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

Coming up on our program this morning...

China's Ministry of Defense has confirmed a significant cut to the country's military announced during yesterday's Parade by President Xi Jinping.

Observers to yesterday's commemoration events in Tian'anmen have been lauding the experience.

Clashes have been taking place in Hungary following a decision by authorities to stop would-be migrants from travelling to neighboring Austria.

In Business... new figures show a continued slide in steel output here in China.

In Sports... China's last hope in singles at the US Open has been bounced.

In entertainment.... Alibaba announcing plans to finance a new animation.

Top NewsChina to Finish Military Cuts by 2017AnchorChinese President Xi Jinping has used his speech to mark the 70th anniversary of the Chinese Victory in the War Against Japanese Aggression to unveil new plans for the military.

As CRI's Qi Zhi reports, the President has announced a cut in the size of the country's armed forces.

Reporter"Here today, I'm announcing that we will be cutting the number of PLA troops by 300-thousand."Chinese President Xi Jinping making the announcement of a reduction of the Chinese military over the next 2-years.

Yang Yujun with the Ministry of Defense says the reduction is in-line with the overall philosophy of the Chinese government.

"It is a significant political decision and declaration of the Communist Party of China and the government. It shows China always wants to show the banner of peace, development and cooperation. We have a mandate to adhere to the path of peaceful development. We only have a defense policy that is defensive in nature. China will remain a staunch force in maintaining regional stability and global peace."Yang Yujun says the cuts announced by Xi Jinping are also a practical move.

"The move will mainly target troops equipped with outdated armaments, administrative staff and non-combatant personnel, to optimize the structure of Chinese forces. The reform will adopt a step-by-step approach and will be completed by the end of 2017."Xi Jinping's announcement of a military cut is the 4th since the Reform and Opening Up process first began in the early 1980s.

Back in 1985, more than a million soldiers were released by the PLA, the largest-ever cut in China.

Once again in 1997, another 500-thousand PLA positions were eliminated, reducing the total number of soldiers in the military to 2.5-million.

Another 200-thousand military positions were eliminated between 2003 and 2005, putting the PLA ranks at 2.3-million.

Yang Yujun says the cut will help accelerate the progress in information technology and boost military quality and that the country will maintain a moderate size of defense budget.

The Chinese government announced earlier this year that the Defense budget has been increased by 10-percent to around 145-billion U.S. dollars.

That's less than 1.5-percent of GDP.

The world average is 2.6-percent.

Chinese military spending is still less than one-fifth the amount the United States spends every year on its military.

For CRI, I'm Qi Zhi.

Xi Meets with PutinAnchorChinese President Xi Jinping has sat down for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin following Thurdsay's V-Day parade.

CRI's Poornima Weerasekara has more.

ReporterChinese President Xi Jinping, coming fresh off his time in-front of Chinese veterans and current troops, has told Vladimir Putin the two should be working together to ensure their shared history during the war is not forgotten.

"As time passes, young people know less about the war than those before them. History is also being forgotten and distorted. We have reached a consensus on this, and we should work more closely to protect our shared legacy of the War."At the same time, the Chinese President is also suggesting both China and Russia have a legacy to uphold.

"Both China and Russia, as some of the decisive battlefields of World War II in Asia and Europe, saw our troops make great sacrifices and contributions to the victory. As we are both founding members of the United Nations and permanent members of the UN Security Council, we need to shoulder the responsibility for world peace and stability."For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken time to laud Thursday's display at Tian'anmen.

"I am glad to attend the memorial events here in China and was deeply impressed by the grand commemoration and military parade. The attendances of the two militaries at each others' World War Two commemorations are of great significance to the bilateral ties."Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have also overseen the signing of a number of bilateral agreements.

They've also discussed particulars about the Silk Road program.

Thursday's meeting is the third of the year between the Chinese and Russian leaders.

Putin's trip to Beijing is a reciprocal visit following Xi Jinping attendance at Russia's V-Day Parade in Moscow on May 9th.

For CRI, I'm Poornima Weerasekara.

Audience Impressed by Military ParadeAnchorThursday's parade at Tian'anmen was attended by some 40-thousand people.

CRI's Luo Yu has more on some of the observations people had at the event itself.

