to come out of retirement, as it was announced yesterday that he'll be competing in three events at a swim meet in Arizona.
This means that the 28 year old American could be setting his sights on representing team USA at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
"Over the last year I have had an amazing time being able to travel the world and I want to be able to start getting back into physical shape for myself more than anything. That is something that I need to do. Something that I want to do. That's why I am doing it. If that leads me into swimming again then so be it."
Phelps started training back in August, and re-entered the necessary US drug testing program.
Vancouver Canucks Daniel Sedin reports no injury after slamming head into glass
In the NHL,
Teams can now focus all their attention on getting ready for the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs, as regular season games came to a close yesterday.
The Anaheim Ducks already had a top seed in the West, but capped their season with a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.
The playoff –bound Tampa Bay Lightning edged out the Washington Caps 1-0 in a shootout.
And as far as injury report goes, Vancouver forward Daniel Sedin is apparently doing ok after taking a big hit during the Canucks 5-1 win over Calgary yesterday. Sedin had his head smashed into the boards by Paul Byron, and had to be carted off the ice on a stretcher. .
He had a CT scan, and there were no serious injuries.
NBA morning lineup
In the NBA,
Lots of games on the lineup this morning.
Miami v. Washington
Boston v. Philadelphia
Milwaukee v. Toronto
The Atlantic Division champion Raptors are fighting for the third seed in the Eastern Conference, and a win this morning would set a new franchise record of 48 season wins.
Atlanta and Charlotte just tipped off at 7:30. And still at 8 am, it's Oklahoma City vs. New Orleans, and Orlando will take on Chicago.
Entertainment
Actor Orlando Bloom visits Syrian refugees in Jordan
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and actor Orlando Bloom paid a visit to Jordan, where he tried to use his star power to bring attention to Syrian refugees.
Bloom arrived in Jordan last Tuesday and visited with families at the Za'atari refugee camp whose lives have been devastated by the four-year conflict in the region.
"There are more and more refugee families who have been torn apart, taken away from their homes, their environments and everything that is familiar to them."
With a population of over 100,000 people, Za'atari is one of the largest refugee camps in the world. Families are living in tents in extreme weather conditions.
While at the camp Bloom paid a visit to children at a UNICEF-supported school, where he stressed the importance of education.
The English actor became a Goodwill Ambassador in 2009. He is best known for his roles in film franchises "The Lord of the Rings" and "Pirates of the Caribbean".
TV version of Fargo debuts on US screen
(Fargo trailer)
The new TV version of Fargo will make its debut on US screens tonight.
The show is based on the 1996 Oscar award-winner of the same name, which was written and directed by Cohen Brothers.
Now the 10-episode TV series expands the classic crime film.
The remake has already won the hearts of critics, who have tipped it as the next Breaking Bad.
Like the original movie, the TV-version of Fargo is set in a modern-day rural and snowy Minnesota.
Allison Tolman plays the role of a bright-eyed deputy and Martin Freeman takes on the part of a pitiful insurance salesman.
After failed attempts by NBC and CBS in the late 1990s, Noah Hawley has finally succeeded in making the adaption a reality.
Noah is the writer of all 10 episodes, and serves as the show's executive producer.
Game of Thrones remains its momentum after premiere
The latest episode of HBO's hit show Game of Thrones earned 6.3 million viewers, maintaining the momentum of its season 4 debut a week earlier.
The drama attracted a record audience of 6.6 million viewers in the premiere.
In comparison, Mad Men also made a big return with the launch of its seventh and final season, but averaged only 2.3 million viewers.
Last season, a weekly average of 14 million more viewers across multiple viewing platforms watched Game of Thrones, making it HBO's biggest show.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire harvests at MTV Movie Awards
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was the big winner at the 22nd annual MTV Movie Awards in Los Angeles last night.
The film took home three awards, including Movie of the Year.
Leading lady Jennifer Lawrence won the prize for Best Female Performance for her role as Katniss. And Lawrence's co-star Josh Hutcherson picked up the award for Best Male Performance.
In his speech, Hutcherson dedicated his award to co-star Philip Seymour Hoffman, who passed away in February.
The MTV Movie Awards also kick off the Hollywood summer movie season with newly released teasers of "The Amazing Spiderman 2 and the forthcoming "X-Men:Days of Future Past".
David Fincher said to be out of Steve Jobs Movie
The word is that Sony Pictures is looking to replace David Fincher as director of its highly anticipated Steve Jobs movie.
Fincher is said to be seeking a hefty $10 million up front in fees, as well as control over the film's marketing.
Sony allowed the director considerable freedom when it came to the marketing of his 2011 film The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
But both sides have declined to comment.
The Jobs movie will be based on Walter Isaacson's acclaimed best-selling biography Steve Jobs.
The film would have reunited the team behind The Social Network, including producer Scott Rudin, writer Aaron Sorkin and Fincher.
The Social Network grossed over 200 million dollars worldwide in 2010 and scored Sorkin a best adapted screenplay Oscar.
The negotiation comes at a key time for Sony, who are looking to bounce back after a lackluster summer 2013.
That’s it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
The search for missing flight MH370 is finally switching from the surface of the southern Indian Ocean to the seabed 4.5 kilometres below...
The UN Secretary-General is expressing shock and grief over a bomb attack in Nigeria that's killed dozens of people...
And certain high-speed rail lines in China are offering discount tickets for a limited time...
In Business...Chinese households remain optimistic about the economy...
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. |