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

Coming up on the program this morning...

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan to meet three generations of the British royal family during next week's state visit to the UK...

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang presents new areas for deepening economic reforms here in China...

And US troops set to remain in Afganistan throughout 2016 in a major policy reversal for the Obama administration...

In Business....China and the European Union take new steps to boost bilateral trade...

In Sports....the latest updates from the Shanghai masters...

And in Entertainment....Film "The Little Prince" set to open here in China...

Top NewsRoyal family to gather in strength for XiChinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan will meet three generations of the British royal family during President Xi's state visit next week.

Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom Liu Xiaoming said this visit will usher in a golden era of the Sino-British relationship.

"During the visit, president Xi Jinping together with the British leaders will give China-UK relations a new position. They will set new goals and draw up a new blueprint for the bilateral relations. Therefore, the state visit will be a significant landmark between the past and future. It will mark a new milestone in China-UK relations, and herald a golden era of the relationship."Liu said Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and other royal family members will meet Xi Jinping.

The ambassador introduced that a welcoming ceremony, a state banquet hosted by the queen, a banquet in the City of London and a 103-gun royal salute will be staged for the president.

Liu said Xi Jinping will deliver a speech to the British Parliament and have talks with Prime Minister David Cameron.

Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan will also visit Cameron and his wife Samantha at Chequers, the prime minister's country residence in Buckinghamshire.

Liu Xiaoming said the president will visit several universities and colleges during his visit.

"For the Imperial College, I think he will visit some institutes which are strong in robots, health and also data. And in Manchester University our president will visit graphene, it is a new material which has a bright future. And the president will go to meet with the scientists and Nobel Laurels you know who won the Nobel prize for the invention."Buckingham Palace also disclosed more details about the royal welcome planned for the Chinese president.

He will be received by the queen at an official ceremony at the Royal Pavilion on Horse Guards Parade on the first day of the visit, before traveling to Buckingham Palace in a state carriage procession along The Mall.

The queen will host a private lunch for the president in the Blue Drawing Room at the palace and the state banquet on the first evening.

UK experts elaborate on "golden era" of Sino-British relationsAnchorA number of leading voices in the United Kingdom are suggesting Chinese President Xi Jinping's forthcoming trip there next week is only going to help solidify the "golden" standard both sides have been using to describe ties between the two countries.

CRI's Wang Mengzhen explains.

ReporterShortly after British Prime Minister David Cameron's re-election in May, he was quoted as saying he believes the relationship between the UK and China has entered a "golden era" of development.

Since then, both sides have been throwing around "gold" to describe both economic and diplomatic ties.

Mike Bastin, director of China Business Center based in London, says the term, though perhaps somewhat derivative, does seem to fit.

"I think the golden era is the right term. The British government realized the growth in trade with China and other fast-growing nations is so important for the Eurozone economy. And I also think the term comes from the Chinese side where the internationalization of Chinese industries across all sectors is now of paramount importance for the sustainable growth of the Chinese economy. And UK seems as a real opportunity (for China) to enter and expand across Europe. "At the same time, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is also among those trotting out the 'gold standard' when describing his expectations for Xi Jinping's forthcoming trip.

"I think it's possible to get to an even higher and increased level of cooperation, not just economically but politically. How China develops its role in the world -- it's got immense implications for everyone today. There's no big global problem that can be solved without China. We are enthusiastic about developing the ties with China even further and making sure that this next decade is a golden decade."The "golden decade" is being used to describe most areas of cooperation between China and the UK.

However, one area which has seen a major step forward over the past few years is in infrastructure investment.

On top of Chinese companies purchasing a number of major properties in London, its being said Chinese investors are being directed toward other areas, including the development of the new Hinkley nuclear power station project in the UK, as well as Britain's high-speed railway system.

But other UK observers are suggesting Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit may go beyond economics.

Doctor Robin Niblett, director of London-based international think-tank Chatham House, suggests "climate change" is a non-traditional field the two countries can begin exploring.

"The British government is part of the EU, which is the other part of the triangle in a way on climate change. This could also be a big feature. There's some quite important long-term studies taking place between Chinese and British institutes on resources, on how to do greater energy efficiency, green technology, how to think about food and water, not just oil and energy. "Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with his wife Peng Liyuan, is scheduled to fly out to London on Monday.