ReportThe military parade to celebrate Victory Day began with dozens of veterans leading the formations.

Among the observers of the parade, at the scene is a son of a late veteran. Li Haishan's father fought against Japanese invaders in the war more than 70 years ago.

'My father used to be the Chief of Staff for Heavy Artillery Regiment of the No.55 division. He passed away more than 20 years ago. Yet we always remember him because he has many battle scars. I wish that through this parade, people can shore up their confidence in our country with more solidarity and our country can become a more powerful nation'.

A more powerful nation doesn't necessarily mean military expansion. After hearing that China will cut the number of its troops by 300,000, Wu Manli, a Beijing resident says it is a positive sign showing the world that China cherishes peace and stability.

'Although today we have a massive parade, we have demonstrated very positive attitude because we will downsize our troops. So we show the world our good will for peace. As China has suffered great sorrows since the war began and Chinese people have gone through an arduous journey in our development. We must treasure the hard-earned peaceful environment.'

Wang Lei is a Beijing local resident from Daxing district and says watching the parade was inspiring.

'Formations of the army, navy and air force was awe-inspiring. I was amazed by them marching in step and they have received very strict training to achieve this. I felt particularly thrilled when the National Flag Guard walked out of the Monument to the People's Heroes. And when the bell rang, it reminded me of our history. We have to remember it.'

Zekarias Woldemariam, a government official from Ethiopia speaks highly of the parade.

'In my country I've seen a parade, but it's not as big as this one. I think this one is a very unique and an international one. It's a commemoration of a big victory, a victory against the atrocities, against aggressions. So leaders throughout the world should take a lesson from that struggle and the commitment paid by the people and the government of China 70 years ago and they should do whatever they could to prevent any possible problem against civilians in the future.'

Some 40,000 people were present in Tian'anmen Square to view the parade. It could be the largest live audience to watch any parade here in the country.

For CRI, I'm Luo YuNanjing Massacre Survivor discusses V-Day paradeSurvivors of the Japanese occupation of China have been speaking out as part of the V-Day commemorations.

The 86-year-old Xia Shuqin managed to survive the Nanjing Massacre in 1937.

As an 8-year old, she and her family were attacked by Japanese troops.

She survived, even though being bayoneted.

"Why should I thank those war veterans? For me, had it not been for our troops help, no one would have found us. It was only later that I learned that I was one of the lucky few who managed to survive the Nanjing Massacre. I had to watch as my family was killed one by one. I still feel resentment when I think about what happened. At that time, I was only 8. I also had a 4-year old sister. We only managed to survive after hiding under the bodies of our family members. We had to endure this for 10-days."Japanese troops entered the city of Nanjing in late 1937, systematically raping and murdering the city's population.

It's believed as many as 300-thousand were killed in the month-long assault on the former Chinese capital.

Chinese ambassador calls for China-U.S. cooperation on presevering post-war int'l orderChina's Ambassador to the United States has penned an op-ed in the USA Today, calling for China and the US to preserve the post-war international order.

Cui Tiankai's op-ed is also refuting suggestions the Chinese government is trying to challenge current international order.

He notes Chinese growth is a product of the current international situation, suggesting both sides need to remain committed to the core values of the post-World War II international order.

The op-ed has been put out to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the end of the War.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to make a state visit to the United States later this month.

Migrants scuffle with Hungarian police; dead toddler's image shocks EuropeAnchorTense standoffs are taking place in Hungary following a decision by authorities to stop a train carrying hundreds of would-be asylum seekers from making their way into Austria.

CRI's Poornima Weerasekara has moreReporterAngry scuffles broke out at a railway station in Bicske, west of Budapest on Thursday, after Hungarian authorities decided to stop a train carrying hundreds of migrants for the second time.

Some migrants were seen clinging to railway tracks as riot police tried to take them to a refugee camp nearby.

The train had just left Budapest after police let migrants into the railway station following a two-day stand-off there.

Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán says Europe is in the grip of madness over immigration and refugees and argued that he was defending European Christianity against a Muslim influx.

"We believe that all countries have the right to decide if they want to live together with populous Muslim communities. It is their right to decide. And if the decision is that they do want that, then they will live together. But we don't want that.

