Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital...

Coming up on the program this evening...

China, Japan, South Korea, and the ASEAN nations talk cooperation, as missing flight MH370 and the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing are discussed on the meeting sidelines...

Land and sea warnings are being issued ahead of typhoon Soudelor, which is bearing down on China's southeastern coast...

And the US president delivers a fiery defense of the Iran nuclear agreement...

In Business...official stats show many smaller Chinese investors have left the stock market...

In Sports....another gold at the swimming worlds for Sun Yang...

And in Entertainment...a Chinese-Russian animated co-production means another installment in the Snow Queen franchise is on the way...

All of that coming up in the next hour, but first, just a reminder there are several ways to reach out to us here on the Beijing Hour.

You can follow us on our weibo account at weibo.com/beijinghour.

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topASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers Meeting in Kuala LumpurForeign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met today with their counterparts from South Korea, China and Japan, for talks on multilateral cooperation.

The so-called ASEAN Plus Three mechanism involves cooperation in the areas of security, trade and investment, and the environment.

The meeting was chaired by Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says the countries have made progress, and calls for more effort in pushing forward cooperation.

Meanwhile at the sidelines of the meetings, Wang Yi also met with his counterparts from Japan and South Korea.

Wang Yi says Chinese people and the international community, are keeping an eye on how Japan is going to face its unavoidable historical issues.

"Another issue is about Japan's future direction, which also draws all the people's attention. We noticed that Japan's military defense policies have been adjusted and changed drastically, which naturally arouses concerns among many countries, especially its neighboring states. We hope that Japan could adhere to the path of peace and development just like it did in the past."Also on Thursday, an advisory panel to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has submitted a final report on a landmark statement marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The report mentions Japan's wartime aggression and colonial rule, but stopped short of saying whether Japan should apologize for its wartime atrocities.

Based on this report, Abe is scheduled to release his landmark statement on August 14.

The speech is considered the official stance of the Japanese government on its actions during WWII, which caused inhumane suffering to millions of people in East Asia and Southeast Asia under Japan's aggression and colonial rule.

Japanese Foreign Minsiter Fumio Kishida gives no comment after the meeting with Wang Yi.

Japan marks 70th anniversary of Hiroshima atomic bombingAnchor:

Tens of thousands of people gathered in Hiroshima to mark 70 years since the atomic bombing that destroyed the city and helped end World War II.

CRI's Victor Ning has more.

Reporter:

About 55,000 people attended a ceremony at the city's Peace Memorial Park.

The mayor of Hiroshima city, Kazumi Matsui, made a speech to the gathering calling for world leaders to step up efforts toward global denuclearization.

"I hope that the Japanese government will serve as a bridge between nuclear-capable nations and those without, and be at the forefront of discussions (on nuclear disarmament). And I propose that Hiroshima be the place from which such discussion emanates."Tourists stopped at various memorials in the park trying to imagine what it was like on that day 70 years ago.

The memorial has stirred deep grief for the relatives and friends of those who were killed during the bombing and they hope no such tragic event happens ever again.

It also inspires many Japanese people to hope that country's government will stop pushing security-related bills that many feel are in violation of the country's pacifist constitution.

A group formed by victims of the atomic bombing expressed to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who also attended the ceremony, that they hope the government could retract the security bills.

Yukio Yoshioka is a representative from the Hiroshima atomic bombing survivor network.

"The erosion of the constitution will change Japan into a nation that will go to war, and bring upon us tragedy once more. We should not allow this nation to become one that repeats the mistakes of its past and does not let the souls of the A-bomb victims rest in peace."To accelerate Japan's surrender in WWII, U.S. forces dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Aug. 6 and Aug. 9, 1945 respectively.

An estimated 140-thousand people were killed instantly or died within a few months after the first bombing.

Speaking about the memorial while in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, US Secretary of State John Kerry says the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing highlights the importance of the nuclear deal negotiated between Iran and six world powers.

"Needless to say it's a very, very powerful reminder of not just the impact of war and a lasting way on people and countries, but it also underscores the importance of the agreement we've reached with Iran to reduce the possibility of more nuclear weapons."For CRI, I'm Victor Ning.

China's Foreign Ministry Comments on the Latest MH370 DevelopmentAnchor:

Also at the sideline of the ASEAN meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says full consideration should be given to the relatives of MH370 passengers in dealing with issues of the missing flight.

