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

Coming up on the program this morning...

China's V-Day parade impresses people the world over...

UN- Secretary General Ban Ki Moon reminding the world that China's contribution to the defeat of Fascism must never be forgotten...

And thousands of migrants making the journey from Hungary to Austria on foot as the refugee crises on the European continent reaches a fever-pitch...

In our weekly business review... China and Russia signing a raft of energy deals...

In Sports...Venus Williams and Martin Cillic advance at the US open...

In Entertainment...Chinese version of puppet show "War Horse" debuts in Beijing...

Top NewsChinese President Meets with More Foreign Guests in BeijingChinese President Xi Jinping has met with more foreign leaders here in Beijing on Friday.

This is followed by their participation in events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

During President Xi's meeting with Myanmar President U Thein Sein, both sides have agreed to boost border trade and personnel exchanges.

At the same time, the Chinese president has pledged that China will continue supporting the reconstruction of Myanmar's flood-hit areas.

When meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn, Xi Jinping said Beijing will step up efforts to help Ethiopia's infrastructure construction.

Earlier, President Xi Jinping has already met with many other state leaders and heads of international organizations including Russian President Vladimir Putin, South Korean President Park Geun-hye and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

"China's contribution and sacrifice in the fight against fascism should be recognized and appreciated": Ban Ki-moonChina on Thursday held a massive military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was invited and attended the parade.

A day after the parade, the UN chief spoke of his impression of the event during an interview with China Central Television.

"What impressed me most yesterday was to be with and see so many veterans sitting in the car as well as watching their former comrades participating with full of medals with their achievements. They maybe getting older, but I found that their spirit was still very strong. And their contribution and their sacrifice should never be forgotten."When Ban decided to attend China's Victory Day parade, the Japanese government had handed an opinion paper to the United Nation's headquarters to criticize Ban's decision as a hasty action and required Ban to remain neutral on the commemoration of historical events.

In response to the criticism, Ban reiterated that China's contribution and sacrifices in the fight against fascism in the second world war should be recognized and appreciated by the world.

"... I made it quiet clear publicly that it is important to learn from the past. If you do not learn correctly from the past, it will be difficult to move ahead to the right direction. So learning from the past and also looking for a better future, that is the main purpose of my visit to China this time...."Ban notes the UN Secretary-General or United Nations organization is an impartial body, and it cannot always be a completely neutral body .

He added that the parade demonstrated the commitment to peace of the Chinese people and government.

China's V-day parade shows both strength and peace: US expertAnchorMore observers from around the world are weighing in on China's military parade and President Xi Jinping's speech to mark the 70th anniversary of the Chinese Victory in the War Against Japanese Aggression.

A Chinese-studies professor from the US is suggesting the event shows the country's strength, and at the same time, conveys the message of peace.

CRI's Su Yi reports from New York.

ReporterJeffrey Kinkley is a history professor at St. John's University.

"The military parade itself of course conveyed an image of China's strength and modernization. President Xi Jinping's announcement he will be cutting the size of Chinese military by 300-thousand troops. This sends a message of peace I believe."In his speech, Xi Jinping announced a reduction in the size of the Chinese military over the next 2 years.

It is the fourth time for China to announce military cuts since the Reform and Opening Up process first began in the early 1980s.

On Thursday, 50 formations including a total of 12-thousand troops took part in the Victory Day parade.

As many as 500 pieces of armaments and 200 fighter jets were reviewed during the parade.

It was also the first time for China to hold military parade to commemorate the occasion.

History professor Kinkley says the Chinese government is trying to draw more attention through these commemorative activities to its alliances with other anti-Fascist forces during the Second World war.

"In recent international relations, the Chinese government has been stressing the fact that the US and China were allies during World War 2. We were both dedicated to defeating imperial Japan and its terrible policies of those days."Kinkley says when it comes to China's international image, the majority of members of the international community see China as a rising economic power.

"China's international image remains in the middle that everybody recognizes China is the world's second greatest economy. Therefore we will have ups and downs. I can only speak for Americans - most Americans see China as something like a economic rival but also very much an economic partner."For CRI, I'm Su Yi in New York.