Orbán's incendiary remarks came as he arrived in Brussels for a confrontation with EU leaders over his hardline policies in Europe's biggest migration emergency since World War II.

Germany, France, and Italy are demanding an overhaul of European asylum procedures.

French President Francois Hollande has again raised the issue of mandatory quotas for resettling refugees.

"Finally we need to share out these asylum seekers, these refugees, I'm particularly talking about those from Syria, and German) Chancellor Angela Merkel and I have proposed a permanent, compulsory mechanism."The fresh call for EU countries to share the burden of asylum seekers came after a photograph of a three-year-old, who was found drowned on a beach in Turkey, led to an international outcry.

The boy was among five children who drowned in Turkish waters while trying to reach Greece on Wednesday.

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny says European leaders need to act immediately to minimize the human cost of the crisis.

"Is there anybody on the planet who could not be moved by what they saw in the papers today? Anybody with a sense of humanity to see the body of a young boy washed up on a beach like driftwood. And while we all have our problems and we can talk the politics of any individual country, this is a human catastrophe and this particular picture may after so many deaths shock people into a sense of who we are and what we should be."But there are still sharp disagreements among European leaders over how to deal with the crisis with countries like the UK refusing mandatory quotas. Hungary has even built a razor-wire fence along its border with Serbia to stop migrants from entering.

The crisis is threatening to unravel the Schengen passport-free travel zone across 26 EU countries.

For CRI I'm Poornima WeerasekaraIran leader: no nuclear deal unless sanctions liftedIranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has taken to the airwaves on Iranian television, warning there will be no nuclear deal if sanctions against his country aren't lifted, rather than suspended.

"When we negotiated and made concessions on some issues, this was mainly because we wanted the sanctions to be lifted. If the sanctions are not to be lifted, then there is no deal. It will be meaningless. This should be made clear."At the same time, Khamenei, who has traditionally had the final say on all important matters, says the Iranian parliament should be involved in deciding on the deal.

The deal among Iran and the 5-permanent members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany, call for a gradual lifting of sanctions imposed on Iran since 2006.

In exchange, Iran has to cut back its nuclear enrichment activities.

The deal still has to be ratified by all the countries involved.

Former Malaysian PM to be questioned on anti-government commentFormer Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad says he will have no problem returning to Malaysia.

He's wanted for questioning by Malaysian authorities for taking part in this past weekend's demonstrations.

90-year-old Mahathir turned up at protests this past weekend in Kuala Lumpur, which were demanding Prime Minister Najib Razak step down amid a financial scandal.

Mahathir is now in Amman, Jordan, where he continues to question the huge sum of money the current Prime Minister once had in his private bank account.

"I hate to say this but I find that he is corrupt. He has 2.6 billion Ringgit, or 700 million U.S. dollar in his private account. No prime minister can have that amount of money, so we ask where did you get the money?"Mahathir, Prime Minister of Malaysia for 22-years until 2003, was once Najib Razak's patron.

However, he's since become one of his fiercest critics following word close to 700-million US dollars found its way into a bank account under the current Prime Minister's name.

"Zhang Huoding phenomenon" comes to New YorkAnchorPeking Opera megastar Zhang Huoding has made her debut in New York.

Her shows, sold-out here in China on a regular basis, are doing the same in 'The Big Apple.'

CRI's Su Yi has more from New York.

ReporterIs the 200-year-old Peking Opera losing its popularity in China?

Well, don't tell that to the throngs of people who are willing to pay a thousand US dollars to buy a pair of sold-out tickets on the black market.

This is the allure of Zhang Huoding, one of China's biggest Peking Opera stars.

The 44-year-old has a huge fan base, particularly among the younger generation.

She's made her New York debut at the David Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.

Over a dozen of her fans have followed her here from China for the two performances.

(Fade in: Zhang Huoding, The Legend of the White Snake 2)Her New York debut, 'The Legend of the White Snake' tells a love story between a young woman, said to have the spirit of a white snake, and a kind-hearted young man.

Their love and marriage are challenged by a Buddhist monk, who is meant to represent the conservative power in society.

Zhang Huoding says her performance came from something she tried 15-years ago.

