新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2015/09/11（打印版）

The Beijing HourEvening EditionShane Bigham with you on this Friday September 11th 2015.

More than 1,600 participants from over 90 countries and regions have met for discussions at the forum, under the theme of "Describe a new blueprint for growth".

Our reporter Luo Yu caught up with Sebastian Buckup, Head of Programming with the World Economic Forum, at the closing ceremony. He talks about what he thinks of this year's conference.

For more about the Summer Davos that wrapped up Friday afternoon, we spoke earlier with our reporter Wang Mengzhen, who has been following the forum from the Dalian International Conference Hall over the last three days.

With entrepreneurship and innovation the focus of this year's Summer Davos sessions, CRI's Huang Shan has been speaking with entrepreneurs and experts at the event to get their thoughts on how these concepts will improve China's economy.

"I think the initiatives like mass entrepreneurship and innovation as this kind of national strategies are encouraging the whole new generation of entrepreneurs, not only to create great companies for China and the Chinese market, but also has the global aspirations."On paper, the innovation and entrepreneurship seems an obvious goal.

Thom Mason runs the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the United States, which is one of the leading research facilities for nuclear technology in the US.

"That's absolutely the case, because people will not invest unless there is a way to protect intellectual property. I think as China's economy evolves, that's going to be more and more important. Because as you move from just manufacturing for global markets to developing ideas and implement them, you need that protection, in order to generating the finance to make it work."Mason also says successful entrepreneurship requires more than just passion and good ideas.

"They need access to capital, and they also need access to expertise across the broad range, not just the technology, but legal aspects, human resources and financial. So in the areas of world that are very successful cultivating new ideas, you see this combination of great technology and science but also that supporting an equal system of people with broad range of skills, access to capital. "Creating a knowledge base is also being cited as one of the keys to creating a strong entrepreneurial base in China.

Zhang Peng is the founder and CEO of Geekpark, a Beijing-based web start-up which provides news and information about the technology sector.

"For potential start-ups, they should first accumulate work experience in big companies, which is better than starting from scratch. And it's better for them to create ideas with long-term value, rather than following short-term, hot trends."For CRI, I'm Huang Shan reporting from the Summer Davos in Dalian.

State Councilor: Closer Economic Ties Benefits China, USA senior Chinese official has renewed China's pledge to improve investment and trading environment, for better China-U.S. economic ties.

"I believe that the business community in the United States is very much interested in the Chinese economy and they see a growing and expanding Chinese economy. And there will be more and more opportunities for them, not only along the eastern shore, but also in the hinterland of China as well."Later this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to pay his first state visit to the United States since he took office in 2013. The two countries are expected to explore how to better promote bilateral ties, including in economic and military fields, as well as peace and stability in the world.

Australia, China, U.S. Joint Military Drill Ends with Enhanced Survival Skills, Friendship for SoldiersThe first phase of KOWARI 15, a military exercise involving Australia, China, and the United States, came to an end on Friday.

Divided into three groups, each containing a mix of nationalities, the participants first received training at the North West Mobile Force.

Major General Han Peng, deputy chief of staff of Guangzhou Military Area Command, said the joint military exercise helped to build cooperation, friendship and trust among the three armies.

FTA to boost Australia's Chinese wine sales: gov'tAustralia's Victoria state government believes that the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement will provide a massive boost in the region's wine sales.

Victoria produces some of Australia's most acclaimed wine, and is currently showcasing its products as part of the three-day International Sparkling Wine Festival in China.

The State's Agricultural Minister says there are enormous opportunities in China to expand exports further, supplying China's rapidly expanding middle class.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott signed the historic agreement in July, in a bid to solidify China as the nation's largest importer.

Former China Resources chairman expelled from CPC for corruptionA former chairman of China Resources Company, a state-owned business, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China.

The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection says an investigation into the activities of Song Lin found he took advantage of his post to seek promotions and benefits for others, while extorting or accepting bribes.