UK Expert on China's V-Day Parade: would like to see more local commemorationsAnchor:

China's V-Day Parade has drawn attention in the west and created different interpretations of the event.

CRI's London Correspondent Duan Xuelian speaks with Professor Hans Van de Ven at Cambridge University.

Reporter:

For Hans Van de Ven, Professor of Modern Chinese History at Cambridge, China's Second World War commemoration on Thursday was a way to strengthen national identity among the general public.

"The War is presented as an effort by all of China to resist aggression and that sort of eradicates the differences between the Communists and the Nationalists and so I think attempt to be inclusive was really there and many people will see this as positive."He says China played an important role during the Second World War but its story has not been properly told. And by inviting foreign contingents to participate in its military parade, China sees itself as part of a broader alliance.

"Had China sided with Japan, which was not entirely impossible, then Japan would have been able to utilize China's resources and China's man power for not only the occupations of South East Asia but also to fight the Russians, and the whole World War II would have been rather different."However, Professor Hans did point out that European audiences often associate such military parades with assertions of power and that's may be part of the reason why China's V-Day Parade is misinterpreted in some cases. He explains that in Europe, war commemorations are usually on the solemn side. Also, while national scale commemorations are important, he would be glad to see more local remembrances that engage people who have survived the Second World War.

"By this I mean there are national commemorations in the UK and across the European countries as well as the United States, but we also have some local commemorations in universities, in schools, villages and in our neighborhoods, and people are telling their own stories. I think it would something really good if that could happen in China as well."Professor Hans Van de Ven was guest professor at the Department of History of Nanjing University and co-editor of Negotiating China's Destiny in World War II published by Stanford University Press, 2014.

For CRI, I'm Duan Xuelian in London.

7 types of China-made missiles represent Chinese artillery force formations in military paradeChina has displayed several types of conventional and nuclear missiles at its massive parade in Beijing's Tian'anmen Square on Thursday.

The parade was hold to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

On display is the Changjian-10A cruise missile, which is able to fly at low altitude and penetrate an enemy's defense system stealthily.

Lou Jun is leader of the third conventional missile formation of the Chinese military's Second Artillery Force"Compared with the Changjian-10 displayed in the military parade to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, this armament is much more flexible in combat mode, with higher level of integration and informatization. It is easier to operate."Also displayed are conventional missiles which are powerful weapons to launch short-range precise attacks.

Liu Shankun, leader of the first conventional missile formation of the Second Artillery Force.

"The first two rows are Dongfeng-15B and the last two rows are Dongfeng-16. All of them launched missiles before. One of them fired a total of seven missiles."Other armaments included the Dong-feng-series ballistic missiles, intercontinental ballistic missiles and intercontinental strategic missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads.

The Trumpeter on the Book Cover-Bond between Two FamiliesAnchor:

The later generations of Edgar Snow, author of the book Red Star Over China, have met the son of Xie Liquan, the trumpet playing figure on the cover of the book.

CRI's Victor Ning reports.

Reporter:

Red Star Over China, a 1937 book by American journalist Edgar Snow, is an account of the Communist Party of China written while it was still obscure to Westerners.

The book is considered as one of the most influential books on western understanding of the Chinese revolution in the 1930s.

Blake Anthony, who came to Beijing with his grandmother Sheril Bischoff, the niece of Edgar Snow's wife, says the book has had a great influence on him.

"It is because of this book that I eventually began to study Chinese, and it's why my grandmother is able to come and make new friends with the relatives of the people who fought in World War II and Chinese revolution as well."Blake also says the message the book conveys to the world is still valid now.

"I think it is still valid now because it gives route to modern China. The Chinese Communist Party gained strength and finally was able to fight back Japanese invasion, which eventually led to CPC leading China and also China's success today. For political scientists and people who study history, when studying modern China, one of the required readings is Red Star Over China."After the book was published, the cover picture in which a Chinese soldier posed with a trumpet became very popular.

For decades people had no idea who the figure on the cover was.

Xie Xiaopeng, son of Xie Liquan, the figure on the cover of the book, explains the reasons.