"The Legend of the White Snake is not part of the Cheng School. But I started to try this score with the vocal methods and moves from the Cheng School in 2000. The vocal tones and performing style are quite different."The Cheng School is one of the four major Peking Opera performance styles that emerged in the early 20th century.

This is considered the renaissance of Peking Opera.

After graduating from an opera school in Tianjin in 1989, Zhang Huoding began training under a Peking Opera master who studied the works of Cheng Yanqiu, the founder of the style she's adopted.

Zhang herself is very soft-spoken, rarely granting interviews.

She lives in Beijing with her husband and their 3-year-old daughter.

She spends most of her time trying to perfect her craft, as well as teach at the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts.

Academy Director Ba Tu says her pursuit of Cheng-style is an inspiration to those around her.

"We give full-respect to the traditions of the Cheng School. And we respect her attempt to follow the traditional ways. She pursues selflessness and shows respect to the masters at a time when traditional culture is rapidly being marginalized. She has never made changes to her style, despite a culture now which prefers a 'fast-food' mentality."One of Zhang's colleagues, opera professor Fu Jin, says her dedication to the classic art-form is something which will help keep it alive.

"We've made too many changes to try to save Peking Opera. That is a mistake. I think the only way to preserve the originality of the shows, and to preserve the art itself, is to showcase the beauty of tradition."Zhang Huoding is going to be one of the subjects of a 10-episode documentary recording several active Peking Opera performers of her generation.

Those putting together the documentary are also hoping to preserve a slice of Peking Opera, which UNESCO has inscribed in its Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2010.

For CRI, I'm Su Yi in New York.

Various Cultural Programs Lighten up Communities in QingdaoAnchorThe city of Qingdao in Shandong is attempting to bank on local enthusiasm toward outdoor performances by promoting a series of activities in public venues.

CRI's Luo Laiming has more.

ReporterAs the night falls, the Badaxia Square in western Qingdao is packed with hundreds of people watching an outdoor show in the sizzling summer heat.

The local government has invested a huge amount of money in organizing outdoor performances presented by professional art troupes like the Qingdao Song and Dance Ensemble. Xu Jing, deputy director of the Culture and Tourism Center in Shinan district, says that this performance is very well received among the people.

"The introduction of professional performers, for one thing, enriches civil culture, and for another, improves the art tastes of amateur performing teams which are usually organized by local residents."Qingdao has been cultivating its original cultural brand, and a drama club named "happiness" has come into the spotlight this summer.

Dong Ting is the curator of the Cultural Centre in Shinan District. He says Happiness drama club has been welcomed by audiences.

"The performances are very down to earth. We speak to the ordinary people to find topics that they are interested in like marriage and health. We've received a lot of positive feedback, and the audiences find our shows hilarious. We even have our own fans after only five performances."Another significant program the government has been carrying out is related to reading. In order to cultivate good reading habits among the general public, Shinan district has set up 65 community libraries with inter-library lending services.

Xie Chunping is deputy general manager of the Qingdao Administration of Culture, Press, and Publication Bureau in Shinan district.

"The libraries are all standardized in terms of distribution and management. Residents can borrow books from all the libraries in Qingdao even without leaving their own communities. This is a far more convenient way to get access to books and further stimulates people's interests in reading."Zhang Ping is the deputy director of the Qingdao Administration of Culture, Press, and Publication Bureau, in Shinan district. She says that they've been exploring a new way to integrate cultural industries with public cultural services.

"Books are commonly seen in cafés, but they are often used for decoration. The number of books in a café is usually very limited due to budget and limited space. What we have been doing is to provide them with free services in terms of delivering new books to replace the old ones based on each café's size and location."With more far-sighted plans being implemented, residents in Qingdao are hoping they can get access to more diverse and top-notched cultural programs in the near future.

Back Anchor:

CRI's Luo Laiming reporting.

Chinese Navy Fleet Visits CairoA Chinese naval contingent has arrived in the Egyptian capital, Cairo for a five-day visit.

It includes a missile destroyer, a frigate and a supply ship.

Wang Jianxun is the commander of the Chinese fleet.

"I am confident that this friendly visit will advance and expand exchanges between China and Egypt, especially the extensive and deep-going communications and mutual learning between the two navies. It will surely push forward the friendly relations between our two countries, two armies and two navies,"The Chinese naval vessels are due to take part in a series of anti-terrorism drills as part of their time in Egypt.