Upon approval by the State Council, Song will also be sacked from public posts and his illegal gains will be seized. The case will also be transferred to the justice system.

Prosecutors have already announced a decision has been made to investigate Song, and the former official has been place under "compulsory measures" which can include arrest, warrants to appear, residential surveillance, and more.

China, Mongolia Hold Anti-Terror ExerciseChinese and Mongolian police have held a joint anti-terrorism drill in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The drill was the first joint exercise that the two countries' police forces have held and involved 700 police officers from China and 78 from Mongolia dealing with different scenarios, such as terrorist attacks on a train station and illegal border crossing.

Authorities in Inner Mongolia say the drills consolidate and improve capacities and systems for dealing with emergencies, and shows determination and conviction to fight terrorism and maintain peace and stability in border areas.

Air Show Features China's Air ArmamentsAn air show kicked off in northeast China's Jilin Province on Thursday, displaying 11 kinds of military helicopters and airplanes.

Qiao Gang, the commander of Sky Wing Air Demonstration Team from the Air Force Aviation University, says the visual effects of this air show were even better than those in the military parade held on Sept 3.

"The smoke shells used in this event are the same as the ones used during the military parade on Sept 3. but we can see the color is denser with better color difference and visual effects."Wang Keqian, a spectator at the show, showed his surprise at the wonderful performance.

"The sound of the J-11B fighter is shocking. Last year or the year before last year, the performance of the J-10 fighter was already fabulous. But this year, the speed of 1,300km per hour is really different from the speed of 200km per hour. It seems this is more powerful."This air show will run until Sunday.

China's Advanced Nuclear Technology Highlights the China-Arab States ExpoA Chinese-developed nuclear reactor is one of the highlights of the China-Arab States Expo, ongoing in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Zheng Mingguang is the chief designer of the CAP-1400 pressurized water reactor. He says it's safer than other reactors because of the way it dissipates heat.

"Active systems depend on motors, water pumps and fans to dispel excess heat from the nuclear plant and ensure the safety of the reactor. Passive systems, on the other hand, depend on natural circulation or the laws of nature to dispel heat and ensure the reactor's safety,"The 2015 China-Arab States Expo opened on Thursday and will end on Sunday.

Iran Deal Survives US Senate VoteThe Iran nuclear deal survived a key vote in the US Senate on Thursday. The vote is a major victory for the Obama administration.

Senators from the Democratic party blocked a resolution of disapproval against the deal. The vote of 58-42 for the resolution actually ensured the nuclear deal would proceed, as the disapproval motion required 60 votes to advance.

"People around the world should know today's outcome was clear, decisive and final. There is now no doubt whatsoever that the Congress of the United States will allow this historic agreement to go forward. Efforts by opponents to derail this agreement were soundly rejected and by a margin much larger than people thought."Republican lawmakers did not concede defeat, however, announcing immediately after the vote that they will force new rounds of voting on Iran next week.

The outcome means the disapproval resolution will not reach Obama's desk, avoiding a veto showdown between the White House and Congress.

Obama has welcomed the result of the vote, calling it "a victory for diplomacy, for American national security, and for the safety and security of the world."Beginning next week, Obama will be free to start scaling back US sanctions to implement the agreement negotiated by Iran and six major world powers, including the US and China.

The accord aims to constrain Iran's nuclear ambitions, in exchange for hundreds of billions of dollars in relief from international sanctions.

Western Air Raids in Syria Ineffective in Combating Terrorism: ExpertsForeign political experts say the recent air raids conducted by the U.S.-led anti-terrorism alliance in Syria cannot end the war in the country.

"How should we ensure that the people controlled by the extremists are not threatened by air raids? Military actions alone will not end the war, and the fact will not be changed by more military intervention from Europe. The top priority should be eliminating the source of extremism development."Mazin Bilal, a Syrian political analyst, says the U.S. has not made a unified strategy to cope with the extremists and Syrian issue.