The couple will be guests of the Queen at Buckingham Palace during their 5-day visit.

It will be the first state visit to the UK by a Chinese leader in a decade.

For CRI, I am Wang Mengzhen.

Chinese President Calls for Support on Belt and Road from Asian Political PartiesChinese President Xi Jinping has called for support on the 'One Belt and One Road' initiative from political parties across Asia.

He made the remarks while meeting with foreign representatives attending the Asian Political Parties' Special Conference on the Silk Road in Beijing.

President Xi said the conference, boasting a theme of "New Vision of the Silk Road, Actions for Common Development," is of important practical significance.

"I believe that the conference will make a new contribution to enhancing the spirit and acknowledgement of the Belt and Road Initiative as well as promoting regional cooperation and common development of countries along the route, where economic cooperation plays an important role. The initiative will also promote exchanges among different civilizations and world peace and development."He added that farsighted political parties and politicians should be at the forefront in the construction of the Belt and Road, and countries along the route should align their development and reform strategies with the initiative.

He said China follows the principles of wide consultation, joint contributions and shared benefits when promoting the initiative.

Major representatives of Asian political parties have voiced support for the initiative, saying it has offered historical opportunities for the common prosperity and development of countries along the proposed route.

Chinese Premier Urges Deeper ReformsChinese Premier Li Keqiang has stressed deepening reforms and fostering new growth impetus to stabilize the Chinese economy.

He made the remarks at a meeting attended by the heads of several municipalities and provinces.

Premier Li stressed that China's economy is in the process of a shift from traditional growth methods to new engines, while the weakening old impetus intensified the downward pressure and new impetus is emerging.

He added that there is great potential concerning investment in many different areas.

"We should continue to promote some of the traditional impetus, and the space for our future investment is still quite big. Railway is a very typical example. There are many investment opportunities in projects in water conservation and road construction in central and west China, where the requirement for more investment exists."Premier Li added that industrial upgrades will be accelerated via combining the strategies of mass startups, Internet Plus and Made in China 2025.

People-oriented urbanization and agricultural modernization will also be coordinated, and reform of state-owned enterprises and support for small businesses will be continued with better incentive mechanisms.

Meantime, the initiatives of all-level governments, enterprises and common people have also been stressed.

Premier Li said more rights will be given in the areas of local policymaking, capital management and pilot programs.

China launches nationwide fire safety control campaign in welfare institutionsChinese authorities held a video conference on fire safety control Thursday in Beijing.

The meeting aims to rectify fire safety defects and hazards in social welfare institutions across the country.

On the same day, an investigative report on a fire that cost 39 lives of a welfare institution in Henan province several months ago was issued. 31 people were arrested.

Yu Jianhua with the Ministry of Public Security said that fire safety is poor in many welfare institutions.

"China has seen a rapid growth in the number of welfare institutions in recent years, especially private ones in rural villages and urban communities where there's a lack of supervision and control and hazards are common, such as the low fire-resistance quality of building materials, lack of escape ways, and other irrationalities in architectural structures in the case of fire."Deputy Minister of Civil Affairs Zou Ming said local governments should make sure that institutions with fire hazards rectify their problems.

"The Ministry of Civil Affairs has decided that beginning this year the subsidies from welfare lotteries of local civil affairs departments for the construction of civil service institutions will prioritize the construction of safety facilities for three consecutive years. New institutions shall be examined and approved strictly according to the 'Licensing Procedures for the Establishment of Old-care Institutions'."Authorities have launched a one-year special campaign to rectify fire defects and hazards.

China starts sampling population censusA new round of a sample national population census will start on Friday.

The census will investigate quantitative, qualitative, structural and distributional changes of the population since the sixth census in 2010.

Feng Nailin with the National Bureau of Statistics said they added contents on the migrant population in the sampling.

"We've added contents related to the migrant population to get a more accurate picture of it. The second aspect of added contents is related directly with people's livelihood, such as employment and social security. And the third concerns women's fertility."Around 5,000 surveyors will visit five million households totaling 14 million people in 60,000 communities across the country.

