新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 08:00 2016/02/13（在线收听）

The Beijing Hour

Morning Edition

Spencer Musick with you on this Saturday Febuary 13th 2016.

Welcome to a holiday edition of Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.

Coming up on the program this morning...

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi calling for the implementation of the agreement reached in Munich on the Syria crisis.

The U.S. House of Representatives passing legislation on Friday broadening sanctions against North Korea...

And the death toll from the earthquake in southern Taiwan last weekend has risen to 100...

And coming up in the 2nd half of the hour- we will bring you a special edition of Sound of the Week.

All of that coming up in the next hour, but first, just a reminder there are several ways to reach out to us here on the Beijing Hour.

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Top News

Chinese FM calls for implementation of hard-won agreement at Munich Syria talks

Anchor:

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says the Munich meeting on Syria has achieved hard-won results.

Wang Yi also called on all sides involved should make efforts to implement the agreements.

The comment comes as top diplomats attending the meeting have agreed on a nationwide cessation of hostilities in the war-torn Middle East country.

CRI's Min Rui reports.

Reporter:

Representatives from the 17-member International Syria Support Group gathered in Munich this week for talks, hoping to restart the Syrian peace talks.

Wang Yi outlines the major agreements reached at the meetings.

"First, all parties agreed to provide access to humanitarian aid so as to deliver the aid to Syrian refugees within this week. The ISSG members should exert their influence and make the objective realized. All parties also agreed to announce a stop to belligerent actions in Syria in an all-round manner and, under the sponsorship by the United Nations, authorize the formation of a working team led by the United States and Russia to consult in detail on how to implement the stopping of belligerent actions and even future truce. All ISSG members can participate in the consultation."

The delegation also called for an early resumption of peace talks, after the UN-mediated Geneva negotiations between the Syrian government and opposition groups within Syria were suspended earlier this month.

Wang Yi says that the next step is ensuring that the agreement will be implemented.

He urges all parties concerned to abide by the UN resolution and stick to political solutions.

"The two sides in Syria should put the Syrian people's interest above all and resume peace talks soon, and let the Syrian people decide the future of Syria."

Wang Yi also calls for international support for the peace process in Syria.

"Major countries in the region, especially the ones that have major influence on the situation should stop accusing one another and work together to assist ceasefire and humanitarian aid, not against it. Nations outside the region, including members of the support group, especially USA and Russia should prioritize the stability of the region and take the responsibility in fulfilling the UN Security Council Resolution 2254 in order to provide an external environment needed for a political solution in Syria."

Following the meetings in Munich, a humanitarian task force for Syria completed its first meeting in Geneva.

Jan Egeland is the Chairman of the Task Force on Humanitarian Access in Syria.

"We will reconvene Wednesday next week, already, and our team on the ground that we had on video from Damascus is going to work tonight and we will renew all requests for access, we are basically now working to solve the problems of the besieged areas."

Egeland says aid convoys will leave for Syria as soon as warring parties give the go-ahead.

U.N. figures show more than 480,000 people are under siege in Syria.

In addition, 4.6 million people are out of reach of vital aid, while five million refugees have been created and millions more are homeless within Syria.

For CRI, this is Min Rui.

Diplomats talk about North Korea missile activities at the sideline of Munich meeting

At the sideline of the Munich meetingss, diplomats have also discussed the situation in the Korean Peninsula.

In meeting with his South Korean counterpart Yun Byung-se, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says Beijing supports the United Nations Security Council as it takes further steps to curb North Korea's nuclear activities.

Wang Yi further explains China's stance on the issue.

"Sanctions are not the end while the purpose should be to make sure that the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula will be brought back to the channel of a negotiation-based resolution, because this is the only right way out, and we have been in communications with the United States, Russia and other relevant parties. "

Wang Yi also expressed concerns over the joint deployment of a missile defence system between the United States and South Korea.

"As to the deployment of a THAAD system by the United States, including the X-Wave radar, the scope of the coverage goes far beyond the defence needs of the Korean peninsula. The range reaches far into to the Asian continent. This directly affects the strategic security interesst of China and other countries on the Asian continent."

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said his country will keep lines of communication with Beijing open over the issue.

Yun Byung-se has also met with the US Secretary of State John Kerry in Munich.

Seoul and Washington will begin talks on the missile defence system as early as next week.

U.S. House of Representatives Passes North Korea Sanctions Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation on Friday broadening sanctions to punish North Korea for its nuclear program.

Representative Eliot Engel, the Ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, says the package includes sanctions targeting North Korea and those who do business with it.

"The sanctions in this bill would focus especially on North Korean elites who conduct shady transactions with shell corporations and cover up the money trail."