French farmers block Paris in demand for aidThousands of French farmers have converged on Paris in tractors, calling for greater government support and structural reforms for the agricultural sector.

Around a thousand tractors have clogged the roads leading to the French capital.

"We're living off the good years and it's been like that for years now. I think everybody's fed up, we're really waiting for some support from the government, a real political strategy from the government."A major downturn in France's agriculture sector reached its peak this summer.

Heavily-indebted farmers are struggling with lower commodity prices.

They've also been waiting for cash from a subsidy program the government has promised, but has yet to deliver.

WeatherBeijing will see moderate rain with a high of 24 degrees Celsius.

Overnight temperatures should drop down to 18.

Shanghai will see showers with a high of 30 and a low of 24.

In Chongqing, it will be overcast during the daytime with a high of 32 and lows of 25.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Islamabad will have slight rain with a high of 33.

Kabul will see slight rain with a high of 27.

Over to North America,New York will have slight rain with a high of 27 degrees.

Washington, slight rain with a high of 32 degrees.

Honolulu, slight rain, 28.

Toronto will see slight rain with a high of 27 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires will have slight rain with a high of 15.

And Rio de Janeiro will see slight rain with a high of 24 degrees Celsius.

Headline newsChina says to finish military cuts by 2017China's Ministry of Defense has confirmed it will be cutting 300-thousand troops before the end of 2017.

The move, announced by President Xi Jinping at yesterday's V-Day ceremony, will mainly target troops assigned to outdated armaments, administrative staff and non-combatant personnel.

The Ministry of Defense says the cut will help accelerate the military's progress in information technology, as well as boost military quality.

This will be the fourth military reduction in China since 1980s.

It will leave the PLA with around 2-million soldiers.

Chinese ambassador calls for China-U.S. cooperation on persevering post-war int'l orderChina's Ambassador to the United States has penned an op-ed in the USA Today, calling for China and the US to preserve the post-war international order.

Cui Tiankai's op-ed is also refuting suggestions the Chinese government is trying to challenge current international order.

He notes Chinese growth is a product of the current international situation, suggesting both sides need to remain committed to the core values of the post-World War II international order.

The op-ed has been put out to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the end of the War.

China eases rules for foreign tourists on road tripsThe Chinese government has simplified its procedures for foreigners who want to take driving tours of China.

As of October 1st, the government will no-longer require approval documents.

Road-trips by foreign tourists will still require approval licenses through tourism agencies.

Individual driving tours will still not be allowed.

Foreign tourists currently have to go through a complex procedure to take driving tours in China, including going through both the Public Security Bureau and the Customs Agencies.

Indonesia scraps high-speed railway plan: ministerIndonesian authorities have announced they're asking for a re-design of a high-speed railway project that bidders from China and Japan had been fiercely competing for.

Instead of the 350-kilometer-per-hour design, Indonesian authorities are asking for a slower model.

They say a train with a speed of 350-kilometers per hour is too fast for a 150-kilometer line with eight stops.

Bidders from China and Japan are being asked to submit new proposals.

Guatemalan president resigns, hands himself over to judiciaryGuatemala's embattled President has resigned and handed himself over to judicial authorities.

Otto Molina has been stripped of his immunity from prosecution by the country's congress.

Molina and his former vice-President have been embroiled in a customs scandal.

Both are accused of profiteering through importers by eluding tariffs worth some 4-million US dollars.

Wikipedia block paid-for entries scamWikipedia has decided to block almost 400 user accounts, accusing them of being paid to promote companies or individuals.

381 user accounts have been blocked amid accusations they were creating promotional articles without disclosing who they are.

Wikipedia has also deleted 210 different articles created by the users.

Biz ReportsAnchorTurning onto business news.

Markets here in China remain idol this Friday after being shut down after Wednesday's trading session to coincide with the Victory-Day commemorations here in Beijing.

The markets will reopen on Monday.

Now, a quick look at the closing numbers across North America and Europe.

ReporterU.S. stocks pared early gains to end mixed on Thursday, as investors tried to digest a batch of mixed economic reports.