"We are watching the development closely. We suggest that Malaysia should first explain to the next-of-kin on what's going to happen next. I think on this matter it is important that we care about their feelings, the struggle that they're going through. The search should continue. At the same time we agree with Malaysia that we should find out the truth, and start rolling out the next phase of the plan. We hope the matter will be resolved appropriately."The foreign ministry's spokesperson Hua Chunying also commented, saying China is hoping Malaysia carefully continues its investigation, and takes steps to protect the legal rights of the family members of the missing people.

The comments come after Malaysia's Prime Minister confirmed earlier today that a piece of wreckage found on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion is from flight MH370, which disappeared last year.

CRI's Poornima Weerasekara has more.

Reporter:

The announcement that the debris found on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, east of Madagascar, is from flight MH370 is the first physical evidence discovered from the missing flight.

French official Serge Mackowiak, who is assisting in the investigation of the debris, says there is strong enough evidence to link the debris to the missing flight.

"Representatives from Boeing aeronautics have confirmed that the flap did come from a Boeing 777, based on is technical characteristics - its dimension, colour, structure. The second reason is that representatives from Malaysia Airlines have provided parts of the technical documentation of Boeing 777 Flight MH370, and based on this it has been possible to make a connection between the piece examined and the flap of MH370."Investigators are hoping the wreckage can help solve the mystery of what happened to the Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared last March.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak says the confirmation can also help bring some closure for the relatives of those onboard, who have been desperate for answers.

"The burden and uncertainty faced by the families during this time has been unspeakable. It is my hope that this confirmation, however tragic and painful, will at least bring certainty to the families and loved ones of the 239 people onboard MH370."The Malaysia Airlines jet disappeared on March 8th last year, veering off course en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board, sparking a colossal multinational hunt for the aircraft.

However, endless months of searching had failed to turn up any evidence of the missing aircraft until the two-metre-long portion of a Boeing 777 wing, known as a flaperon, was found washed ashore on Reunion Island last week, some 4-thousand kilometers where the search for the missing plane has been focused.

French investigators say more analysis is needed before they can start to make any determination about what may have caused the plane to crash.

A lab in Toulouse is now trying to determine whether the shape of the two metre flaperon corresponds to a mid-air explosion or a crash into the ocean.

A luggage fragment, also found on Reunion Island, has been sent to a police unit outside Paris that specializes in DNA testing.

Some families of the victims – two-thirds of whom are Chinese - are still demanding more from the airline, including compensation and more answers about what exactly happened.

There are still lingering questions about what caused the plane to veer off course, flying for hours after its communications and tracking systems were shut off, in what remains one of the biggest mysteries in the history of aviation.

For Cri I'm Poornima WeerasekaraMalaysian transport minister :More debris collected from Reunion IslandMeanwhile Malaysian transportation minister Liow Tiong Lai confirmed today that more aircraft debris has been collected from Reunion Island.

"There are plane window and also some aluminum foil, there are many items, I can't itemize one by one but there are many items collected and we have sent to the authorities for verification. But that I cannot confirm is MH370 okay, all these need to be verified. It can only be certain that it is actually debris from the (a) plane, it is plane debris."Liow Tiong Lai says the newly-found debris have been handed over to the French authorities for verification.

Chairman of opposition party Soong Chu-yu to run for Taiwan leaderSoong Chu-yu, chairman of the People First Party in Taiwan, has officially announced his candidacy for the island's leadership election next January.

"I would like to make an announcement here that Soong Chu-yu is going to formally run for the election."This will be the third bid for the 73 year old to run for the top leadership in Taiwan.

As part of his statement, Soong also promised to "build a framework for the sustainable and peaceful development across the Taiwan Straits.""Under the premise of equality, mutual benefit and transparency, Taiwan and the mainland should deepen communication and enhance mutual trust."During the 2016 leadership election, Soong is set to face Hung Hsiu-chu, nominee of the ruling Kuomintang Party, and Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman and nominee of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, as well as independent candidate Shih Ming-teh.

Taiwan Issues Warnings Ahead of Typhoon SoudelorTaiwan's Central Weather Bureau issued a sea warning earlier today ahead of Typhoon Soudelor. A land warning could be expected as early as this evening.