"It is impossible for us to overthrow the extremism except we start to consider political resolution - a political reconciliation in Syria, or a reconciliation inside Iraq on a higher level, or a coordination between Washington and Moscow on a deep level -- the origin of crisis lies in these rather than what we see in Syria."It has been reported that millions of Syrian citizens have been displaced since the beginning of the conflict in the country in 2011, with more losing homes with the rise of the Islamic State terror group in the region.

"In this round of negotiations for the first time we have deepened the discussion, the negotiation, regarding the political dialogue."Abelardo Moreno, Cuba's Vice Minister of Foreign Relations, expressed similar sentiments.

"We made much progress in regards to cooperation, simply all we have left to do is to work out the details, which the European Union delegation and ourselves will have to define the language precisely. And we started a detailed analysis on the political dialogue. Basically, on this occasion, we identified themes that will be fundamental in that political dialogue."The EU and Cuba suspended relations in 2003. The two sides began talks again last year. This week's meeting was the fifth round in the process.

Scientists in Germany have come up with a new method for extracting the precious element germanium, commonly found in China, from plants.

The element is a semi-conductor and was used to develop the first transistor because it is able to transport electrical charges extremely quickly.

Nowadays, silicon-germanium alloy is indispensable to modern life, crucial in making computers, smartphones and fiber-optic cables.

Yet although germanium is present in soil all over the world, it is difficult to extract, and most supplies currently come from China.

Now scientists at Freiburg University of Mining and Technology think they have found a revolutionary way to obtain it from their own soil.

"What is being cultivated in this field are various energy crops -- for example sunflowers, corn, reed canary grass - but instead of using them for energy purposes we want to use them for phytomining. In German we call it 'mining with plants'. We want to bring elements that are present in the soil into the roots and shoots of the plants, harvest them and then extract these elements from the plants after they have been used for energy, that is to say fermented."The process is still in its early stages, but Heilmeier says they have now identified the plants that could allow them to scale the attempt up.

The next stage of the process takes place in a laboratory at the university in Freiburg, where head of industrial chemistry Professor Martin Bertau has been overseeing the project.

"There is zinc ore present here, the ground is very rich in zinc. We have the remains of waste rock piles from mining, which germanium-rich water can drain better through. And when you cultivate plants here and give them that water, they can build up germanium reserves through normal physiological processes. We unlock these reserves through fermentation with the help of bacteria and thus we are able to mobilize the germanium."Economically, the process is efficient, because the extraction of germanium can happen after plants are processed for use as biogas. Thus many of the costs are already covered in existing biogas plants.

The potential for industry could be enormous, but there is still work to do before the benefits can be reaped. At the moment germanium can only be harvested in extremely small quantities, just a few milligrams per liter. Scientists need to achieve at least one gram per liter, which at the moment is only possible through a process of concentrating the extract.

Indian special court convicts 12 men in 2006 Mumbai train blasts caseAn Indian special court on Friday convicted 12 men in the 2006 attacks on a train in Mumbai in which nearly 190 people were killed and over 800 injured.

However, one of the accused has been acquitted by the anti-terror court, while another 15 people, including the masterminds behind the multiple explosions on the trains, are still on the run.

The 12 convicted in the case were found guilty of planting bombs inside pressure cookers on local trains. They are all members of the Students Islamic Movement of India and are to be sentenced later.

It was on the evening of July 11, 2006 when seven blasts ripped through first-class coaches on Mumbai's local trains at rush hour.

More than 1,700 business leaders and experts from over 90 countries attended this year's forum which came to a close on Friday afternoon.

Key topics discussed at the meeting include China's economic outlook, the internet, shifts in finance and energy, as well as science and technology frontiers.

Premier Li Keqiang delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony on Thursday, saying China will open its onshore inter-bank FX market to foreign central banks.

Friday marks the fourteenth anniversary of 9/11Friday marks the fourteenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks in the US.

A service will be held at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum along with other activities across New York City to commemorate the tragedy and pay respect to those who lost their lives.