House Republicans and Democrats joined together on this vote, passing the measure by a vote of 408-2 and sending it to U.S. President Barack Obama to sign into law.

The Obama administration has said it is not opposed to the bill, but officials declined to say whether or when Obama would sign it.

The legislation also appropriates 50 million US dollars to transmit radio broadcasts into North Korea, purchase communications equipment and support humanitarian assistance programs.

North Korea suspends probe into Japanese abductees in response to sanctions

North Korea is ending an investigation into Japanese abductees in the country decades ago.

North Korean state media broadcast a statement saying the decision is in response to Japan's expanded nuclear-related sanctions.

Japan had eased some earlier sanctions against North Korea after Pyongyang promised in 2014 to reinvestigate the kidnappings, which is a highly sensitive issue in Japan.

But following North Korea's rocket launch on Sunday, Japan imposed new measures against Pyongyang.

The measures, which require Cabinet and parliamentary action, will include expanded restrictions on travel between the countries and a complete ban on visits by North Korean ships to Japanese ports.

Taiwan quake death toll rises to 100

The death toll from the earthquake in southern Taiwan last weekend has risen to 100 people, while 20 others remain missing.

98 of the confirmed deaths happened at the 17 story Wei Guan building in Tainan City, which collapsed during the shaking early Saturday morning.

Rescuers say the chance of finding any more survivors is very slim because of the amount of time that has passed since the disaster. But search efforts will continue.

People from all walks of life in Taiwan have also joined in relief efforts.

The head of the Network & Technology Division of Taiwan FarEast Telecommunications, Herman Rao, says some temporary service points have been made available at the west of the Wei Guan building.

"It is critical that basic infrastructure can send out communication signals at this place. We are now providing necessary support, including communication devices, cellphone batteries and mobile phones for emergencies."

Tainan City held a memorial service on Friday morning to mourn the dead.

Outgoing Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou and the island's leader-elect, Tsai Ing-wen, attended the service, joining bereaved family members.

HK Court Charges Two More in Rioting Case

Two more men appeared in a Hong Kong court on Friday accused of rioting in Mong Kok on Monday night.

The number of people charged now stands at 40.

Rimsky Yuen is Hong Kong's Secretary for Justice:

"There are absolutely no political motives behind this. I don't want to see those who would rather choose to believe in political motives help the perpetrators to whitewash their blatant violation of the law"

The two suspects have been released on bail pending trail in early April.

Chen Jo-kwong, with Hong Kong Police Association, calls for local people to support the police investigation.

"In the face of the challenges from the mobsters against security and police officers, I hope those who believe in justice will show their support to the police and help to maintain stability in Hong Kong, making Hong Kong a prosperous and peaceful home for everybody."

An arson case has also been reported earlier on Friday, with some 40 garbage bins burned in an amusement park.

Social organizations across Hong Kong have been taking to streets to denounce the violence in Mong Kok.

At least 130 people, including 90 police officers, were injured in a clash with rioters following a clearance operation on illegal hawkers in Mong Kok.

China refutes British latest six-month report on Hong Kong

China's Foreign Ministry has issued a statement, urging Britain to stop interfering in China's internal affairs as they relate to Hong Kong.

The comment was made in response to the British government's latest six-month report to parliament on Hong Kong.

A ministry spokesman said that Beijing is strongly displeased with and firmly opposed to the report, adding that it contains groundless accusations against China.

The spokesperson says the principle of "one country, two systems" has made significant achievements, as Hong Kong residents enjoy every right and freedom they are entitled to in accordance with law.

The spokesman notes that the central government is determined to implement these principles in the future.

Since Hong Kong was returned to China in July 1997, the British Foreign Secretary has reported to Parliament at six-month intervals on the implementation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong.

Investment in water projects tops 2 trln yuan 2011-2015

China invested some 300 billion U.S. dollars in water conservation over the past five years.

According to the Ministry of Water Resources, most of the investment was related to drinking water in the countryside, flood control, drought relief, irrigation and rural hydropower.

The ministry says more investment will be put into major water projects in the next five years, and private capital is encouraged to contribute.

Authorities are also prioritizing reform, development and the improvement of water safety in undertaking new projects.

Spring Festival railway travel peaks in China

Railway passenger numbers here in China peaked on Friday.

About 9 million trips were made by train, up from Thursday's 7.9 million, as most Chinese were returning to work from family gatherings.

The number is expected to further increase as today is the final day of the Spring Festival holiday.

Railway authorities added 658 passenger trains on Friday.

China's weather observatory forecasts that a cold front will bring low temperatures, rain and snow to most parts of the country in the following days.

China's railway department said it has taken measures to prepare for the incliment weather.