The bureau said as of 2pm local time today, Typhoon Soudelor was located 860 km off of the island's east coast.

It is expected to hit Taiwan late Friday, bringing heavy rains this weekend. The bureau said the typhoon was packing maximum sustained winds of 162 km per hour, with gusts reaching 198 km per hour.

Fishermen along the coast of Yilan could be seen securing their boats in the harbor earlier today.

Jerry Hsiao, a volunteer lifeguard on the beach of Yilan, said beachgoers were already packing up in the early afternoon.

"A typhoon is coming and the Coast Guard already said people cannot go into the water after 2pm. So we are packing up because there won't be people here. And the Coast Guard also issued a sea warning and I think later they will issue a warning on land."Taiwan's typhoon season usually lasts from June to September. It often brings deadly flash floods and landslides.

215 Beijing Nursing Home to Transfer from State-owned to PrivateAnchorBeijing is adopting new measures, transferring control of public nursing homes for the elderly to private care centers.

The pilot reform on most governmental institutions will start within the year.

CRI's Niu Honglin has more.

ReporterThe pilot program aims to reform the senior-care sector and boost the role of family and community care.

The plan will see some seniors' care centers remain state owned, but run by non-governmental organizations or individuals, while others will be completely privately owned and operated.

Li Hongbing, Deputy Director of Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau, says the reforms should help to redistribute resources, allowing more elderly people to enjoy proper services in care centers.

"The move aims to let nursing homes return to their original nature, playing a role as public service institution. We hope it may allow the society to contribute more in this industry, and have more professional staff providing professional services."After the changes, local governments will not charge rents to private nursing homes, helping to keep costs low for elderly residents and letting operators focus on providing better servicesMeantime, state-owned public care centers will concentrate on taking care of aged people with special needs, like those who are disabled and those over the age of 70 who do not have a child to assist them in their care.

However, there are problems in current private care-homes and most Chinese seniors are not satisfied with prices.

China has about 5.5 million beds in nursing homes nationwide. That's about 26 beds per 1,000 people, however, 48 percent of the beds are empty.

Wu Yushao with the national office on aging points out that there is a structural problem in China's senior-care industry.

"Most of the care centers in the market are either too luxurious, or too simple and crude. There are few intermediate-level nursing homes out there with proper facilities and affordable prices which most people need. This is why a large number of elderly now have unmet demands."The government is working on other plans to help private nursing homes develop and better meet the demands of seniors.

Professor Lu Jiehua with Peking University also says since 90 percent of the elderly in China still choose to depend on their families or the communities, but this is an area that's also in need of improvement.

"When it comes to future development concerning Chinese people's traditional habits, how to improve home care and community care may be more important for us. For instance, Beijing has proposed the idea to establish community reception centers and caring services inside families. These are the next step of reform, which may be more difficult. "Over 210 million people on the Chinese mainland were over 60 years old as of the end of last year, with nearly 40 million unable to care for themselves. By 2050, those aged over 60 are expected to account for 35 percent of nation's population.

For CRI, I'm Niu Honglin.

Obama defends Iran nuclear dealAnchor:

US President Barack Obama has gone on the offensive, trying to counter critics of the new Iranian nuclear deal ahead of a critical vote by Congress.

His offensive has come as part of a speech at American University, the same institution where former US President John F. Kennedy delivered his famous speech on nuclear disarmament 50-years ago.

Our Kevin McAleese has more from Washington.

Reporter:

A confident and at times fiery Commander in chief was out to convince congress to vote in favour of the deal.

"This is the strongest non-proliferation agreement ever negotiated"Mr Obama drew parallels to the Cold War, quoting JFK and republican President Reagan, as he defends his own pursuit of nuclear security.

In a direct appeal to US lawmakers he called for an end to the mindset of military action over diplomacy...

"the choice we face is ultimately between diplomacy and some form of war maybe not tomorrow, maybe not three months from now but soon"The US has long been seeking to block Iran's pathways to a nuclear bomb, while Tehran maintains it's nuclear activities are peaceful. The current administration believes the deal will restrict Iran's atomic activities in return for the easing of painful international sanctions against the Islamic republic.

Mr Obama acknowledged the concerns of close ally-Israel but was steadfast in telling the country's Prime Minister that he was wrong to dismiss the agreement.