Nearly three thousand people were killed when commercial airplanes hijacked by terrorists and were flown into the World Trade Center, in central New York. Another plane crashed into the Pentagon while a fourth craft crashed in a field in Pennsylvania before reaching its intended target.

Several organizations will visit the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square for a commemorative ceremony and to officially ring The Nasdaq Stock Market Opening Bell.

Nasdaq U.S. markets will observe a moment of silence at 9:25 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) in remembrance of September 11 victims and their families.

Divided into three groups, each containing a mix of nationalities, the participants first received training at the North West Mobile Force.

Major General Han Peng, deputy chief of staff of Guangzhou Military Area Command, said the joint military exercise helped to build cooperation, friendship and trust among the three armies.

Plane with 128 people onboard makes emergency landing in S. PhilippinesA plane carrying 128 passengers made an emergency landing in southern Philippines on Friday.

Police said Philippine Airlines flight PR-1814 was on its way to Manila from the southern Philippine city of Davao when "smoke came out of its cargo compartment area."The plane was about four minutes into its flight when it turned back to the airport at around 1:30 p.m.

According to a report released late Thursday by the China International Capital Corporation, China is considering a fiscal stimulus plan worth more than 1 trillion yuan over the next three years. We have more on that later.

South Korea's Kospi was down 1.1 percent on Friday, after the Bank of Korea kept interest rates unchanged, as expected, for the third straight month.

China to roll out trillion-yuan fiscal stimulus: reportChina is considering more than 1 trillion yuan in fiscal stimulus over the next three years.

According to a latest report from the China International Capital Corporation, the money may be taken from government coffers to replenish capital for investment projects.

Investment projects will be funded by not only policy banks but also commercial lenders and private investors via public-private partnerships.

China's new yuan loans rise in AugustChina's new yuan-denominated lending in August rose to 810 billion yuan, or around 125 billion U.S. dollars.

The narrow measure of money supply, or M1, which covers cash in circulation plus demand deposits, rose 9 percent year on year.

China to launch phase-I cross-border interbank payment system by end-2015Media reports say China will roll out the first phase of its Cross-border Interbank Payment System by the end of this year.

The payment system will enhance transaction efficiency by enabling market participants outside China to clear yuan transactions with their Chinese counterparts directly at any time of the day under a coding format.

IMF is Confident with Chinese EconomyDeputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund says the IMF is still confident in Chinese economy, despite its fluctuations.

"We have recently adjusted global economic growth from 3.5 percent to 3.3 percent. But we have kept our forecast for China's economic growth unchanged, which is 6.8 percent. We are still confident with China's economic growth."Zhu Min says Chinese economic growth is transferring from traditional investment and export oriented sectors to service and consumption, and fluctuations during this reform are to be expected.

The IMF official adds the world economy now lacks forces to further spur a recovery from the 2008 financial crisis and structural reforms are urgently needed.

"It is a big decision to open onshore currency market to overseas central banks. This indicates Chinese government is firmly facilitating the internationalization of RMB. We are seriously considering whether to adopt RMB into the SDR."At the opening speech of the Davos forum, Premier Li Keqiang said China will open its domestic foreign exchange market to overseas central banks at the end of this year.

Investment Treaty Negotiation Priority of US-China S&ED: US Business OfficialThe president of the US-China Business Council says bilateral investment Treaty negotiations will be the top priority of the upcoming US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

US-China Business Council President John Frisbie says he believes the negotiations for the investment treaty will be an important topic between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Barack Obama.

"More specifically, I think the bilateral investment treaty is the top priority. For the reasons that I said, there is a negotiating processed in Beijing two weeks ago from now, there is another negotiation session will take here in Washington before President Xi is here."President Xi Jinping will make his first official state visit to the United States later this month.

Insiders believe the treaty negotiation will not only greatly spur investment potential between the two countries, but also be beneficial to US manufacturing and to China's structural reform. In June, the 19th round of negotiations saw the first exchange of negative lists, or sectors excluded from the treaty, marking new progress at the talks.