A census is conducted every decade based on the population census regulations of the State Council.

In between the ten years there will be a sampling census of 1 percent.

China to Develop E-commerce in CountrysideAnchorNew plans are being worked on to try to bolster e-commerce activity in China's vast rural areas.

CRI's Luo Wen with details.

ReporterThe new plans include major upgrades to the internet itself, as well as the creation of new infrastructure projects to promote the development of logistics in more parts of rural China.

It will involve spending of around 140-billion yuan by 2020 to provide at least 50-thousand villages in China with Internet access.

Once complete, authorities say this should give internet access to around 98-percent of the country.

The new State Council initative also calls for upgrading internet speeds and broadband access in rural areas which already have access to the internet.

Shen Danyang with the Ministry of Commerce says it’s their belief the new plan should also help in the government's broader efforts for poverty-relief in rural China.

"The development of e-commerce is expected to help people in remote areas start business online. It should also help promote local farming products and trips to the countryside."Data from the Ministry of Commerce shows online shopping revenues across China topped 9.8 trillion yuan through the first eight months this year, up nearly 25 percent year on year.

That same analysis shows e-commerce growth in China's third-and fourth-tier cities have shown stronger growth than in the larger, coastal cities.

Noting this, the leading e-commerce companies in China are already working on plans to tap the growing market.

Jin Jianhang, President of Alibaba, says they have plans over the next 5-years to build a nationwide delivery network.

"We plan to invest 10 billion yuan over the coming five years to set up delivery centers in 1,000 counties across the country as well as 100-thousand village-level outlets."At the same time, JD.com is actively trying to recruit more local agents.

The company's CEO is Liu Qiangdong.

"Of the over 40-thousand townships throughout the country, we have started business in 28-thousand. We have also contracted 46 thousand village-level agents, which is expected to reach 100 thousand by the end of this year and 480 thousand before 2020."However, Cheng Yu, a researcher of rural economics with the State Council, is cautioning e-commerce companies not to expect quick profits.

"The major task for now is to establish an efficient logistics system and a platform for farmers to sell their products. It's also important for online retailers to establish a credit system and strict quality supervision measures. That process will take a long time. "There are currently around 700-million people living in China's rural areas.

For CRI, I'm Luo Wen.

China Urges Japan to address international concern over excess nuclear material storageChina is urging Japan to address international concerns over its excess nuclear material storage.

The call comes after two think tanks in both China and the US released seperate reports on the issue.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the key to solving the problem is Japan's resolution.

"The two academic reports prove again that there are many ways to solve Japan's nuclear materials problem. The key is that Japan must take a responsible attitude and concrete actions to address relevant concerns of the international community."Citing the latest data from the International Atomic Energy Agency, a Chinese study found Japan owns nearly 48 tonnes of highly sensitive separated plutonium, 22-percent of which are stored in the country, enough to make 1,350 nuclear warheads.

The study also found Japan has about 1.2 tonnes of highly-enriched uranium for research reactors.

It further notes that once the Rokkasho reprocessing plant in Japan under construction starts its operation, the country could obtain the ability of producing eight tonnes of separated plutonium annually.

The study was jointly published by China Arms Control and Disarmament Association and the China Institute of Nuclear Information and Economics.

The other report was composed by the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Japan Restart Second Nuclear Reactor at Sendai Nuclear PlantJapan has restarted a second reactor at a nuclear power plant in the southwest of the country.

The Number-2 unit at the Sendai plant will begin generating power next week.

The first reactor at the Sendai facility was restarted in August, ending a prolonged nuclear power hiatus in Japan.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says this move will be the first of many.

"We will continue to restart nuclear reactors that meet what's called one of the most strict safety standards in the world, respecting the judgment of the government's nuclear authority."The Abe administration hopes to have nuclear power to account for 20 to 22-percent of the country's energy mix by 2030.

Roadblocks remain, however, as opposition to nuclear power remains widespread following the melt-down of the Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2011.

Iran state TV broadcast footage of missiles and launchersIranian state television has for the first time aired footage of an underground tunnel stocked with missile and launcher units.