"For a long time, my father didn't talk much of the episode. He saw the picture in 1972 and wrote his experience in a letter. He gave the letter to us before he died of cancer in 1973. He did not consider himself a war hero. Instead, he said his life was saved by many people."Xie Xiaopeng expressed his appreciation to Edgar Snow for his professional ethics.

"We bear great appreciation to Snow. I've liked collecting his books since I was young. I admire his sense of righteousness and his courage of reporting facts. He dares to seek the truth. Besides, I like his writing style and his choice of words. They are vivid and expressive. "At the ceremony initiated by the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference of Zhongshan in south China's Guangdong Province, the members of the two families exchanged gifts with each other.

The book Red Star Over China was written based on Snow's observations and findings after he visited then CPC revolutionary bases in northwest China where he interviewed top leaders including Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and Peng Dehuai.

It has been translated into over twenty different languages after it was first published in 1937.

For CRI, I'm Victor Ning.

4 Eastern European Countries' Leaders Urges Cooperation to Solve Migrant CrisisAnchor:

Leaders of 4 countries in Eastern Europe have said that they were counting on European support to help tackle the migrant crisis.

CRI's Xie Cheng has more.

Reporter:

Tens of thousands of migrants, primarily from war-torn areas of Syria and Afghanistan, have arrived in Europe in recent months.

In Hungary, migrants have broken out of a border camp and fled from a stranded train and set out on foot for Austria.

Czech Prime Minister Bohuslave Sobotka says at a press conference in Prague that a functioning migration policy is of utmost importance.(Act 1, Sobotka, male, Czech)"The present situation is a challenge for all EU countries and we need a fast reaction and common reaction of the European Union. Europe must have functioning migration policy which will ensure dignified behaviour with those who have the right for asylum. On the other side, the European return policy must function here so that we can return back those who do not have the right for asylum."However, the leaders also reiterated their opposition to any EU plans for mandatory migrant quotas for member states.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said any attempts to establish automatic mandatory mechanisms are not acceptable.

"The interior ministers always have this in mind during talks. Here are four EU countries saying very clearly: we want to guarantee the outside borders of the EU. We want because only in this case we can ensure free movement of the people inside the EU."Polish Prime Minster Ewa Kopacz said member states should take their own decisions on how to help with the migrant crisis, and only in this way can protection to those migrants be ensured.

In the meantime, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that he welcomed the prospect raised by Czech and Slovak interior ministers to create a train corridor for migrants travelling to Germany from Hungary.

The corridor would be considered if Hungary and Germany could reach agreement on how to deal with the influx of migrants.

Pressure on EU leaders has intensified this week with the heartbreaking pictures of the body of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi from Syria on a Turkish beach, after he drowned with his brother and mother while trying to cross to Greece.

Antonio Guterres, the UN refugee chief, says there's a dramatic situation for Syrian refugees.(Act 3, Guterres, English)"Not only they have no hope that a political solution will come soon for their country. But their living conditions are deteriorating. They are not allowed to work, except in a clandestine way. And the levels of assistance have not only not increased, but are in effect decreasing. And this creates a desperate situation that is forcing more and more people to move onwards."Guterres made the comments at a press conference in Geneva calling on European countries to take in some 200 thousand refugees as part of a 'massive relocation programme'.

For CRI, I'm Xie Cheng.

Migrant crisis: Hungary to bus migrants to Austria borderAuthorities in Budapest have announced they will offer to transport thousands of migrants by bus to the Austrian border in the next few hours.

About 100 buses will be sent to pick up the thousands of migrants at Budapest's main eastern railway terminus and 1,200 who are walking along the main westward motorway towards Austria.

A further 300 migrants were walking along the rail tracks westward from where they escaped the train. They will be offered the bus trip to the border crossing as well.

But the Hungarian government says the bus transport does not apply to those who are still in the migrant camps in Hungary.

The government says it is up to Austria to decide whether migrants can continue to travel westwards from the border.

Britain to Take in More Refugees, US Says Asylum Approval Process LengthyThe United Kingdom is set to accept thousands more Syrian refugees who have fled the years-long conflict in the restive country.