The Most Dreaded Spring Festival Question: Are You Married?

Anchor:

It's the seventh day of China's week-long Lunar New Year holiday. Many single young people, while enjoying family reunions, also have to cope with nagging, personal questions from family members about their love life.

CRI's Huang Yue has more on a common struggle facing many of China's younger generations.

Reporter:

Recent surveys by a youth group show that more than 80 percent of single youths in China are constantly under pressure from their parents to get married.

As familial pressures are at an all-time high during big holiday gatherings such as the Spring Festival, many young people in China have developed a "fear of going home."

"The most dreaded Spring Festival question to me is 'When will you get married?' I've been asked like a thousand times and it's really … awkward. But the question is I don't even have a boyfriend now. How can they push me to get married soon while I don't have a boyfriend? I even fear of going home recent years. "

Once home, these young people are inundated with questions like "do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?" and "when would you like to get married?"

According to the youth group's research, people aged between 25 and 35 are the group that suffers most of the pressure with 86 percent being pushed with such questions. Even 3 percent of youth who have not reached marriageable age are not immune from such pressure.

It seems like parents all over the country have the habit of asking such nagging questions but they just do it in different ways. Parents from Shanghai, for example, seem to be the most insistent, as they persistently harp at their children.

Parents in southwest China's Sichuan province like to take advantage of relatives who are usually called "annoying aunties" to persuade their children. They tend to always complain the kids are not doing as brilliant as their peers of other families. Such annoyance has accompanied the kids even from their school days. Years ago, the statements would be like "other people's kids have higher grades, the neighbor's kids had a higher Gaokao score" etc. As the kids grow older, questions became "other people's kids got married a long time ago, what about you?" "Other women of my age already have grandchildren, why not me?" "The kid who grew up together with you is a parent already, look at you?"

Still, parents in some other area choose to take action instead of relying on nagging alone. Parents from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region do it in a simple and direct way. They are "excellent" in arranging blind dates for their children.

And parents from Jiangsu are "outstanding representatives" of pushy parents. Nearly 20 percent of them push their children more than ten times a year, the highest frequency across the nation. As a result, the number of blind dates that young Jiangsu people participate in also ranks high in the nation. 19 percent of respondents participate more than ten times in a year.

There are reasons behind these efforts. According to data from Jiangsu civil affairs department, the average age of first marriage for locals is 32.4. In contrast, for the elder generation, their children were already in primary school when they reached 30.

But young people feel wronged, as they believe a narrow life circle and tight work routine are the biggest hurdle for them to find a partner. More than three quarters argue that they travel between home and work every day and barely have a chance to meet members of the opposite sex.

Even if they have a girlfriend or boyfriend, it is not easy to get married. 68 percent of people think their "partner or partner's family is overly demanding", which leads to breakups.

Most respondents say they understand their parents but only a few choose to talk over the issue. More than 70 percent keep silent or escape the topic.

"Actually I understand my parents. I'm the only child in my family and all their attentions are focused on me. As I am growing up, they are getting older. They just worry about me like they always do. I will keep as patient as I can when they talk about the marriage issue since it is almost like the once-a-year grill."

Response strategies for the most dreaded "Spring Festival questions" have been a hit on China's social media platforms such as Sina Weibo and Wechat a few days before the holiday. Some even re-wrote a song to tease about the phenomenon.

But all joking aside, given the dramatic change of life style and living environment that most of the parents are unfamiliar with, there needs to be effective communication and real understanding of each other before the "fear of going home" can be overcome.

For CRI, this is Huang Yue.

Hong Kong Wedding Fair Kicked off to Welcome Valentine's Day

Anchor:

The Hong Kong Wedding Fair has kicked off on Friday, welcoming Valentine's Day, and attracting couples planning their big day.

While white will always be the traditional choice, CRI's Huang Shan reports that some brides in Hong Kong are planning to bring pastel colors to their spring and summer weddings.

Reporter:

From dress designers, ring makers to venue providers, more than 200 exhibitors are showcasing everything newlyweds might need at the fair.

Industry insiders say that when choosing a gown, brides-to-be are not only thinking about how they will look on the day, but that they are also planning their pre-wedding photo shoots.

Connie So, a bridal consultant with wedding dress maker Alisha & Lace, says the trend for pre-wedding photo shoot trips may influence brides' choice of what to wear.

"For Spring and Summer, wedding gowns with a separated top and skirt are more popular, because the newlyweds usually go overseas for their wedding photo shoot, those styles are easier for them to wear and carry along. They also prefer lighter-weighted fabrics. For the two-piece gowns, they can choose different styles of skirt like A-Line, fishtail, or flared hem, so they can have higher diversity of style changes."