Carried by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the footage showed lines of missiles being loaded on to launchers.

According to the Fars news agency, the tunnel was 500 metres deep and about 10 metres high.

The tunnel's location is not clear at the moment.

The tunnel was reportedly only one of hundreds spreading the country.

The footage were released three days after the country test-fired a new long-range missile.

It also came just a day after Iran approved the country's nuclear deal with six world powers.

The United States has said the missile test may have breached a UN Security Council resolution which went into effect in 2010.

However, the White House said the launch would not impact the nuclear deal to be formally enacted by the end of this year.

U.S. Troops to Remain in Afghanistan beyond 2016AnchorU.S. President Barack Obama announced Thursday that a complete withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan will be prolonged.

Instead of going down to a normal embassy presence in Kabul by the end of 2016, we will maintain 5,500 troops at a small number of bases.

The decision means he will hand the conflict off to his successor.

CRI Washington chief correspondent Xiaohong has the details.

President Obama said the hard decision was made after continuous assessments of the situation on the ground with his national security team.

"Afghan forces are still not as strong as they need to be. They're developing critical capabilities -- intelligence, logistics, aviation, command and control. And meanwhile, the Taliban has made gains, particularly in rural areas."The U.S. will maintain 9,800 troops throughout most of 2016. Starting from 2017, that number will come down to 5,500. President Obama stressed that the U.S. troops will only focus on two objectives.

"The mission will not change. Our troops will focus on training Afghans and counterterrorism operations."Meanwhile, U.S. allies in Afghanistan are urged to work out their own plans to maintain a military presence after 2016, the original time set for a complete withdrawal.

In addition, President Obama promised to continue to support Afghan President Ashraf Ghani as political reforms are ongoing in Afghanistan.

The decision also means that he would not keep his campaign promise to end two wars in his tenure.

But President Obama is determined to finish the mission.

"As Commander-in-Chief, I will not allow Afghanistan to be used as safe haven for terrorists to attack our nation again."Republican presidential candidates including former Florida governor Jeb Bush and New Jersey governor Chris Christie have voiced support for the decision.

Xiaohong, CRI, Washington DC.

Pentagon Backs Obama on Troops Prolong PlanThe Pentagon has expressed its support for President Obama's announcement to prolong the US military presence in Afghanistan.

Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said he was confident that the US allies will offer a significant contribution to the region in the coming years.

"I'll let the allies and the partners speak for themselves, but I can just tell you that from our visit to NATO last week, to Brussels, that there was a significant conversation about Afghanistan and the effort to support the Afghan government."US secretary of defense Ashton Carter also voiced his support, saying the decision is also crucial to the safety of the Americans at home.

"We're adjusting our presence, based on conditions on the ground, to give the United States and our allies the capability to sustain a robust counter-terrorism platform, denying a safe haven for terrorist and violent extremist organizations. This will keep Americans safer back home."The US-led coalition ended its combat mission in Afghanistan at the end of 2014, 13 years after the war started.

The Afghan troops has since taken over the country's security with help from the US and NATO troops.

However, Afghan forces have struggled in assaults from Taliban militants, who briefly took over the northern city of Kunduz.

Iraq's Northern Kurdish Region Confirms Cholera CasesThe Kurdish Regional Government in northern Iraq has confirmed two cases of cholera.

The announcement followed an epidemic spread through the rest of Iraq last months, with 14-hundered confirmed cases.

A doctor with the local Health Department Mohammed Ceerwan said the two cases were discovered in the regional refugee camps.

"This year, a month ago, several cases of cholera were diagnosed and have spread through Iraq. And since we have 22 refugee camps in Dohuk, two of the people in the camps have been diagnosed with cholera after a visit to Baghdad and Basra."The Northern Kurdish region hosts camps for 1.8 million refugees or internally displaced persons.

A number of NGO's and the regional government have implemented efforts to raise awareness of the disease in these camps. Dr. Ceerwan also urged the local water department to add more chlorine into the water.

Fossil Teeth in China Show Earlier Signs of Humans in AsiaScientists have found 47 fossilized human teeth in south China's Hunan Province.