British Prime Minister David Cameron made the announcement on Friday.

"Britain has a moral responsibility to help refugees as we have done throughout our history. We're already providing sanctuary and we'll continue to do so. As the second largest bilateral donor to the crisis we have provided over 900 million pounds in aid to help those affected in Syria and the region."Cameron said Britain would take in people already in refugee camps to help them avoid a "hazardous journey which has cost so many of their lives."Meanwhile, the US State Department on Thursday stressed their support for the European Union's efforts to address the ongoing issue.

However, US State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner also said that a more comprehensive approach to the problem was ultimately needed.

Toner said that approval for asylum seekers to enter the US could take up to two years.

"It's an extensive review process. Certainly folks coming from that part of the world, that region, we need to obviously conduct a thorough review process. I've been told it takes up to anywhere between 18 to 24 months, so, it's time-consuming."Toner further explained security concerns were behind the lengthy review and approval processes.

Germany IFA Cameras- New ways to capture the world on videoAnchor:

New cameras and ways to capture the world we live in on video are being displayed at the IFA electronics show in Berlin.

CRI's Luo Bin reports.

Reporter:

The IFA exhibition in Berlin is one of the world's leading consumer electronics fairs.

More than 250-thousand people are expected to visit the exhibition grounds in Berlin over the next week to see the latest gadgets, home appliances and TVs.

This year over 1600 companies are exhibiting at the fair - many of them established giants like Samsung and Sony - but also hundreds of small startup companies that are hoping to make it big.

One of these companies is Panono, which is releasing its first product in September - the Panono camera ball.

The ball consists of 36 cameras, each with a 3 megapixel resolution.

Jonas Pfeil, inventor of the product, explains how it is used.

"So that's the Panono explorer edition. So you can for example throw it to take a picture, throw it in the air, and it took a picture. Or you can also put it on a stick, push it in, turn it and now you have it on a stick and you can trigger it with the button on the stick."The photo is automatically stitched together by a cloud service provided by Panono - and the resulting picture is a 360 degree view of the world.

With the advent of live streaming online through services like Periscope and Meerkat, more and more people are walking around with their smartphones in the air streaming their walk to work, their lunch or anything else that someone might find interesting.

But the video and audio quality is often poor, something that Olloclip is hoping to change.

Steve Muttram, chief operating officer of Olloclip, explains the studio system.

"So this is our studio system, studio case. Olloclip is a manufacturer as mobile photography accessories, predominately lenses, for the last four years its all been about lenses, and making them easy, fun creative. With the advent of new technology, such as periscope and more people doing live broadcast on their iPhones, using our lenses, we decided we would try and see if people would really like a case to help them with that."Another company aiming to improve video quality across the world is Removu.

The company claims its camera stabiliser is the world's "first rainproof 3-axis gimbal for GoPro cameras, equipped with a Bluetooth remote control."So maybe a ball camera will be the next big thing.

But the reality is that most start-ups struggle to make it big, despite there being plenty of available support.

Editor of MobileGeeks news website Nicole Scott estimates that some five percent of the start-ups will stand out.

"Venture capitalists have too much money right now and they are just making it rain on the startups. So there is just a lot of startups coming up right now that are just looking for money, and they have a lot of it. So, I think maybe 5 percent of them will actually succeed. But if they succeed they are going to make it big."The IFA trade show runs through until September 9.

For CRI, I'm Luo Bin.

Huge mine sinkhole has continued to expand in RussiaIt is being reported that a sinkhole which appeared nine months ago in the Russian city of Solikamsk has significantly grown in size since its appearance.

Solikamsk Mayor Igor Davletshin says the sinkhole doesn't pose any danger to local residents.

"As for today, we have a clear understanding that there's no danger to industrial and residential sectors of the city."The sinkhole was caused by an accident that occurred at Uralkali potash mine in November.

Initially its width was about 30 metres but has quadrupled in size since to more than 120 metres.

Mine surveyors were monitoring the state of the soil every ten days and works were being done to prevent the gash from expanding even more.

Headline NewsChinese President Meets with More Foreign Guests in BeijingChinese President Xi Jinping has met with more foreign leaders here in Beijing on Friday.