But on the eve of Mr Obama's speech Benjamin Netanyahu used a webcast to do just that...

"It will spark a nuclear arms race in the region and feed Iran's terrorism and aggression that would make war, the most horrific of all, far more likely"Answering the critics, The US President was keen to point out that many of those who supported America's invasion of Iraq in 2003 were the same lawmakers standing against the nuclear agreement. And that attempts to kill the deal showed an ignorance of the bigger picture.

A congressional review of the deal is already halfway through a 60-day period before it goes to a vote, with some key democrats like Senator Chuck Schumer still uncertain on their position...

"This is such an important decision that I will not let pressure, politics or party influence"If more than two thirds of congress go against the agreement President Obama will lose his veto power and the administration's long-sought nuclear deal will be stopped dead in its tracks.

For CRI I'm Kevin McAleese in Washington.

Egypt to unveil new suez Canal extensionEgypt is set to unveil a new extension to the Suez Canal, a so-called mega project completed in only a year.

The project is intended to bolster the credibility of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and eventually boost the country's economic recovery.

Emad Eldin Hussein is a Journalist at the independent Egyptian daily newspaper al-Shourok. He elaborates on the importance of the project.

"The New Suez Canal project represents a great motivation for Egypt and Egyptians, especially in this period with all the difficulties and terrorism that Egypt is passing through. Maybe the economic part is not the most prominent but the idea of a national project has obvious social and political effects."The new extension involved digging and dredging along over half of the 193-kilometre canal. It made a parallel waterway in the middle that will facilitate two-way traffic accommodating the world's largest ships.

Without foreign help, Egypt has raised the 8.5 billion US dollars needed for the undertaking through a bond issue.

France and Russia Settle on Cancelled Mistral Warship DealFrench President Francois Hollande's office said yesterday France will fully reimburse Russia over a cancelled Mistral warship contract.

Russia signed a deal to purchase two Mistral-class helicopter carriers from France in 2011. The contract was worth 1.2 billion euros, or 1.32 billion US dollars.

However, France suspended the delivery of the carriers last year due to the Ukraine crisis and Russia's alleged role in it.

Russia had already paid ?785 million in cash to France. The Elysée Palace said in a statement that Russia will be fully and exclusively reimbursed for this amount. Moscow had previously requested an additional compensation of ?1.2 billion to cover training and infrastructure costs it had incurred.

The two carriers have been a sensitive issue in France-Russia relations for more than a year. Moscow said in a statement that it had already received the reimbursement and considered the issue resolved.

China Began Testing First Passenger High-speed Rail to Russian-N Korean BorderThe first high-speed railway to reach the Chinese-Russian-North Korean border has begun testing.

The new line begins in Jinlin City in northeastern China, and will take passengers on a 360 kilometer journey to Hunchun near the border.

The high speed rail has a speed of 250 kilometers per hour and is expected to begin official operations before October.

Doubts Rise as Donations Flood in for Orphan GirlAnchor:

New sets of questions and doubts are emerging in connection with a heart-wrenching essay by a Chinese girl which has generated a ground-swell of interest online.

CRI's Luo Wen explans.

Reporter:

The essay by a 12-year-old orphan by the name of Mukuyiwumu has been the focus of heated debate online.

It tells of the tragic loss of parents.

Hash-tagged on Weibo under 'the saddest essay written by a primary school pupil,' the essay has been read by over 5-million people.

But like many stories which appear on the internet, detractors have begun picking it apart.

Some have been suggesting the story may be exaggerated, as it was polished by the girl's teacher before being uploaded.

But speaking with China Central Television, the girl's teacher, Ren Zhongchang, says none of the content of the essay was changed.

"I let the kids write an essay under the title 'tear' after we read a moving text. Her original article was poorly organized when she handed it in, but I could understand what she wanted to say. But I corrected nothing but the grammar and simple writing mistakes."12-year old Mukuyiwumu is from the Yi ethnic group in southern China, and is living with her grandparents and two younger brothers.

The siblings get 600 yuan each in monthly allowances from the local government.

Her story was initially posted online by Huang Hongbin, the head of a local foundation called Azalea.

But now Huang himself has also become the focus of criticism after he decided to use the donations generated through the essay, which have amounted to over 900-thousand yuan, to help children other than her.

