新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 08:00 2016/02/08（在线收听）

The Beijing Hour

Morning Edition

Paul James with you this Monday, February 8, 2016. Lunar New Year's Day.

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

Coming up on the program...

Mainland authorities offering help in the wake of a strong earthquake which rattled southern Taiwan on Saturday, with dozens still believed trapped in the rubble of an apartment building.

The UN Security Council meets in an emergency session following North Korea's satellite launch on Sunday.

Chinese Internet companies dolling out hundreds of millions of yuan in "hongbao" to mark the start of the Year of the Monkey.

This year's Super Bowl is set to get underway later on this hour.

All that coming up in the next 30-minutes....

In the 2nd half of the hour, we'll be bringing you an edition of People In the Know.

Top News

Taiwan quake death toll rises to 34

The death toll from this weekend's powerful earthquake in southern Taiwan has climbed to 34.

Most of the deaths are in the Wei Guan building, where over 100 others are still believed to be trapped.

However, time is quickly running out, as the so-called 72-hour "golden window" to find survivors is fading.

The 6.7-magnitude quake hit early Saturday morning, knocking down the Wei Guan building, along with 8 others in Tainan.

Searchers have been pulling people from the rubble.

A 6-month old child was pulled alive on Sunday afternoon, but later died in hospital.

Her father is also counted among the dead.

Meanwhile, high-speed rail services in the region have now been restored.

Chinese mainland offers help following the earthquake in Taiwan

Mainland officials are offering assistance in the search and rescue efforts in Tainan.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission and the China Earthquake Administration have rescue teams on stand-by should a request be made.

The mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office and its counterpart in Tawian have been in contact.

CPC Central Committee chief Xi Jinping is promising any assistance which might be needed.

Beichuan and Lushan counties in Sichuan, areas which themselves are still trying to recover from devastating earthquakes, are donating 1-million yuan in assistance.

UN Security Council Condemns North Korea Satellite Launch

Anchor

The UN Security Council is strongly condemning North Korea's latest satellite launch, with the Council holding an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the situation.

CRI's UN correspondent Su Yi with the latest.

Reporter

Sunday's emergency meeting has been held at the request of South Korea, Japan and the United States.

All three consider North Korea's satellite launch as a covert way to test its ability to launch a ballistic missile.

Venezuela's UN Ambassador, Rafael Ramirez, head of the Security Council this month, issued a statement following a one-and-half-hour close-door meeting.

"The members of the Security Council underscored that this launch, as well as any other DPRK launch that uses ballistic missile technology, even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle, contributes to the DPRK's development of nuclear weapon delivery systems and is a serious violation of Security Council resolutions."

North Korea has been under U.N. sanctions since its first nuclear test in 2006.

Since then, it's conducted three more tests, including the one early last month.

It's also conducted a number of ballistic missile launches.

UN sanctions ban North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and launching ballistic missiles.

Rafael Ramirez says the 15-nation Security Council says "significant measures" are going to be spelled out in a new Security Council resolution.

"The members of the Security Council also recalled they had previously expressed their determination to take further significant measures in the event of another DPRK launch. In line with this commitment and the gravity of this most recent violation, the members of the Security Council will adopt, expeditiously, a new Security Council resolution with such measures in response to this serious violation."

Ramirez has suggested a new resolution could be adopted later on this week.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has also issued a statement, strongly condemning the launch.

He's calling on North Korea to "halt its provocative actions."

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

South Korea, US To Launch Talks On Missile Defence System

South Korean officials say they're now in talks with the United States about the potential deployment of a new anti-missile system.

The revelation comes just hours after North Korea fired off a satellite into low-earth orbit.

A satellite launch from North Korea is considered by South Korea and its allies as a covert test of its ballistic missile capabilities.

South Korea's Defense Department says the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system can knock down as many as 2-thousand rockets fired from North Korea.

Deputy Defense Minister Yoo Jeh-Seung says the potential deployment of the THAAD system would be defensive-only.