This is followed by their participation in events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

During President Xi's meeting with Myanmar President U Thein Sein, both sides have agreed to boost border trade and personnel exchanges.

At the same time, the Chinese president has pledged that China will continue supporting the reconstruction of Myanmar's flood-hit areas.

When meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn, Xi Jinping said Beijing will step up efforts to help Ethiopia's infrastructure construction.

Earlier, President Xi Jinping has already met with many other state leaders and heads of international organizations including Russian President Vladimir Putin, South Korean President Park Geun-hye and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Chinese premier to attend summer Davos forum in DalianChinese Premier Li Keqiang will attend the Summer Davos Forum in northeast China's Dalian city from Sept. 9 to 10.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Friday that Premier Li will address the opening ceremony of the annual forum.

The annual event is also known as the 2015 New Leaders Meeting of the World Economic Forum.

It is held alternatively in Dalian and Tianjin.

Former senior military leader Zhang Zhen diesZhang Zhen, a former vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, died at the age of 101 in Beijing Thursday.

An obituary issued by the central authority has praised Zhang as "an excellent Communist Party of China member" and "an outstanding leader of the People's Liberation Army of China," among other accolades.

The People's Liberation Army is the name for China's armed forces.

Zhang joined the CPC in 1930. He was conferred the title of lieutenant general in 1955 and the title of general in 1988.

Cleanup nearing finish at Tianjin blast siteCleanup work at the blast site of the Tianjin explosions is about to be completed.

Local officials said on Friday that containers there have been cleaned while polluted water and soil at the blast site have been transported to safety.

Two explosions ripped through a large area in Tianjin port on August 12.

The death toll has risen to 160 people. 13 people are still missing.

Air quality monitors detected several pollutants at the blast site but authorities say the concentrations were all within national standards.

Weekly Biz Roundup(Saturday)Anchor:

It's time to take a look back at some business headlines from this past week in our Weekly Business Review.

China and Russia have signed a raft of deals in the energy sector.

The International Monetary Fund recommended 5 policies for Asian countries to ensure they can weather the current economic turbulence.

China's Manufacturing PMI slipped into contraction territory for the third time this year in August.

Let's catch up on all of that and more with CRI's Wenjie.

Reporter:

Alongside Chinese President Xi Jingping's meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin here in Beijing, a raft of energy deals were signed in the energy sector.

Among the deals, Russia's top gas producer Gazprom agreed with China National Petroleum Corporation, or CNPC, to supply gas to China from Russia's Far East.

Sinopec also signed a strategic investment treaty to buy shares in Russia's petrochemical group Sibur.

China and Russia have been accelerating cooperation in the energy sector as China's fast-growing economy needs natural gas supplies and energy-rich Russia faces financial challenges.

Industrial experts believe both countries can increase their cooperation to new-energy sectors including solar and wind power, where Chinese companies are using advanced technologies.

====The International Monetary Fund recommended a spate of policies for Asian countries to ensure they can face current economic turbulence.

Speaking at conference on financing in Jakarta, IMF Chief Christine Lagarde listed five measures that should be undertaken, including reining in excessive credit growth.

"One, strengthening defences with prudent fiscal policy. Two, reigning in excessive credit growth. Three, and that is very relevant for the governors of central banks here, align the exchange rate to act as a shock absorber. Four, maintaining adequate foreign exchange reserves, and fifth, building up regulatory and supervisory over sight for the financial sector and making sure that this fully budgeted and can actually implement its task."She also pointed out that Asian economies were doing "pretty well" and that government and monetary authorities in Asia were ready to act when necessary.

Lagarde urged Asian countries to promote a deep financial system, moving away from the traditional banking practices of deposit taking on one hand and commercial lending on the other.

====Chinese authorities have confirmed the current loan-to deposit ratio for commercial banks is going to be lifted.

The 75-percent ratio is going to be eliminated as of October 1st.

Under the current rules, commercial banks in China are only allowed to use 75-percent of the deposits they have on-hand for lending.

Mike Bastin, director of China Business Center based in London says the lift is targeting free up lending to the small and medium size enterprises.