"So many people have donated money for her. But we don't think it's proper to give her all of the money. We have talked and reached agreements with donors that the money raised can also be used to help other kids."Meanwhile, Wang Zhenyao, a philanthropic researcher with Beijing Normal University, says the wishes of those who donate money need to be respected.

"The donations were originally for this kid. So the foundation should get approval from the donors before using the money to help others."The Azalea Foundation has arranged for free boarding and education for the girl and her brothers at a primary school in the nearby city of Xichang.

For CRI, I'm Luo Wen.

Xinjiang government to streamline the application process of passportThe government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has decided to streamline the application process for local citizens looking to obtain a passport.

The decision is meant to satisfy the demand among all ethnic groups for easier border crossings.

The police department in Xinjiang will now follow a simplified process. Those who apply the passports for private affairs should hand in paperwork concerning their household registration, identity card, and other necessary documents.

Different documents are demanded according to the purpose for traveling outside of China, such as tourism, visiting relatives, business tours, or study.

Previously, people living in different sub-regions in Xinjiang needed to meet different requirements when they wanted to apply for a passport.

weatherBeijing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 22 degrees Celsius; still cloudy tomorrow with a high of 32.

Shanghai will be cloudy tonight with a low of 27; showers tomorrow with a high of 33.

Chongqing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 24, more clouds tomorrow with a high of 34.

Lhasa has thundershowers tonight with a low of 10, more showers tomorrow with a high of 20.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad, slight rain tomorrow, 35.

Kabul, cloudy, 31.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney, cloudy with a high of 16.

Brisbane has sunshine with a high of 18.

Perth, slight rain, 18.

And finally Auckland, New Zealand has slight rain with a high of 13 degrees Celsius.

Headline newsChinese FM calls for continued MH370 searchThe Chinese foreign minister says many questions remain unanswered about the fate of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, and efforts to locate the plane must continue.

Wang Yi commented after Malaysian authorities confirmed that a wing flap that washed up on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean came from the missing plane.

The foreign ministry has also issued a statement expressing grief and sorrow for those on board the plane, extending profound sympathy and condolences to the families of those people.

Meanwhile, Australia has promised to continue its efforts to locate the missing plane.

The wing flap found on Reunion Island last week is the first confirmed physical evidence of the plane, which disappeared on March 8th last year while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. There were 239 passengers and crew on board.

Most of the passengers were from China.

Malaysian minister: more debris collected from Reunion IslandMore aircraft debris has been collected from Reunion Island.

Malaysian transportation minister Liow Tiong Lai confirmed today that many items, such as a plane window and some aluminum foil, have been picked up.

The minister says the newly-found debris has been handed over to French authorities for verification.

Panel report mentions Japan's aggression, but no words on apologyAn advisory panel to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has submitted a final report on a landmark statement marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The report mentions Japan's wartime aggression and colonial rule, but stopped short of saying whether Japan should apologize for its wartime atrocities.

Based on this report, Abe is scheduled to release his landmark statement on August 14.

The speech is considered the official stance of the Japanese government on its actions during WWII, which caused inhumane suffering to millions of people in East Asia and Southeast Asia under Japan's aggression and colonial rule.

China offers aid for Myanmar flood reliefThe Chinese government is to offer emergency relief aid worth around 1.6 million U.S. dollars to help Myanmar's flood victims.

The relief materials also include 100 motorboats, as floods triggered by rainfalls have severely destroyed transportation in many parts of the country.

The death toll from the severe flooding has reached at least 69 with nearly 270,000 other people affected so far.

Meteorological experts warn that more rainfall could come in the following months.

Suicide car bomb kills 7, wounds 10 in E. Afghan provinceAt least seven people, including the attacker, have been killed in a suicide bombing in eastern Afghanistan.

The victims also include three policemen.

The attack took place in the provincial capital of Puli Alam, which is 60 km south of Kabul.

Local authorities blamed Taliban militants for organizing the attack.

This is the first suicide bombing conducted by Taliban militants since the confirmation of the death of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar last Thursday.

biz reportsAnchor:

Turning now to business news.

First a look at the numbers from across the Asian markets to close out this Wednesday evening.

Joining me on the desk is Victor Ning.

Reporter:

Chinese stocks continued to drop on Thursday as investors took a wait-and-see attitude, as shown by the lightest trading volume in more than four months.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index, which tracks the performance of most market heavyweights, dropped 0.9 percent.