The teeth found in a Daoxian County cave are believed to be between 80,000 to 120,000 years old. Researchers say the discovery provides the earliest signs of fully modern humans outside Africa.

Research Xing Song from the Chinese Academy of Sciences says the fossils date the presence of modern humans in Asia much earlier than previously known.

" There were previous reports of the existence of these humans but no materials showing this kind of completely modern human, so this has put back the emergence of modern humans in East Asia by 40,000 to 60,000 years or even earlier, so this is really important."The teeth are believed to have come from at least 13 individuals. They place the existence of modern humans in southern China up to 70,000 years before those in the eastern Mediterranean or Europe.

Researchers attribute the gap to the existence of Neanderthals in Europe and the continent's cold climate.

The research appears in the journal Nature.

Germany Orders Massive Recall of VW CarsGermany's Federal Motor Transport Authority has ordered a mandatory recall of up to 8.5 million Volkswagen cars in Europe, including 2.4 million in Germany.

The country's Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt made the announcement on Thursday.

"The recall will begin at the start of 2016. The Federal Motor Transport Authority will monitor the start of the recall action and its progress."VW admitted last month that it cheated in US emissions testing for its diesel cars with illegal software. The practice has affected 11 million cars worldwide since 2008.

Analysts say the scandal could cost the company up to 40 billion dollars to cover recalls, fines and lawsuits globally.

VW said it welcomes Thursday's decision from Germany authorities. Previously, Germany rejected the company's proposal of voluntary repairs for affected cars in Germany.

WeatherBeijing will be foggy with a high of 25 degrees Celsius.

Overnight temperatures should drop down to 13.

Shanghai will be sunny with a high of 26 and a low of 18.

In Chongqing, it will be cloudy with a high of 29 and lows of 18.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Islamabad will be sunny with a high of 31.

Kabul will be cloudy with a high of 23.

Over to North America,New York will be cloudy with a high of 18 degrees.

Washington, cloudy with a high of 19 degrees.

Honolulu, slight rain, 28.

Toronto will see slight rain with a high of 11 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires will be sunny with a high of 19.

And Rio de Janeiro will be overcast with a high of 33 degrees Celsius.

Headline NewsRoyal family to gather in strength for XiChinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan will meet three generations of the British royal family during President Xi's state visit next week.

Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom Liu Xiaoming said this visit will usher in a golden era of the Sino-British relationship.

Liu said Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and other royal family members will meet Xi Jinping.

The ambassador introduced that a welcoming ceremony, a state banquet hosted by the queen, a banquet in the City of London and a 103-gun royal salute will be staged for the president.

Liu said Xi Jinping will deliver a speech to the British Parliament and have talks with Prime Minister David Cameron.

Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan will also visit Cameron and his wife Samantha at Chequers, the prime minister's country residence in Buckinghamshire.

7 Cities in Hebei among Most Polluted in SeptemberA ranking released by China's Ministry of Environmental Protection shows that 7 cities in north China's Hebei Province were among the 10 most polluted last month.

The ministry said ozone has overtaken PM2.5 to become the main air pollutant in all 74 Chinese cities reviewed in the monthly report.

The city with the worst air quality last month was Jinan, capital city of east China's Shandong Province, with over half of the days in September polluted.

In Beijing, nearly 27 percent of September days were polluted with no days of heavy pollution.

Regionally, the air quality in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region improved while in the Pearl River Delta region worsened.

Bill Gates global challenges meeting set to be held in ChinaAn annual meeting organized by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with the aim of fostering innovation to solve global health and development issues will be held in China for the first time next week.

The event in Beijing will attract about 800 researchers and scientists, as well as representatives of governments and organizations from across the globe.

One of its focuses will be China's increasing innovation and capacity for scientific breakthroughs, and awards will be given to 50 of the most promising young Chinese scientists.

Biz ReportsMarket PreviewAnchorTurning onto business news. First, a quick look at the closing numbers across North America and Europe as well as a recap on the Chinese market.

It was a good trading day for markets across the board.

U.S. stocks posted solid gains on Thursday, as Wall Street assessed mixed economic data and positive earnings reports from big banks.