Brides may even change into three or four different gowns for their lavish wedding banquets.

Eva Ho, director of Je T'aime Beaucoup, points out that this does not mean they plan cut down on the cost of their dresses.

"For the newlyweds that we are serving, the unfavorable economy won't make them make large changes in their wedding budget, their budget plans are more or less the same as in previous years. As a wedding is a once in a lifetime event, our customers won't have big changes in budgets compared with before."

After settling on outfits, the couples then need to decide on the destination for their pre-wedding photo shoot.

Joseph Wong, director of Joseph Photo and Video, says Paris remains a favorite destination for pre-wedding photo shoots, despite last November's attacks in the city.

"The worries just lasted for two months. When the situation happened, there was some impact on customers' decisions to go to Paris. We saw some impact of that on our photo shoot trips in November and December; customers changed their trips to other locations. But now we receive bookings to Paris again. I think Paris is still favorite of couples, also the euro currency is currently weak against the Hong Kong dollar."

Southeast Asian beach resorts are also among the popular destinations for Hong Kong couples.

Besides a big feast on the wedding dinner table, cupcakes and cookies with pink and yellow frosting are on offer to sweeten up the guests.

Hong Kong's Wedding Expo runs until February 14th.

For CRI, this is Huang Shan.

Eagles trained to take down illegal drones in Netherlands

Anchor:

Drones are increasingly common all over the world, but the possibility that they could fall into the wrong hands is also widely seen as a cause for concern.

In light on this, police in the Netherlands have been working on a pilot project training birds of prey to take down illegal drones.

CRI's Luo Laiming has more.

Reporter:

Drones have many legitimate uses, but the technology can be abused - causing damage or injury, or used to transport illegal items.

Dutch police have teamed up with a company based in the Hague to train eagles and other birds of prey to swoop down on illicit drones.

Police spokesperson Michel Baeten says they are now making use of the birds' natural instincts to tackle the problem of drones flying in restricted areas, including large outdoor events where the technology has been banned.

"The birds are well trained to spot an object with a particular characteristic, in this case, a drone that they can catch and take down to the ground."

The eagles have no problems catching the drones.

But drones come in all shapes and sizes and many are too big, even for the huge claws of a bird-of-prey.

Baeten says the birds are one of the options they have in the arsenal of countermeasures.

"We would like to be in the position that we have more options if we need to take some measures and to assess which of them would be the best for the particular situation. What we have experienced with testing and training birds is that they are very efficient in catching drones in the air and taking them down."

He adds that if tests continue to go as planned, police in the Netherlands will make a decision later this year whether to start using these birds as a counter-measure against illicit drones.

For CRI, I'm Luo Laiming.

Facebook Can be Sued in Painting Case

Facebook has lost a crucial legal battle as a Paris court upheld a ruling that the social network can be sued in France.

The ruling by the Paris court could set a legal precedent in France, as US-based Facebook previously only allowed its users to sue in California.

The legal battle on Facebook comes after its decision to remove the account of a French user who posted a photo of a famous 19th-century nude painting.

Frederic Durand-Baissas, a 57-year-old Parisian teacher whose Facebook account was suspended five years ago, says he still has questions about Facebook's censorship:

"Of course I am happy (about the ruling) and so is my lawyer, because we are going to be able to talk about the fundamentals of this. So far, we have only been able to discuss technicalities. Facebook has been reluctant to get in touch with us or to answer precise questions. So far, we haven't had a chance to actually talk. I have many questions to ask Facebook about this censorship."

He has made a request to reactivate his account and asked for 20-thousand euros in compensation.

Weather

Beijing will be overcast today with a high of 4, clear tonight with a low of minus 5.

Shanghai will have showers today with a high of 19, more rain tonight with a low of 3.

Chongqing will be overcast with a high of 14 and a low of 9.

Lhasa expects sunshine today with a high of 14, overnight clear with a low of minus 3 degrees Celsius.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,

Islamabad will be cloudy with a high of 19.

Kabul, overcast, 1.

Over in North America,

New York will be overcast tomorrow with a high of minus 4.

Washington DC, cloudy, minus 4.

Honolulu, cloudy, high of 28.

Toronto, snow, minus 16.

In South America,

Buenos Aires, light rain with a high of 32.

And Rio de Janeiro will be cloudy with a high of 29 degrees Celsius.

That’s it for this weekend edition of the Beijing Hour. Our main headline before we go.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi calling for the implementation of the agreement reached in Munich on the Syria crisis.

On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, I'm Spencer Musick. Stay tuned for a special edition of Sound of the Week, and join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour, to open a window to the world together.