At the close,Both the Dow Jones and the S&P 500 gained around 0.1 percent.

The Nasdaq lost 0.4 percent.

New stats show the United States' international trade deficit in goods and services has decreased from 45 billion U.S. dollars in June to 42 billion in July.

This is basically in-line with analysts expectations.

At the same time, the Non-Manufacturing Index has come in at 59 in August, well-below the July reading of 60.3.

In the week ending August 29th, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial jobless claims increased 12-thousand from the previous week's revised level to over 280-thousand, exceeding market estimates of nearly 270-thousand.

Meanwhile in Europe,Most shares there increased in value on Thursday as investors enjoyed a respite from the volatile Chinese markets.

At the closing bell,The UK's FTSE 100 surged 1.8 percent.

Germany's DAX soared 2.7 percent.

France's CAC 40 increased 2.2 percent.

China's crude steel output continues to fallCrude steel output in China continues to decline.

New data shows crude steel production has dipped around 2-percent year on year in the first seven months.

This compares to an almost 3-percent increase during the same period of last year.

Chinese steel manufacturing has cooled down this year amid the government's restructuring efforts.

Steel prices have also remained weak.

Focus Media aims to relist & Phoenix New Media to cut staffAnchorFocus Media Holding, a Carlyle-backed Chinese company which operates the largest out-of-home advertising network, aims to re-list on the market through an acquisition by Guangzhou-based communications equipment maker Hedy Holdings.

Hedy plans to acquire Focus Media through a mix of cash, new shares and an asset swap for over 45 billion yuan or 7 billion U.S. dollars.

Hedy needs to submit an application to get approval from the China Securities Regulatory Commission, due to the deal involves a backdoor listing.

For more on what's happening with the case, we're joined on the line by Associate Professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters, Doug Young.

Questions1.Focus Media was de-listed in the U.S. shortly after sellers attack in 2012. What is the purpose of the company to re-list on the market this time?

2.Focus Medias re-listing plans have been seen as setting a precedent for Chinese firms which are listed abroad but are keen to come back home. What do you think about the company's action? Do you think other companies would follow Focus Media, so as to cause market turmoil?

It's been reported that Phoenix New Media, a global leading new media company, has announced a job cuts and transformation plan.

A source from Phoenix says the share price of the company has suffered great pressure recently.

Currently, the industry environment is not optimistic, which leads the company faces a big challenge.

Questions:

1: What reason do you think cause Phoenix New Media to cut its staff and to change its operating strategies?

2: What measures should the company take in order to ease the current pressure of its businesses?

Back anchor:

Doug Young, Associate Professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.

British services PMI falls to two-year low in AugustBritain’s Purchasing Managers' Index for the Service industry has seen a significant drop.

The services PMI in the UK has dipped to 55.6 in August.

This is down from 57.4 in July.

It's the lowest reading in the UK over the past 2-years.

Despite this, surveys in the UK suggest business expectations still remained strongly positive through August.

The services sector dominates the economy in the UK, making up around three-quarters of the country's overall GDP.

Russian bank to sell yuan bondsA Russian state development bank is reportedly in talks to sell yuan-denominated bonds in China.

The deputy chairman of Vnesheconombank says negotiations on the local placement are in an advanced stage.

The size and a possible time frame for the offering haven't been revealed.

Vnesheconombank has been locked out of a number of international capital markets because of sanctions.

Chinese authorities have been making it easier for international investors to access the Chinese interbank bond market, loosening restrictions a few weeks ago.

China's Silk Road Fund purchases shares from Russian companyThe Chinese government's Silk Road Fund has bought close to a 10-percent stake in a liquefied natural gas project belonging to Russian firm Novatek.

The purchase is the Fund's first investment in Russia.

It's said to be worth over 10-billion US dollars.

China National Petroleum Corporation and France's Total currently hold a 20-percent stake each in the project.

MIIT and CDB to select energy saving, green projects for special loansThe Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the China Development Bank have launched a new program to try to encourage 'green' projects.

Under the new plan, the China Development Bank will provide special loans ranging for up to 10-years.

Projects to be selected for the plan will be in areas including conservation, information and production.

The size of the loans being made available hasn't been made clear at this point.