Eliminating this restriction is expected to pump hundreds of millions of dollars into the system.

The 75-percent was first established 20 years to prevent an overheating of the credit system, as well as to control liquidity.

====Manufacturing PMI, the official gauge of factory activity in China, slipped into contraction territory for the third time this year in August.

The official reading has come in at 49.7, down from an even-50 for July.

50 is the line between contraction and expansion.

Ning Jizhe, vice-Chair of the National Development and Reform Commission, says despite the shift into contraction, the PMI is still showing signs it will improve in the future.

"Yes, I have seen the data on the manufacturing PMI, and it has gone from 50 to 49 and something. But this is a small margin of fluctuation. The PMI index is composed of many categories. But we think there are many signs that it will improve in the future. It will improve in the future."Observers are attributing the declining PMI mostly to the phasing-out of traditional manufacturing, as well as bad weather, the air pollution controls put in around Beijing ahead of the parade, as well as low commodity prices.

====China's State Council on Friday released a plan for promoting a nationwide project to deliver telecoms, radio and television, and Internet services over a single broadband connection.

According to the plan, the "three-network convergence" project aimed at connecting IT infrastructures and facilitating information sharing.

The Chinese government has actively been pushing for the convergence via various measures, most notably through the Triple Network Convergence Plan it laid out early in 2010.

The project could help upgrade consumption mode, overhaul industrial structure and improve people's livelihood.

====Chinese authorities have lowered the down payment ratio for second home purchases as of this week.

The minimum down payments for second home purchases is being lowered from 30 to 20 percent.

Only people who have fully paid-off the mortgages on their first homes will be able to qualify for the lower down payment.

In addition, authorities in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are now allowed to make their own decisions about the minimum down payment ratio on 2nd homes.

====Ratings agency Moody's has released new analysis of the Chinese property market, suggesting the downward pressure on home prices are going to ease the rest of this year.

Moody's says it anticipates first-tier cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, will see a recovery in prices.

It also anticipates certain tier-two cities, including Hangzhou and Xiamen, will also see price increases as inventories begin to dry up.

The expectations come amid the continued decline in new starts and land transactions.

====Crude 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.

====China Rail Rolling Stock Corp. Ltd held a ceremony on this Thursday to mark the start of the building process of a railcar factory in the northeastern U.S state of Massachusetts.

This mark China-made rail car officially enter the American market.

CRRC vice president Yu Weiping is proud of this ground breaking export.

"In the past we could only export shoes or socks to the United States. Now we can export a whole series of product services to the United States, including high-end equipment, technology, management, capital and services."CRRC is the first Chinese railcar manufacturer to land a major U.S. transit contract. The state-owned company is now among the world's largest rail rolling stock manufacturers.

The new plant, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2016, will also have a 2,240-linear-foot test track. The first cars are expected to be rolled out in 2018.

====Indonesia has unexpectedly dumped plans for its first high-speed railway in favour of a slower and cheaper rail option.

The move is viewed as a blow to Japan and China who have been fiercely competing to win the construction job.

The two Asian powerhouses have been locked in a contest for months to build the railway connecting the capital Jakarta with the mountain-fringed city of Bandung around 160 kilometers away.

Sources say that Indonesia will open a new bid for a slower and cheaper rail project which could save 30 percent on costs.

And that concludes this edition of the weekly business review.

I'm Wenjie, thank you for listening.

SportsChina beats out South Korea in FIBA TournamentIn FIBA news:

China received a 60-45 win over arch-rival South Korea in the 26th FIBA Asia Women's Basketball Championship semifinals in Japan on Friday.

Mvp's were Huang Hongpin who scored 10 points for China as well as Teammates Sun Mengran and Huang Sijing who had scored 9 and 8 respectively.

China lost to South Korea in the semifinals two years ago. China has been the champion in the Asian Championship for 11 times, only one shy of South Korea in the tournament's history.

South Korea and the team from Chinese Taipei will compete for the third place on Saturday.

China will now move on to face the defending champs, Japan.

Olympic tests in Rio are cause for concernNow for some Olympic News in Rio.