The Shenzhen Component Index fell 0.8 percent.

Analysts say the slump in daily turnover shows that most investors have decided to wait and see after sharp plunges since mid-June.

In the breakdown, the property sector and financial sector were among the weakest performers.

Despite general weakness, home appliance producers saw strong gains. Eight companies soared by 10 percent, the highest rise or fall allowed in a single trading day.

The ChiNext Index tracking China's growth enterprises lost 0.8 percent.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng moved down 0.6 percent.

Elsewhere in Asia,Japan's Nikkei ended higher on the yen's weakness that helped export-oriented shares. At closing bell, it climbed 0.2 percent.

Singapore stocks finished slightly higher, with the benchmark Straits Times Index up 0.2 percent.

South Korea's KOSPI dropped 0.8 percent.

And finally Australia's ASX200 edged down 1.1 percent.

Small investors flee the marketOfficial figures show nearly one third of small investors in China, more than 20 million people, has fled the turbulent stock market.

The number was revealed by China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation, a government agency that tracks stock accounts.

The number of small investors holding stocks in their accounts slid to 51 million at the end of July from 75 million at the end of June.

Compared to June, 20 percent fewer new accounts were created in July.

Small and individual investors are major players in the Chinese stock market, holding about 80 percent of outstanding shares of public companies.

Goldman Sachs: China's stock buying spree more to goA Goldman Sachs report shows China's government has spent as much as 900 billon yuan, or 145 billion US dollars, in the past two months to prop up the nation's stock prices.

The injection amounts to 2.2 percent of the country's free-float market capitalization, or shares available for trading.

The report says speculation that the government will back-off from the supporting effort in the market are probably overdone, with more than 1 trillion yuan still available to support equities.

Chinese shares have lost about 3.4 trillion US dollars of market value since June 12.

China's property taxes coming soonChina's top legislature has announced plans to review Property Tax Law by early 2018.

However, no official timetable has been set for when the new law may actually be brought in.

Property taxes began being levied in Shanghai and Chongqing on a trial basis in 2011.

However, their extension and expansion has been postponed, mainly due to a lack of legal backing.

For more on this, CRI's Luo Yu earlier spoke to Huo Deming, Professor of China Center for Economic Research, Peking University.

That's Huo Deming, Professor of China Center for Economic Research, Peking University, speaking with CRI's Luo Yu.

China's machinery industry to rebound in next half yearAn official with China Machinery Industry Federation says the domestic sector is expected to rebound gradually in the second half this year.

Chen Bin, executive vice president of the federation, predicts the industry will likely achieve its goals by year end.

"Viewed from the perspective of development trends in the machinery industry, the index will continue to rebound slightly in the second half year. We will still endeavor to achieve the growth target of around eight percent, which was set at the beginning of this year,"New statistic shows China's machinery industry experienced a tough period in the first six months.

Revenue in the first half increased by only 3.5 percent year on year, the lowest growth rate since the international financial crisis in 2008.

Total profits in the sector in the same period were almost unchanged.

However, the value-added area within the sector recorded an obvious rebound in June after the government released policies to stabilize growth.

Tariff free commodities will be available in BeijingTariff-free goods are to be sold in Beijing's Yizhuang Economic Development Zone, set to open in the city's southeast at the end of next year.

Yizhuang is to build Beijing's first bonded direct purchasing center combining both online and offline services.

At the initial operating stage, it will focus on imported commodities like maternal and child supplies, food, drink, and healthcare products.

SportsNing Zetao to compete in 100m freeSun Yang has clinched the gold medal in the men's 800 meter freestyle at the world swimming championships.

It's his third consecutive win in this event at the world championships.

To win, Sun had to overcome his fatigue after four days of competition. He says narrowly missing out on the 200 meter gold yesterday was a good thing considering the result today.

"It wouldn't have been a good thing for me if I had won in the 200 meters, because then we would have overlooked a lot of problems. It was a shame but it motivated me to train even harder on the start and turns."In other action, Ning Zetao is to compete in the men's 100 meter freestyle later tonight.

Ning is the first Asian swimmer to have made the final of the event in the history of the world championships.

He says he is learning a lot from his first participation at the Worlds.