"If the THAAD system is deployed to the Korean Peninsula, it will only be operated in regard with North Korea, and it will contribute to the multi-layer missile defence that will strengthen the existing missile defence capacities of the South Korea-US alliance in countering North Korea's missile threats."

The satellite launch by North Korea comes on the heels of its latest nuclear test.

Meanwhile, it's been announced that South Korea and the United States are planning their largest-ever joint annual war games next month.

The annual drills are viewed by North Korea as a dry-run for an invasion.

Washington and Seoul insist the drills are defensive in nature.

China "deeply concerned" over discussion on THAAD missile system deployment in ROK

Chinese authorities are expressing "deep concern" about potential plans to deploy a U.S. missile defense system on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea's ambassador to China has already been summonded for a diplomatic sit-down with vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin.

A statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry says when a country is pursuing its own security, one country should not impair other's security interests.

The Chinese side also says any deployment of the missile system will only escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula and set back efforts to address the current situation.

Chinese authorities have also made a diplomatic protest to US officials.

North Korea satellite launch Reax

The Chinese government is also calling for the resumption of dialogue between North Korea and the international community as soon as possible.

Ahead of Sunday's UN Security Council session, South Korea has issued a call for the international community to take action.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye has conviened a meeting of her Security officials.

Deputy National Security Chief Cho Tae-yong says the South Korean military has been put on alert.

"The (South Korean) government will from now on make all efforts to elicit powerful sanctions from the UN Security Council and continue to make necessary pressures on North Korea so that it cannot help but change itself. Also, our government will prepare its military to full readiness and take effective measures under the South Korea-US alliance."

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has also issued a statement, calling North Korea's rocket launch "unacceptable."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says the US maintains its "ironclad" commitment to the security of both South Korea and Japan.

He's already spoken separately with his counterparts from Japan and South Korea.

Thousands Of Syrians Mass At Border To Turkey

Thousands of Syrians have been queing for food being distributed by a Turkish Charity in northern Syria.

Fierce offensives by Syrian and Russian forces in northwestern Syria has prompted thousands of Syrians to rush toward the Turkish border since Friday.

Turkey is facing increasing pressure to open its border to the tens-of-thousands of refugees.

However, Turkish authorities have been keeping the border closed.

This has left around 35-thousand people massed along its northwestern border.

Turkish officials say they've reach their "capacity to absorb" any more people.

Turkey is already housing around 2.5 million Syrian refugees.

UAE Ready to Send Ground Troops to Syria

A leading official in the United Arab Emirates says his country is prepared to send ground troops to Syria to fight the Islamic State.

The UAE's Foreign Affairs Minister Anwar Gargash says the current air campaign isn't effective enough.

"Our position throughout, the real campaign against Daesh has to include ground elements. We have been frustrated at the slow pace, although there has been some progress in Iraq recently, but we have been frustrated at the slow pace of confronting Daesh. And we've always said that there are two things lacking: a genuine political process in Baghdad that will encompass the Sunnis, and ground presence for the operations against Daesh. "

Gargash has not said how many troops the UAE might be prepared to send in, but says the figures will not be large.

The UAE's statement comes on the heels of Saudi Arabia announcing its intention to send in ground forces into Syria, provided the U.S.-led international coalition calls for it.

To this point, international intervention in the nearly 5-year conflict in Syria has been confined to air power.

Long queues of refugees seen at border between Greece and Macedonia

Border crossings at the Macedonian border are becoming innondated with refugees trying to make their way north from Greece.

Hundreds are being held-up amid new heightened security being instituted by Macedonian authorities.

Any refugee hoping to enter Macedonia is now being subjected to a 30-minute interview to prove their nationality.

Macedonian officials have brought in the new restrictions to ensure only refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan can transit through the country.

Hana Habahbeh with the United Nations Refugee Office says the new border restrictions aren't the only issue.