The U.S. Consumer Price Index decreased 0.2 percent in September on a seasonally adjusted basis, in line with market consensus.

In the week ending October 10th, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial jobless claims decreased 7-thousand from the previous week's revised level to 255-thousand, below market estimates.

Meanwhile, the October 2015 Empire State Manufacturing Survey indicates that business activity declined for a third consecutive month for New York manufacturers.

At the closing bell,Dow Jones grew 1.3 percent.

S&P 500 rose 1.5 percent.

The Nasdaq spiked 1.8 percent.

Meanwhile in Europe, the equities ended sharply higher on Thursday.

At the closing bell,UK's FTSE 100 gained 1.1 percent.

Germany's DAX was up 1.5 percent.

France's CAC 40 jumped 1.4 percent.

Finally in China,The shares experienced a big rally on Thursday, amid improving sentiment and expectation of more growth-supportive policies.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index advanced 2.3 percent while the Shenzhen index increased 3 percent.

China, EU to launch mutual AEO recognition to boost tradeChina and the European Union are set to launch a mutual recognition on an Authorized Economic Operator certificate on November 1st to boost bilateral trade.

The AEO certificate consists of a number of internationally recognized quality standards that guarantee a business is secured in the international supply chain.

Head of the Audit Division at the General Administration of Customs of China Tang Qingtao says the AEO certificate can help companies to promote their competitiveness in international trade.

"Since the implementation of AEO certificate between China and South Korea, the certified Chinese exporters have seen the rate of goods clearance through South Korean customs increase by 30 percent on average. For example, in Qingdao, the AEO certified exporters saw a year-on-year growth in trade with South Korea by over 20 percent."Tang has added that the mutual recognition on the AEO certificate can also facilitate the economic connectivity and interaction between China and its major trade partners, such as the EU and the US.

"The EU and the US are the two biggest marketplaces for Chinese exporters. To follow the national strategies in recent years and to promote economic ties between China and its major markets, China's customs have simplified its clearance procedures to boost bilateral trade and help traders on both sides to achieve faster development."At the same time, the EU is seeking opportunities with China to further promote their cooperation on reviewing mergers.

The European Commission and Commerce Ministry of China have hammered out a guidance document dubbed "best practices for cooperation on reviewing mergers".

They have agreed to increase the efficiency of investigations and reduce the burden on the merging parties.

Pepsi & HuaweiAnchorTime to check in with some of the stories making headlines from the corporate world this week.

US-based beverage brand Pepsi-Cola is set to release its first smartphone in China on October 20.

Reports say the company will launch an Android cellphone, called Pepsi P1, in the Chinese market only.

The smartphone will be priced at around 1,300 yuan or 210 U.S. dollars.

Currently, PepsiCo is working with a licensing partner market a line of mobile phones and accessories in China.

However, the company says it has no plan to get into the mobile phone manufacturing business so far.

For more on this topic, we are joined live on the line by Doug Young, Associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief with Reuters.

Questions:

1.What is the motivation to push Pepsi to produce smartphones?

2.Why is Pepsi only selling the phone in the Chinese market? Do you think the new phone Pepsi P1 is more competitive than Chinese homegrown smartphones such as Huawei and Xiaomi?

Speaking of Huawei, the domestic smartphone maker has continued its rise to become the world's third largest smartphone brand, surpassing its rival Xiaomi.

A report by the global research firm TrendForce shows Huawei became the first Chinese brand to pass its 100-million-unit target in annual sales during the third quarter of this year.

The company had previously set a target of 100 million unit sales for the entire year.

Huawei is now trying to leverage its long experience in making telecoms equipment to diversify into the consumer-oriented smartphone space.

Questions:

1.Huawei's shipment performance in the third quarter came in well above expectations. Based on TrendForce's estimation, its smartphone shipments for this year will grow upwards of 40 percent over 2014. Why is Huawei so popular in the markets both China and overseas?

2.Data shows Huawei boosted its share of the global smartphone market to 8.4 percent in the third quarter, putting it in a solid third place worldwide. What business/marketing strategies do you think they have employed in climbing to this position?

Back AnchorDoug Young, Associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief with Reuters.