SportsChina, Hong Kong Battle to Scoreless Draw in World Cup QualifierIn football,Team China has leveled in a nil-nil draw with Hong Kong in the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup last night in Shenzhen.

Goalkeeper Wang Dalei.

"We weren't very lucky. We hit the post for once and the crossbar twice. Perhaps our shooting accuracy is something we should be working on."With the draw, Team China earns a point and moves to 1-0-1 after two games.

In other action,It was Qatar thrashing Bhutan 15-0.

South Korea hammered Laos 8-0.

------------In Europe,The Netherlands edged Iceland 1-nil in the latest round of qualification matches for Euro 2016 earlier this morning.

In other action,Italy barely got past Malta 1-nil as well.

China Wang Qiang out of US OpenIn tennis,Wang Qiang, who was China's last hope at the US Open in the Singles events, has been bounced.

She went down to the Czech Republic's Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in a 3rd set tie-breaker.

In other action, it was Italy's Sara Errani advancing to the third round of the tournament, despite illness.

"Yeah, really tough match for me already this morning I woke up feeling bad so was not easy. I warm up, was a lot of headache and like fever and this thing. So just try to stay there. In the second set she starts to make some mistakes the first game, and I just continue and try to stay there. I mean, feeling bad, but just try to fight."Mona Barthel of Germany, Simona Halep from Romania and American Shelby Rogers have also made it through.

-------Over to the men' side,Defending champion Stan Wawrinka has reached the third round, beating Hyeon Chung from South Korea in straight sets.

Other competitors including American Donald Young, Austria's Dominic Thiem and Viktor Troicki from Serbia have also progressed.

China to Face Dominican Republic at Women's Volleyball World CupIn volleyball,China's women's volleyball squad is set to take on the Dominican Republic later this morning at this year's World Cup in Japan.

Chinese head coach Lang Ping.

"I think everything is possible during the game. So playing the game well is more important than the score itself. The Dominican players are very experienced. They usually do a very good work in defending. So we have to be very patient."China comes in with a 7-1 record, and currently sits in 2nd place in the tournament.

Twelve teams are playing a round robin format in this World Cup, with the top two finishers qualifying for Rio next year.

In other action,Argentina will face Peru.

Cuba is to take on Serbia.

Kenya will stomp on South Korea.

And it's Russia taking on the United States.

China to Face South Korea at FIBA Asian Women's Basketball ChampionshipIn basketball,China's women's team is set to take on South Korea in the semi-finals of this year's FIBA Asian Women's Basketball Championship in Wuhan.

China rolled over South Korea 74-58 in their last match.

The winner will take on either Japan or Chinese Taipei, who go up against one-another tonight.

The winner of the final gets an automatic berth into next year's Olympics in Rio.

China's Ding Ning, Liu Shiwen to Play in Women's World CupIn table tennis,Defending champion Ding Ning and three-time winner Liu Shiwen have been tapped to represent China at the forthcoming world cup in Japan.

A total of 20 players have been selected among the countries involved.

The world cup gets underway on October 30 in the city of Sendai in northeastern Japan.

Gaunt and Jamieson lead at end of opening round of Russian OpenIn golf,Australian Daniel Gaunt and Scotland's Scott Jamieson share the lead a 6-under-par after the first round of the Russian Open.

Daniel Gaunt on the lead.

"Yeah, it was good bounceback there on the 16th and 18th. I did not think that bad of a drive (on the 15th) - it just went sideways left. Apart from that, I have played great golf today. I have holed putts. Started off one putt, one putt, one putt - or something like that. So to get in and be on top - it is good."England's Lee Slattery and Welshman Bradley Dredge sit one back.

Defending champion David Horsey sits two shots off the lead.

---------------In other golf news,The PGA Grand Slam of Golf, which is an event which brings together the winners of the season's four majors, has been canceled for this year.

It had been scheduled to take place in mid-October at Donald Trump's National Course in Los Angeles.

Scheduling conflicts are being cited as the main reason for the cancellation.

Masters and U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth, British Open winner Zach Johnson and Australian Jason Day, who won the PGA Championship this past month, were scheduled to take part.

---Rory McIlroy is being allowed to compete in the Race to Dubai.

This is though he's going to fall short of the minimum 13-tournaments required by the European Tour.