"These couple of days the numbers of the refugees are increasing, not only because the more people are arriving, but considering the situation that we had strikes on the Greek side, the transportation has been stopped, and that is one of the purposes of the influx of refugees is growing these days."

Refugees hoping to make their way through Macedonia are being told to have their documentation ready.

"It's quite normal. For example when you want to go abroad legally, you need to go the embassy and stamp your passport. And all of the documentation is here. And just the problem here... the huge number of refugees and it's a big problem, and for both the refugees and the staff."

It's estimated some 62-thousand would-be refugees from the Middle East and North Africa have arrived in Greece since the start of the year.

Greece has become the major transit point for people hoping to find a better life in Europe.

Around 360 people have already died this year trying to make the journey from either Turkey or North Africa in an attempt to land in European territory.

Chinese Internet Giants Woo Customers with Cash Gifts

Massive amounts of gift money is being dolled out by Chinese Internet companies this Lunar New Year in an attempt to draw more customers into the mobile payment market.

Alibaba's Alipay gave away 800 million yuan last night.

People who watched last night's CCTV New Year's Gala were able to share the money by accessing the company's mobile App during the show.

Tencent's QQ and WeChat dolled out 200 million yuan worth of "red envelopes" to its customers.

Tencent says the number of "hongbao," or "red envelopes" sent and received through WeChat reached 2.31 billion at the end of last year.

The company says it expects the figures to exceed 10-billion yuan during this year's Spring Festival, which would be 10 times more than last year.

Chinese Lunar New Year Celebrated Around the World

Anchor

The Lunar New Year celebrations are still taking place across many parts of the world, with people across the globe celebrating the start of Spring Festival in their own ways.

CRI's Li Jianhua has more.

Reporter

The Spring Festival is the most important holiday for the Chinese people; this year, the Lunar New Year has become an international celebration.

In Europe, many countries are participating in the celebration of Chinese Spring Festival, including Britain, France, and Belgium.

Festivities are in full swing as citizens visit Manchester's Chinatown, home to the UK's second largest Chinese community.

The city has organized a series of themed events and activities, and hundreds of lanterns have been put up in major commercial strips and the town hall plaza, which will be lit on the night of Feb. 12.

Anne Latham, a manager of House of Fraser department store, says this year's celebration is bigger than last year's.

"Every year in Manchester, we celebrate Chinese New Year. This year we've gone bigger than last year, the whole city has gotten behind it and we all celebrate it. The House of Fraser this year has really joined in the culture because our sister company is Chinese, so we'd like to make sure that we're involved in every way."

Activities including a parade, dumpling making, and writing with Chinese brushes have been held in Brussels and Paris.

In America, to welcome the Year of the Monkey, children mostly from Chinese American families put on monkey face paint and masks and performed an act from the Beijing Opera classic "Journey to the West."

In addition, Universal Studios Hollywood's celebration of the Chinese New Year has attracted crowds from around the world.

In South Africa, a dinner party has been held at the Chinatown area of the capital, Cape Town, with Chinese people and local residents attending a party that featured Chinese-style food.

Manuela Lotti was there.

"It's just wonderful to be together with our Chinese community in Cape Town. The food was amazing. The atmosphere was wonderful. Everybody was so excited."

Sydney, Australia, the sister city of Guangzhou, has celebrated the Chinese New Year with a traditional ceremony to mark the beginning of the year of monkey.

The celebration started with dignitaries, including the Lord Mayor of Sydney, taking part in a traditional eye-dotting ceremony to "bring the lions to life."

Chinese-Australians have all made their new year's wishes.

"I wish to have good grades and my family is still healthy and just good luck in general."

"In many ways and this year is the fire monkey so it's going to bring lots of energy, positive energies and that's perfect"

After the ceremony, the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge were lit in the color red in an historic first for the city's Lunar New Year celebrations.

This year's Chinese Lunar New Year falls on Feb. 8.