Frisbie says China and the US are going to be the main global growth drivers for years to come. He emphasizes that the Chinese market is important to US companies.

"The important thing is that China remains the growth drivers for American companies in spite of the economic slowdown in China. By my calculation, China is about 400 billion dollars market for American companies."The US-China Business Council is a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization of over 200 American companies that do business with China.

A previous report by this council showed that China is still an important export destination of US products amid China's economic slowdown. Export volume to China reached 120 billion US dollars last year, right after Canada and Mexico.

CIRC issues new management rules on ABS biz and circular on insurance PE fundsChina's top insurance regulator issued interim rules on Friday for business related to the management of asset-backed securities.

The China Insurance Regulatory Commission says the launching of the new rules is aimed to enhance management over such business and ensure the safety insurance funds.

According to the circular, insurance PE funds will adhere to market-oriented operation guidelines, and a registration system will be adopted for the issuance of such funds.

The issuance of the circular is aimed at regulating initiation of such funds in a bid to better support development of the real economy.

Foundation set to support medium and small enterprisesChina's central government will allocate 15 billion yuan, or nearly 2.4 billion US dollars, for a foundation supporting medium and small enterprises.

The platform collects information on all credit products offered by commercial banks in Beijing. Enterprises can apply for loans and access loan related information on the platform.

S. Korea freezes interest rates at record-low amid further cut expectationsSouth Korea's central bank on Friday froze its policy rate at a record low for the third consecutive month.

The bank lowered the rate by 25 basis points in March and again in June, matching identical cuts made in August and October of last year.

Analysts believe South Korea's central bank will further lower the benchmark interest rate due to a fast fall in the country's exports.

SportsLin Dan defeats Lee Chong-wei at Japan Open, Chen Long outIn badminton,Lin Dan blitzed past Lee Chong-wei in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals at the Japan Open.

National Swimming Championships wrap upIn swimming,Sun Yang wrapped up the national championships with another gold medal in the men's 400 meter freestyle.

"I'm happy with the win. It's actually beyond my expectations. Before the event, I thought I could clock around 3 minutes-45 seconds because I'm not in the best of health after the world championships in Kazan. I really didn't think I'd be able to swim this fast. This is also the world's best performance this year. So I'm very happy."Sun has won three gold medals and one bronze medal at the event.

Another young star was born in the pool, as 16-year-old Li Zhuhao claimed all three titles in men's butterfly events and broke two records.

The world's new 100 meter king Ning Zetao is still recovering from the strains of the world championships and took eighth place in the 50 meter butterfly.

Ding Junhui Knocked out of Sangsom Six Red World ChampionshipIn snooker,China's Ding Junhui has been knocked out of the Sangsom Six Red World Championship in Bangkok, losing to Matthew Selt.

In doubles action,Andy Murray's brother Jamie has reached the men's doubles final with his Australian partner John Peers. This makes Murray the first British man to reach the men's doubles finals of the US Open since 1972.

"We're super pumped to get through. I think we played a great match. Especially on serve, I think they had many chances there except when we lost our serve or were serving for it. I think we were really dominant on serve. They were as well after the first set. We were dying in the tie-break. We fought back, a few crazy points in the end that went our way. I think we deserved to win, I really do."They will fight for the title against the French pair of Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

Nicholas Roche wins stage 18, Tom Dumoulin stays in redVery quickly in cycling,Team Sky's Irish rider Nicholas Roche outsprinted Spanish veteran Haimar Zubeldia and won stage 18 of the Vuelta.

Ibrahimovic to sit out PSG's clash with Bordeaux for Champions League game against MalmoIn football,Paris Saint-Germain's key striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic will sit out their French Ligue 1 clash against Bordeaux this weekend to prepare for next week's Champions League game.

"He is not in the best condition, since he suffered an injury. He played selectively, he is cleared to play tomorrow but he will not play. There you go, I'm telling you before you even ask the question. He will not be on the roster. He would have been able to play but we decided to let him rest and he will be back in top condition for the match against Malmo."Ibrahimovic will be playing for PSG against Sweden's Malmo, the club which launched his football career 20 years ago, in the opening round of the champions league.