"Being at the championships for the first time, it has been a great learning experience for me to go full gas in every competition. I can already foresee the physical and mental challenges at bigger sporting events such as the Olympic. All in all I've gained a lot from here."Fu Yuanhui and Liu Xiang will compete this evening in the women's 50-meter backstroke final, while Zhang Yufei and Zhou Yilin will be in the women's 200m butterfly.

Football recapIn football,China's men's team has fought back into contention for the title after a 2-0 victory over North Korea at the East Asian Cup.

Goals from Yu Dabao and Wang Yongbo secured the victory for China.

China is now second in the standings with one win and one loss.

The next game is against Japan on Sunday night.

Meanwhile,The first Chinese player in La Liga Zhang Chengdong has made his debut for Vallecano.

Zhang substituted at the 78th minute in a friendly against Leganes.

Vallecano eventually won that game 5-3 on penalties after regular play ended in a goalless draw.

Coach Paco Jemez had some positive feedback for Zhang and said there will be more chances for the Chinese recruit.

Also in La Liga,Last season's triple champion Barcelona defeated Roma 3-0 to win a pre-season friendly and lift the Gamper Trophy.

In Germany,A late winner from Robert Lewandowski helped Bayern Munich edge out Real Madrid 1-0 to win the Audi Cup.

Tottenham had earlier beat AC Milan 2-0 for third place.

Over in South America,Argentina's River Plate beat Tigres from Mexico to win the Copa Libertadores at home.

Neither side managed to score in the first leg last month. River Plate seized opportunities in the return leg that sealed the victory for them 3-0.

Coach Marcelo Gallardo is proud of the hard-earned victory that his team has been working for.

"Because we believe in what we do, because we're a team that doesn't take shelter in our past accomplishments, in other words we keep believing that we can win things on the basis of work, of humility, of football, even though finals are sometimes won the way they were won today. And because it's a competitive team, because I think they keep believing in what can be achieved and they are not easily satisfied."　It was the third Copa Libertadores for River Plate and its first in nearly 20 years.

Russia beats China again at summer campIn basketball,Russia has dealt China another blow in the pre-season summer camp, beating China again 96-88.

Russia won on the strength of its three-point shooting, hitting 10 out of 18 as a team.

China's Yi Jianlian scored a team high of 20 points and six rebounds.

After two matches in Russia, China is heading to Italy for a nine-day training session that includes five more matches.

Elsewhere,China's Olympic team is fighting on home soil in the Stankovic Continental Champions Cup.

China is already out of contention for the title but will finish the tournament against New Zealand.

Andy Murray stunned in first match at Citi OpenIn tennis,Unseeded Russian player Teymuraz Gabashvili has stunned world number three Andy Murray at the Citi Open in Washington.

Murray lost on a third set tie-break.

In other action,Feliciano Lopez knocked out veteran Lleyton Hewitt in three sets to make the third round.

Also through are John Isner, and earlier finishers Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic.

WGC Bridgestone Invitational to tee offIn golf,The WGC Bridgestone Invitational tees off later today.

Masters and US Open champion Jordan Spieth missed a play-off at the Open Championship by a single shot and will be looking for a slightly better result this time.

"To have that chance and to feel like I was the one in control and to not finish it is a tough feeling and it was a tough feeling on that flight home - especially with Zach (Johnson) and the (Claret) Jug there. I wish that it was in my possession there and not his but, yeah, re-establishing goals first and foremost this week, also got a big one next week, there's also a FedEx Cup winner at the end of the Tour Championship and there's a number one spot up for grabs so as long as I look at it that way there's still a lot to work hard for and to play for and reset."Spieth will tee off on the first hole alongside Open Championship winner Zach Johnson.

Rory McIlroy remains out of action due to an ankle injury. He is making a quick recovery but is doubtful for the defense of his PGA Championsip next week.

EntertainmentChinese and Russian companies strike deal on Snow Queen co-productionChinese and Russian companies have struck a deal to co-produce animated feature film 'Snow Queen 3: Fire and Ice'.

The agreement between China's 'Flame Node' and Russia's 'Wizart animation' follows the release of 'Snow Queen' here in China on August 3.

So far Snow Queen has grossed $430,000 in three days at the Chinese Box Office.

The latest installment in the franchise will follow a woman who has defeated the Snow Queen and the Snow King but is yet to find her parents. However her quest to find them doesn't go to plan.