Rio de Janeiro's Lagoon caused concern for Olympic athletes at the Canoe Sprint and Kayak test events on Friday.

German Gold medalist in the men's canoe single, Sebastian Brendel commented on the difficulties.

"think for the kayak guys and girls it can be very difficult because they have a rudder and all the weed can hang on the rudder. But it is just a test, and for next year they must clean the water and it will be OK."Athletes present at the test events also said that they had been advised to disinfect themselves after each race.

Local authorities have assured that the aquatic courses will be clean for the upcomming Games.

Earlier in April, conditions forced workers to clean over 40 tonnes of dead fish floating in the waters of the Olympic course.

Officials have also been warned from biologists testing water conditions that bacteria are present in the water which could be harmful to contestants.

When Rio bid to host the Games, the city said it would cut the amount of raw sewage flowing into the bay by 80 percent.

However, officials from the city have since admitted that it is unlikely to meet that target due to increasingly high levels of contamination.

US Open sees Marin Cilic and Venus Williams advanceIn US Open news:

Two-time US Open champion Venus Williams reached the fourth round at Flushing Meadows with a straight sets win over Swiss 12th seed Belinda Bencic.

The American 23rd Venus Williams, who's the oldest player in the draw, overcame the challenge of the youngest player left in the draw, wining, 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 18 minutes.

Williams will face either Anett Kontaveit of Estonia or American Madison Brengle for a place in the quarter-finals.

And for men's Us Open action:

Men's defending champion Marin Cilic had a close call before overcoming Mikhail Kukushkin in five sets in the third round.

Playing on the Louis Armstrong court, the ninth seed dropped the opening set before battling back to take a two sets to one lead.

However, the Kazakhstani took the match into a decider by winning a fourth set tie-break 7-3.

The Croatian ninth seed ran away with the fifth set scoring his victory.

Marin will next play either French 27th seed Jeremy Chardy or seventh-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer.

Germany front-runs in group D euro qualifiersKicking into football news:

Germany overcame front-runners Poland 3-1 following the European Qualifiers of Group D in Frankfurt on Friday.

The Germans shocked the visitors with two quick goals in the opening period.

It was Mario Goetze who sealed up the 3-1 victory for Germany in front of 48,500 spectators.

Poland and Germany staged an evenly balanced see-saw opening period yet the hosts were able to break the deadlock.

With the victory, the FIFA World champions oust Poland from the top position in Group D of the European Qualifiers.

As the new Front-runners, Germany encounter fourth placed Scotland at the eighth round in Group D on Monday.

Germany leads the group with 16 points, followed by Poland with 14 points, Ireland with 12 points, Georgia with 6 points and Gibraltar with 0 points.

Lewis Hamilton sets fastest time at practice Italian Grand PrixLewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg dominated practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Friday.

Mercedes seem to be on track for its 23rd consecutive pole position when final qualifying gets underway on Saturday.

Hamilton and Rosberg finished 1-2 in both of Friday's practice sessions.

In the afternoon, championship leader Hamilton clocked the day's best time of one minute, 24.279 seconds around the Monza circuit, which features the highest speeds in Formula One.

Rosberg, the top challenger who became a father for the first time last weekend, was a narrow 0.021 seconds behind.

Williams holds the Formula One record of 24 straight poles, set in 1992 and 1993.

Mercedes-powered cars took eight of the top 10 spots in both practices, with only the Ferraris preventing a sweep.

EntertainmentChinese Version of 'War Horse' Premiers in BeijingThe Chinese version of world renowned stage play 'War Horse' premiered in Beijing on Friday.

The remake of the West End hit marks the first collaboration between National Theatres of Great Britain and China.

Director of 'War Horse', Alex Simms, explains the difficulties encountered when the show was translated into Mandarin.

"We found out the problem here with the knowledge of Europe because, you know, China wasn't as familiar with Europe and the French language and the German language. But working with the Chinese directing team and the translator, we managed to find Chinese idioms to fill in where something was colloquially English or French or German."The puppet-powered play was based on a best-selling 1982 novel with the same name. It narrates the story as it happened during the First World War, through the eyes of a horse.