Cristiano Ronaldo launches fragranceSome off-pitch football news,Cristiano Ronaldo has launched his own fragrance "Legacy" in the Spanish capital Madrid.

"I use fragrance every day and to have my own fragrance, for me, it's kind of a dream. It's unbelievable. It's something very special for me, something that I've always dreamed of, so it's great. The fragrance is good, the smell is unbelievable and I'm very happy for that."Ronaldo enjoys branching out and being involved in marketing activities but says he will always put football first.

"I put it like a part of my job: to play football, which is the number one role for me, and after, to do these kinds of things. I think it's good because it's something that I relate, I like it. It's something very special for me, not just the perfume but for my shirts, or shoes, whatever. And I think it's good, it's part of the business, so for me it's good. It takes a lot of time sometimes to film, but it's nice, I like it."Thirty-five-year-old Ronaldo already owns a fashion line. He is ranked second in Forbes' world's highest paid athletes list.

EntertainmentGyllenhaal movie opens Toronto Film FestivalThe 40th Toronto Film Festival kicked off on Thursday with Jake Gyllenhaal's new film 'Demolition' opening the event.

Demolition follows a successful investment banker played by Gyllenhaal who has to rebuild his life after his wife dies in a car crash. The film also stars Chris Cooper and Naomi Watts.

Gyllenaal has attended the film festival many times bringing movies such as Brokeback Mountain and Prisoners to the event but he says being part of the opening night was an honour.

"The history of cinema has been made here, some has begun here. I've been here at different times in my career with movies I have gone on to be admired or win awards or things like that. Little pieces of that is an honor. To open a festival like this with the energy of the opening, you know, you don't have to do too much work at the opening because everybody is already excited and you get to use that momentum. It's an honor, man,"Demolition is directed by Jean Marc Vallee who has appeared at the past two Toronto film festivals with his films Wild and Dallas Buyers Club.

Huang Bo and Zhou Xun join Chinese version of The Little PrinceHuang Bo and Zhou Xun are set to feature as part of the Chinese voice cast for upcoming film The Little Prince.

The film directed by Mark Osbourne who was also behind Kung Fu Panda, is one of France's biggest budgeted animation films with a huge budget of $80 million.

The Little Prince is an adaptation of the book with the same name which has sold over 145 million copies worldwide. It follows a young girl's relationship with her mother and a mysterious neighbor who tells her the story of the little prince.

There is also an English version which stars Rachel McAdams and James Franco which is set for release at the end of this year.

Sally Field and Stephen King awarded National MedalsActress Sally Field and writer Stephen King were among a group awarded National Medals for the arts and humanities on Thursday by US President Barack Obama.

Obama awarded 21 individuals and organisations with National Medals for the arts and humanities during a ceremony at The White House.

Sally Field received her medal for showing dignity, empathy and fearlessness in performances. She has appeared in many hit movies including Forrest Gump and Mrs Doubtfire.

Stephen King received his award for combining storytelling with analysis of human nature. He is often referred to as the master of Horror penning titles such as Carrie and The Shining.

"On behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House, for one of our favourites events of the year. Love this event, when truly extraordinary artists and innovators and thinkers are recognised for their brilliance, while the rest of us look on and feel totally inadequate."Obama also told the audience that the artists, singers and authors being honoured all share truths about the common experiences of Americans and human beings in their work.

Britney Spears to extend Las Vegas residencyMega star Britney Spears will be extending her residency in Las Vegas by at least another two years.

Caesars Entertainment Corp announced on Thursday that the singer's residency at Planet Hollywood casino-hotel on the Strip will now last until December 2017.

According to Caesars, the show will be edited with new elements added so that Spears' diehard fans can continue to come and enjoy the show.

On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, 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...

新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2015/09/11（在线收听）