Production on 'The Snow Queen 3: Fire and Ice' is currently underway with completion expected late next year.

Sylvester Stallone auctioning off props and costumesActor Sylvester Stallone is auctioning off hundreds of props and costumes from his 40 year career this fall, with some proceeds benefiting military charities.

Some of the items up for sale include Rambo's Army Jacket along with Rocky's boxing gloves, robe and leather jacket.

Heritage Auctions will moderate the sale which will take place on October 14 and 15 in Los Angeles.

Mike Gutierrez, Consignment Director says the jacket Stallone wore in Rocky has a high estimate.

"If you look at the leather jacket, that's the persona of rocky. You see him wear that at least through the first half of the movie. That jacket bring $75,000, it's got an estimate of about $75000 on it but it could bring more.

According to Sky News, the actor felt inspired to auction off his collection after seeing a recent collection of John Wayne memorabilia go up for sale.

Stallone isn't saying goodbye to his two big characters. He's set to play the role of Rocky Balboa again in 'Creed' later this year and is working on another Rambo installment.

Liu Yifei and South Korean actor Song Seung-heon announce relationshipSouth Korean actor Song Seung-heon's agency has announced that he is in a relationship with Chinese actress Liu Yifei.

His talent agency Better Entertainment confirmed the news after rumours about the nature of their relationship spread online.

The pair met last year on the set of Chinese romance movie 'The Third Way of Love'.

28 year old Liu made her acting debut in 2002 Chinese drama 'The Story of a Noble Family'. She also starred in Hollywood action fantasy 'The Forbidden Kingdom' in 2008.

Elvis' greatest hits set to be reworkedElvis Presley's greatest hits are set to be reworked with an accompaniment from the The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for an album to be released later this year.

The new album which will be titled 'If I Can Dream: Elvis Presley with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, is set for release at the end of October.

It will include the star's most popular tracks including 'Love Me Tender' and 'I Can't Help Falling in Love'.

Elvis is even joined by Michael Buble for a virtual duet of 'Fever' while pop opera group Il Divo lend their vocals for 'It's Now or Never'.

The release is part of celebrations marking what would have been the King of Rock and Roll's 80th birthday this year.

Colin Farrell joins Harry Potter spin off movieActor Colin Farrell has signed on to join the Harry Potter spin off movie.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Farrell has joined the cast of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them which will also star Eddie Redmayne and Katherine Waterson.

Farrell will play Graves, a wizard that Newt Scamander, played by Redmayne, meets in New York.

The plot which is set 70 years before the Harry Potter series, centers around Newt's adventures as he tries to document magical creatures.

J.K Rowling has penned the script for this film with David Yates directing.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is set for release on November 18, 2016.

Mariah Carey attends Walk of Fame ceremonyPop diva Mariah Carey attended the celebration ceremony for her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Wednesday.

Over 2,000 fans lined Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles to catch a glimpse of the singer and her new star on the Walk of Fame.

Industry friends of Carey were in attendance including Epic Records CEO LA Reid, producer Brett Ratner, BET President Stephen Hill and director Lee Daniels .

The singer found the turnout for the event overwhelming.

"It's so overwhelming. It's so exciting to see so many fans here so many great friends. Really it just makes me feel like, it just makes me want to cry because it's such a real moment. It's so Hollywood but it's such a real moment somehow because of the people that are here."Carey has recently launched a residency in Las Vegas where she performs some of her biggest hits including 'Hero' and 'We Belong Together'.

weatherBeijing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 22 degrees Celsius; still cloudy tomorrow with a high of 32.

Shanghai will be cloudy tonight with a low of 27; showers tomorrow with a high of 33.

Chongqing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 24, more clouds tomorrow with a high of 34.

Lhasa has thundershowers tonight with a low of 10, more showers tomorrow with a high of 20.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad, slight rain tomorrow, 35.

Kabul, cloudy, 31.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney, cloudy with a high of 16.

Brisbane has sunshine with a high of 18.

Perth, slight rain, 18.

And finally Auckland, New Zealand has slight rain with a high of 13 degrees Celsius.

That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour...

China, Japan, South Korea, and the ASEAN nations talk cooperation, as missing flight MH370 and the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing are discussed on the meeting sidelines...

On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, I'm 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...v