China Unicom seals deal to expand Cameroon's telecom capacityChinese mobile communication company China Unicom has inked a deal with its Cameroonian counterpart.

The agreement has been signed by China Unicom and Cameroon Telecommunications to construct a submarine optical fiber cable linking Cameroon with Brazil.

The almost 6-thousand kilometers long project is set to be operated by Huawei Marine Networks, with estimated to cost nearly 500 million U.S. dollars.

The project is scheduled to be completed in two years.

Ride-booking giant UCAR joins hands with E-DaijiaChina's ride-booking giant UCAR Technology has joined hands with domestic leading designated chauffeur platform E-Daijia.

The two companies will cooperate in marketing promotions and platform sharing.

However, the amount of capital investment involved has not been disclosed at this point.

The move came amid regulatory turmoil, as the Ministry of Transport bans the use of private cars in its draft rules for online ride-hailing services.

If passed, the ban will be a potential blow to current market leader Didi Kuaidi and US-based Uber.

UCAR is a separately-operated brand under China's leading auto rental provider CAR Inc.

E-Daijia is the country's largest provider of mobile-based designated driving services.

SportsShanghai Masters ReportAnchorOn day five of action from the Shanghai Rolex Masters, the competition heated up as the world's top tennis players battled it out to make it through to the quarter finals.

CRI's Sophie Williams is in Shanghai with the latest action from the courts.

ReporterBritain's Andy Murray was first to advance into the quarter finals after a tough match against American John Isner. He won the match 6-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Murray says the first set was tough but he felt more in control during the second and third sets.

"Once I was in the rallies, I felt in control in the second and third set. In the first set with some of the rallies, he was able to dictate the points using his forehand well and really going for it. But I did feel in the second and third sets when I could get in the rallies, I was dictating the points. "In other action,World Number one Novak Djokovic defeated Spain's Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-2 in just over an hour.

Djokovic says he's on a good run at the moment and is feeling confident.

"You can't just expect to win all the time comfortably but I've been doing so for the last week and a half and obviously it's given me more confidence. Every time I come back to the court I feel good and I start off well. "South African Kevin Anderson downed Japan's Kei Nishikori 7-6, 7-6 to knock him out of the competition.

Spain's Rafael Nadal beat Switzerland's Milos Raonic 6-3,7-6.

Czech Tomas Berdych also advanced to the next round after winning his match against France's Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-3.

His French compatriot Jo Wilfried Tsonga downed Albert Ramos Vinolas of Spain 6-7, 7-5, 5-3. Ramos had earlier knocked Roger Federer out of the first stage of the tournament.

And there was a shock defeat in men's doubles as defending champions Bob and Mike Bryan failed to progress to the quarter finals being stunned by Robert Farah and Juan Sebastián Cabal 7-6, 6-7, 10-7.

For CRI, I'm Sophie Williams in Shanghai.

Badminton Denmark Open resultsIn badminton,There were mixed results for China after the opening round of the Denmark Open.

World number one Chen Long defeated Wong Wing Ki from Hong Kong in straight sets 21-12, 22-20.

Third seed Lin Dan blitzed past Estonia's Raul Must 21-15, 21-18 in just 45 minutes to give himself the best present on his birthday.

It took less time for Wang Zhengming to fall to local favorite Jan Jorgenson 21-17, 21-9, in 37 minutes.

And it was an easy victory for former world number one Lee Chong-wei from Malaysia, who downed Wei Nan of Hong Kong 21-18, 21-19.

On the women's side,Sun Yu was the only Chinese player who fell in this round, going down against world champion Carolina Marin 21-10, 21-15.

Li Xuerui, Wang Shixian, Wang Yihan all progressed.

In men's doubles,Five out of six Chinese pairs made it into the next round.

UEFA supports PlatiniIn football,Europe's football governing body UEFA has said it will support President Michel Platini's right to defend himself against corruption allegations.

General Secretary Gianni Infantino said at a press conference that they hope all parties will work together to put the case to rest.