The main traditional celebrations include eating reunion dinner with family, giving red envelopes, and watching the Spring Festival gala.

With the development of technology, sending instant messages and cyber-money gifts have also become a part of the celebrations.

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua.

Overseas Travel by Chinese Mainlanders Reaches New High during Spring Festival

Anchor

The Year of the Monkey has now arrived in China.

While Spring Festival is traditionally a time for families to reunite, in today's modern society, millions of Chinese people are also choosing to do away with tradition, instead spending the holiday traveling overseas.

CRI's Luo Bin has more.

Reporter

It's estimated nearly 6 million overseas trips are going to be made by Chinese people during this Spring Festival.

Leading online Chinese travel agency Ctrip has released its tourism outlook for the holiday, suggesting over 60 percent of its customers who have booked trips during the Spring Festival are planning to travel overseas.

Eight of the top 10 most popular overseas destinations are in Asia, with Thailand, Japan and South Korea high on the list.

Lu Yang is a spokesperson for Ctirp.

"Our latest data show that about 60 percent of Chinese travelers using our services will spend the Spring Festival traveling overseas, a record in recent years. This is the first time that more people choose to travel overseas than spending the holiday in China."

The China National Tourism Administration estimates Chinese people made 120 million overseas trips last year, with nearly 5.2 million of them taking place during the Spring Festival holiday, representing an increase of nearly 10 percent year-on-year.

These figures are in sharp contrast to what things were like here in China some 40-years ago.

74-year-old Wang Yanjun is a retired public servant in Beijing.

He says an overseas trip in the 1970's was simply unimaginable.

During that period, most people in China didn't have a passport, and would be unlikely to get one.

Wang Yanjun notes the politics of the time also meant that only people on official government trips were allowed to go abroad.

He notes even travelling within China was looked upon as suspect.

"Chinese people in the 1970s had no idea of traveling. If you told people you had plans to travel, they would think you were running away from your duties. People who loved traveling around were considered as those who are always loafing around and doing nothing."

But after the start of the reform and opening-up policies in the late 1970's, the situation began to change.

In 1983, ordinary people in China were first given the ability to travel to Hong Kong or Macao for family visits on package tour.

This was the first time average Chinese people were allowed to leave the mainland since 1949.

From there, China's tourism market began to emerge, with Thailand becoming the first non-Chinese territory people from the mainland could visit in 1988.

Nearly 30-years later, things have changed dramatically.

Rapid economic development and the relaxation of government restrictions on overseas travel mean that Chinese tourists can be seen almost everywhere in the world today.

China became the world's largest outbound tourism market and the largest spender in 2012.

In 2014, the number of overseas trips made by Chinese tourists exceeded 100 million for the first time.

Also in that year, Chinese travelers spent a record 165 billion RMB, a 28 percent rise year-on-year.

The situation has convinced many countries to open up their doors even wider to Chinese tourists.

Guan Cheng, is professor with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The 42-year old says he and his family have traveled extensively overseas, and says they plan to spend this Spring Festival in United States.

He says the reason he's chosen the US is due to a new visa extension policy which allows Chinese tourists to travel to the U.S. for up to ten years on a single visa.

"Many countries have relaxed their visa policy. I remember when we were in college, traveling overseas was almost impossible. Take the U.S. and Canada as an example. They would just refuse you when you wanted to apply for a travel visa. They were afraid what you really wanted was to immigrate to these countries, and not travel."

Malaysian authorities are among those looking to cash in on Chinese tourists as a measure to boost tourism.

Under new rules set to take effect on March 1st this year, any Chinese citizen travelling to Malaysia for less than 15-days will no longer need a visa.

In making the decision, Malaysian tourism authorities say they're hoping to draw around 8 million tourists from China every year over the coming five years.

They expect this could help generate revenues in Malaysia worth around 3-billion US dollars.

Romanian tourism authorities have also announced plans to ease visa rules for Chinese travelers in the next couple of weeks, cutting the time it takes to get a visa to Romania down to less than a week, provided they're travelling as part of a tour.