The European Tour is giving him an exemption, even though McIlroy missed two months this summer because of an ankle injury.

He has only played 9 European events.

Dongfeng Race Team sailors to lead Jeanneau China Sailing TourIn sailing,Four Chinese sailors from the Dongfeng Racing Team have announced plans to take part in the Jeanneau China Sailing Tour later this month.

The tour itself will see ships make stops in 6 Chinese cities, namely: Qingdao, Dalian, Shanghai, Xiamen, Shenzhen and Sanya.

It will begin on September 19th.

Hearing to investigate Rio's water pollution crisisBrazilian lawmakers have held a hearing to investigate the effects of water pollution on athletes ahead of next year's Olympics.

It comes amid reports of raw sewage creating hazardous conditions in the venue for sailing and surfing events.

Leonardo Spindola, representative of Rio's state government, says their sewage treatment plans are still not enough.

"Perhaps we will not effectively reach the 80 percent pledge (of sewage treatment), but this goal was fundamental to stimulate, to attract investments to the city and to attract attention to the problem at Guanabara Bay."Rio's Olympic organizing committee has promised to introduce viral testing to help find a way to clean the waters.

Authorities and organizers insist the waters will be safe for next year's Games.

EntertainmentAlibaba to invest in animation film "Little Door Gods"After the runaway success of "Monkey King: Hero Is Back" at the Chinese box office, more Chinese investors have set their eyes on home-made animated films.

The film unit of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has announced that it will co-finance and distribute "Little Door Gods," the first film from upstart animation studio Light Chaser Animation.

Inspired by Chinese folklore, the film tells the story of two guardian spirits who return to the human world to stir up some trouble and bring modern non-believers back to the old ways.

Light Chaser was launched in Beijing in March 2013 by Gary Wang, founder of Tudou.com.

Tuduo was bought by rival Internet video company Youku.com in 2012.

Wang has said his ambition for the company is for it to be China's answer to Pixar — a boutique studio "creating world-class animated films with a Chinese cultural touch."The film was completed in August and will be released in China on January 1, 2016.

Alibaba Pictures has also invested in a slate of films to be produced by Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai.

The company is also bankrolling several television productions.

Rising star Nicky Jam, Enrique Iglesias lead first Latin American Music AwardsThe first ever Latin American Music Awards will have urban singing sensation Nicky Jam leading the charge.

The Puerto Rican-Dominican singer leads the fan-voted show with six nominations.

He is followed by Spanish pop singer Enrique Iglesias and Colombian newcomer J Balvin with five each.

His new single "El Perdon", a duet with Enrique Iglesias, has been on the top of the Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart for 26 consecutive weeks.

It has surpassed Shakira's 2005 hit "La Tortura" to become the second-longest running No.1 in the chart's history.

Iglesias' "Bailando" continued to hold the record with 42 weeks at No. 1.

The first Latin Music Awards will air on Oct. 8 from Los Angeles on Telemundo.

It will feature performances in both English and Spanish from Mexican pop singer Gloria Trevi, Gerardo Ortiz and Italian pop trio Il Volo.

Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston to play President Johnson for new HBO biopicBryan Cranston has gone from Walter White to the White House.

The 59-year-old acting veteran has once again transformed himself, this time to play President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Cranston, best known for his meth-dealing White in Breaking Bad, had earlier played the 36th president in the tony-winning stage production "All The Way".

The film has only just started shooting, with Melissa Leo playing First Lady Claudia Johnson, and Anthony Mackie playing Martin Luther King Jr.

Director Jay Roach said the HBO film begins straight after the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

It covers the amazing 11-month journey from when LBJ takes office after JFK's assassination, through Johnson's fight to pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act and his own presidential campaign.

All the Way doesn't have a release date, but will be shown on HBO in 2016.

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

Recapping our top stories this morning...

China's Ministry of Defense has confirmed a significant cut to the country's military announced during yesterday's Parade by President Xi Jinping.

Observers to yesterday's commemoration events in Tian'anmen have been lauding the experience.

Clashes have been taking place in Hungary following a decision by authorities to stop would-be migrants from travelling to neighboring Austria.

In Business... new figures show a continued slide in steel output here in China.

On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Paul James in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together.