"We (UEFA) support Michel Platini's right to a due process and a fair trial and to the opportunity to clear his name. We strongly call on all instances involved in the current process, FIFA's ethic committee, FIFA's appeal committee and ultimately the Court of Arbitration for Sport to work very rapidly to ensure that there is a final decision on the merits of the case by at the latest mid-November 2015."Infantino also said that UEFA thinks the FIFA congress next February to select a new president should not be delayed.

Platini is running for the presidency and is currently on a 90-day suspension with Sepp Blatter.

Platini is being investigated over a 2 million payment in US dollars from Blatter in 2011.

Oscar Pistorius to be released to house arrestSouth African authorities have given the green-light for Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius to be moved to house arrest.

The "blade runner" is expected to be released next Tuesday, having served one-sixth of his five-year sentence, which is the minimum required before he can be placed on house arrest.

A spokesperson for the Department of Correctional Services says there will be some restrictions.

"They have included the two conditions that were raised by the parole review board, that he should continue with psychotherapy and, in addition to that, he should be regulated in terms of the Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act, which prohibits the handling of guns given the fact that he was convicted of having mishandled that."Pistorius will serve the rest of his sentence until October 2019.

His initial release in August was canceled at the last minute after intervention by authorities.

Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend on Valentine's Day in 2013.

He was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to five years in prison in September the following year.

Entertainment'The Little Prince' Opens in China3D animated film 'The Little Prince' has opened in China in both English and Chinese.

Chinese actor Huang Bo lent his voice to the film's Chinese theme song, as well as to the character the Aviator in the film.

A number of other well-known Chinese artists, including Golden Horse award-winning actress Zhou Xun, completed the cast.

Directed by Kung Fu Panda's co-director Mark Osbourne, 'The Little Prince' is based on the renowned French novel with the same name.

However, it is not a direct adaptation.

It has taken in elements from the novel, and interwoven them with an original narrative, featuring a young girl who is dealing with her pushy mother.

This is the first adaptation of the beloved novella, which has sold 145 million copies in 265 languages.

Oprah Winfrey to Release New Documentary Series 'Belief'

Oprah Winfrey will unveil her new documentary series 'Belief', talking about how religion is perceived differently across the world.

At the series' premier in New York, Winfrey called on people to find common ground, no matter what or who they believe in.

"What I know in my maturity is that the real purpose of being human beings on the planet, we are all different in search of the same thing. We're all yearning for the same thing but we have different ways and different approaches to doing that. That's what being a human being is."The film takes three years to accomplish, as cameras trek to various countries to showcase people with varying perspectives and experiences with religion and spirituality.

Author and public speaker Deepak Chopra gives the reason why people should watch 'Belief'.

"It could change your life. Seriously. There's more and more scientific proof right now that if you have a higher calling, if you believe in something bigger than yourself, the mystery of its existence, it changes your brain, it activates your genes, it brings about self-regulational healing so it's very practical."'Belief' is set to be released on Winfrey's network OWN this Sunday.

Delta Goodrem to Perform in Musical 'CATS'

Australian singer Delta Goodrem will appear in Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musical "CATS", after enjoying 15 years of success as a recording artist.

The 30-year-old star can't hold back her excitement as taking the role of Grizabella when the hit musical comes to Australia later this month.

"I can't wait to join the 'CATS' family. I've really fallen in love with the theater. It's just so much fun. It's an all-Australian cast I'm working with and I got to meet Andrew Lloyd Webber this week and work with him on the song and it's just an absolute honor to do the role that so many iconic actors have done before me."First opening in London's West End, the musical features a tribe of cats, and depicts the night they make the decision of which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life.

Goodrem reveals more details of the rehearsals for the show.

"I tell you what, the first week of rehearsals everybody - because they're all dancers every single day and obviously I sit my butt down a little more at a piano - so it was a little more of me in the corner going 'aaaah' (wheezing). I couldn't breathe the first week of rehearsals!"The show will open in Sydney on October 30th. It is also scheduled to be staged in Melbourne and Brisbane.

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

Recapping our top stories this morning...

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan to meet three generations of the British royal family during next week's state visit to the UK...

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang presents new areas for deepening economic reforms here in China...

And US troops set to remain in Afganistan throughout 2016...

On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, 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.