The World Tourism Organization of the United Nations says it fully-expects Chinese outbound tourism to continue growing, benefiting not only the economies of destination countries, but also helping promote better cultural exchanges and understanding.

For CRI, this is Luo Bin.

Smart Cameras Set to Broadcast Super Bowl 50

Anchor

This year's Super Bowl, one of the most-watched events in the world, is set to get underway in just a few minutes time.

This year, CBS is planning to use special cameras to give viewers a unique experience.

CRI's Luo Wen explains.

Reporter

The Columbia Broadcasting System, CBS, is airing this year's Super Bowl.

In preparation for the broadcast, CBS has trippled the number of cameras it uses for a regular season broadcast.

On top of this, pylon cameras have also been deployed, as is the so-called EyeVision 360 camera system.

CBS Sports chair Sean McManus says EyeVision 360 is going to be used no more than twice a quarter.

He says the advanced technology is only meant to be an added tool for analyst Phil Simms to use during the broadcast.

"We've got cameras around the perimeter of the stadium which gives a true 360-degree view - like the movie Matrix - of any given play. You can stop a play, spin the point of view around to any angle that you want. You can see the blocking schemes. You can see the receivers. It's an amazingly high-tech operation that has never before been seen in the Super Bowl."

CBS used a lower-end version of EyeVision during the 2001 Super Bowl, which provided a 180 degree perspective.

The more modern version has been game-tested.

The Thanksgiving game in Dallas saw Carolina's Cam Newton run in a touchdown through the 360-technology.

Sean McManus says the custom-made pylon cameras will give views of each sideline, as well as the goal lines.

"Pylon Cam. We've got 16 little cameras in eight different pylons which give an incredible view of players coming towards the pylons, knocking the pylon over. You get great views of whether a football player's feet are inbounds. It's really an amazing, ground-level view of the action. We've also got audio from those pylons which has never been done either so that should be a really, really exciting and a dramatic view, never before been done at a Super Bowl."

CBS Sports engineering director, Ken Aagaard, says this new technology may end up being critical to today's game.

"There's a very good chance and possibility that the replay from one of these cameras could determine the outcome of the game. You never know."

It's estimated that 190 million Americans and a worldwide TV audience are gearing up for this year's Super Bowl.

Super Bowl 50, with the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers battling for NFL Football's top prize, is set to kick off later on in this hour.

For CRI, this is Luo Wen.

Switzerland Celebrate Progressing To 1st Fed Cup Semi-Final Since 1998

In tennis news,

Switzerland has managed to seal its first appearance in the Fed Cup semi-finals since 1998 after narrowly edging Germany on Sunday.

Rising Swiss star Belinda Bencic and veteran Martina Hingis teamed up to win the deciding doubles rubber, giving Switzerland a 3-2 victory.

Bencic did her part earlier, dumping Australian Open champ Angelique Kerber in straight sets, 7-6, 6-3 to put the Swiss side up 2-1.

However, Germany's Annika Beck levelled the match by getting past Timea Bacsinszky, forcing the doubles tie-breaker.

Germany now faces a play-off to avoid relegation to World Group II.

Switzerland will now face defending champions, the Czech Republic, which managed to get past Romania 3-2.

In other Fed Cup action,

Russia and Italy are both out of this year's tournament.

The Russians went down to the Netherlands 3-1, while Italy went down to France.

Other countries advancing included the US and Australia.

Canada and Belarus are currently tied 2-2, with a decider set for later today.

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

Recapping our top stories ...

Mainland authorities offering help in the wake of a strong earthquake which rattled southern Taiwan on Saturday, with dozens still believed trapped in the rubble of an apartment building.

The UN Security Council meets in an emergency session following North Korea's satellite launch on Sunday.

Chinese Internet companies dolling out hundreds of millions of yuan in "hongbao" to mark the start of the Year of the Monkey.

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