Puppet director, Liu Xiaoyi gives more details on the puppets used in the show.

"We use life-sized animal puppets, although we also have hand puppets. The horse puppet needs three people to control it co-operatively, which is not easy. Three people controlling one horse is really difficult."The Chinese remake of 'War Horse' is also planned to be staged in Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Fans Line up at Midnight in H.K. for Latest 'Star Wars' ToysFans woke up at midnight in Hong Kong for the release of latest "Star Wars" toys and collectibles.

The release is part of a promotion for the upcoming 'Star Wars' movie scheduled for this winter.

Participating cities include Sydney, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, London, and New York.

It was confirmed earlier this month that Chinese Kung Fu star Donnie Yen and actor Jiang Wen were cast in a spin-off film "Star Wars: Rogue One".

'Star Wars' fan Edmond Tong said he was "thrilled" to finally see Asian faces in his beloved franchise.

"I think that would be more interesting and I would be more engaged in the movie. Because we imitate western characters when we are cosplaying, if the cast includes Hongkonger or Chinese actors that we are familiar with, we will feel more sense of kinship.""The Force Awakens" also brings back "Star Wars" veterans like Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will be released in the US on December 18th.

Tom Hardy Attends 'Legend' PremiereBritish actor Tom Hardy is appearing at the world premiere of his new film 'Legend', while joking about rumors that he will play the next James Bond.

"I haven't, I've heard nothing. Do you know what I mean? And I think answering something like that means immediately you're out of the running. So there goes my spot."Staring Tom Hardy and Emily Browning, the British crime thriller portrays the rise and fall of most notorious twin gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray.

The identical twins built their crime empire in the East End of London during the 1960s.

The 37-year-old actor has played both of the twin gangsters in the film.

He says he is always trying to differentiate between the two chaps throughout performing, and hopes to "get the best possible outcome".

'Legend' is due to be released in UK on September 9th and in US on October 2nd.

Johnny Depp's 'Black Mass' Premieres at Venice Film FestivalJohnny Depp has walked the Venice Film Festival red carpet with Scott Cooper's real-life mobster tale "Black Mass."The gangster drama is said to be a return to form for the Hollywood superstar.

Based on the book of the same name, "Black Mass," portrays the antics of Bulger, who disappeared in 1995 and spent 16 years as one of the nation's most-wanted fugitives before he was captured in California in 2011.

Johnny Depp shares his experience playing such a real-life character.

"With a character like James Bulger, I think you just have to approach him. I think within the context of his business there was - not only was the violence just a part of the job let's say - it was also kind of a language that the people that he associated with and the people that he was, he opposed, understood the same language."The 52-year-old has won critics' appreciation for his performance in the film.

"Black Mass" premieres on Friday night, which is showing out of competition at the Venice Film Festival.

It is scheduled to be released in the US on September 18th.

Mr. Bean Celebrates His 25th AnniversaryBritish actor Rowan Atkinson has toasted the 25th anniversary of Mr. Bean by taking a tour around landmarks in London.

The lovable Mr. Bean with his Teddy bear was first seen in St James' Park, eating ice cream, and taking a selfie next to the London Eye.

Then he took a halt outside Buckingham Palace, which was welcomed by a large batch of his fans.

The 60-year-old actor even recreated one of his finest moments in the drama, driving his green Mini while sat on top of an armchair, steering the wheel with a mop, and with the Teddy bear by his side.

Mr. Bean is a British comedy created by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis.

It debuted in 1990, and then became a global success story.

The famous character has enjoyed two big-screen outings – 1997′s Bean and Mr. Bean's Holiday in 2007.

Its new cartoon series is set to start airing on Boomerang today.

That’s it for this weekend edition of the Beijing Hour.

A recap of your headlines:

China's V-Day parade impresses people the world over...

UN- Secretary General Ban Ki Moon reminding the world that China's contribution to the defeat of Fascism must never be forgotten...

And thousands of migrants making the journey from Hungary to Austria on foot as the refugee crises on the European continent reaches a fever-pitch...

On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers: I'm Spencer Musick in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour, to open a window to the world together.