新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2016/02/16（在线收听）

The Beijing Hour

Evening Edition

Spencer Musick with you on this Tuesday Febuary 16th, 2016.

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

Coming up on the program this evening...

China's Vice Foreign Minister expressing the country's opposition to the US deployment of a missle-defense system on the Korean peninsula.

The Security Panel of Hong Kong's Legislative Council passing a motion of condemnation against the Mong Kok riot...

And the United Nations has condemned the recent airstrikes that hit civilian targets in Syria as a blatant violation of international law.

In buisness... China's new yuan loans soaring in January...

In sports... Four teams have taken the initiative by winning the first games of the CBA play-offs..

In entertainment... Taylor Swift's 1989 becomes album of the year...

Top

China Opposes Korean Peninsula THAAD Deployment: Executive Vice FM

China's vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui has expressed the country's opposition on the possible deployment of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense on the Korean Peninsula.

He made the remarks at a press briefing after a meeting with his South Korean counterpart Lim Sung-nam in Seoul.

"We exchanged opinions regarding the matter of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence and China made clear its stance against it. We hope the related parties act discreetly on the matter."

Earlier in the day, both sides took part in the 7th China-South Korea Strategic Dialogue, where they discussed issues including bilateral relations and Korean Peninsula situation.

The U.S. and South Korea have begun negotiations on the THAAD deployment after North Korea said it launched a satellite-carrying rocket, which others believed was a missile test.

Under current UN Security Council resolutions, North Korea is banned from firing any kind of ballistic missile.

China's foreign ministry said on Tuesday China supports tougher UN sanctions to curb the nuclear ambitions of North Korea.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei says China backs the UN Security Council's decision to adopt a new resolution.

Hong says the new resolution should be aimed at effectively curbing North Korea's efforts to develop nuclear and missile technologies. But he adds that the Security Council should have a clear objective when taking further sanction measures.

Chinese Experts Warn over THAAD Deployment in South Korea

Anchor

Both China and Russia have expressed strong objections to the possible deployment of the American THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea.

Seoul has been discussing such a deployment in the wake of recent developments in North Korea.

But some Chinese experts believe North Korea may not be the only potential target for the system.

CRI's Luo Bin reports.

Reporter

The "alliance decision" to begin formal talks over a possible deployment of the THAAD missile system in South Korea was announced in the wake of recent satellite launch by the North.

South Korea insisted that the possible deployment will be "only operated against North Korea."

THAAD is a United States Army anti-ballistic missile system designed to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate ballistic missiles as they approach their targets. The missile carries no warhead but relies on impact to destroy the incoming missile.

Yang Xiyu with the China Institute of International Studies said the THAAD system seemed an overreaction, if the only targets were North Korea's missiles.

"A short-range missile from the DPRK is able to cover the entire peninsula and poses a real threat to the south, but it is not something the THAAD is designed to deter."

The U.S. has deployed THAAD units in Hawaii, Guam, and Turkey, and is reportedly in talks with Japan over a possible deployment.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke out against the latest move in South Korea, suggesting there might be other motives concealed behind the deployment.

"To be very honest with you, it doesn't require experts to know this. Ordinary people would know that the deployment of the THAAD system is not just to defend the ROK, it has a wider agenda and it may even serve the possibility of targeting China."

Professor Yang Xiyu explains that THAAD uses satellite surveillance and advanced long range radar to detect incoming missiles, a capability that could also extend well into China and Russia.

"The THAAD is in fact targeting the ballistic missile systems of China and Russia. Therefore, this deployment is not just a threat to any specific country; it is a threat to the strategic stability of the whole region. Of course it will put China's security at risk."

Piao Guanghai, an expert on Korean Peninsula affairs, believes the possible deployment in South Korea could indeed serve the interests of the United States.

"In general, the tension on the Korean Peninsula is used by the US as a tool to serve its strategies that are aimed at driving a wedge into the relations between China and South Korea, pushing forward with its rebalance to Asia Pacific and enhancing a triangle alliance between itself, South Korea and Japan."

Yang Xiyu with the China Institute of International Studies added that the new deployment in South Korea will not be a quantitative addition to the U.S. missile defense, but an qualitative change that would trigger future changes in regional strategic situation.

But he is confident that China would have its own strategy amid such a threat.

"China will make extra efforts in two aspects, one is to step up the defense budget and improve its self-defense capabilities. The other is about diplomacy. China will strive to realize the goal of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula while helping maintain peace and stability in the region."

It's reported that talks over any THAAD deployment may start next week.

For CRI, this is Luo Bin.

South Korean President Pledges Further "Strong" Measures against North

South Korean President Park Geun-hye has pledged further "strong" measures against North Korea, after suspending operations at a jointly-run industrial park.

Park made the remarks in a nationally televised parliamentary address on Tuesday.

"The suspension of the Kaesong industrial zone is only the start of a series of actions we will be taking together with the international community."

Park also said that her country should stop what she called "unsparing support" to the North.

Park said previous policies toward the North had heightened its nuclear capabilities.

Park also said that talks with the US on the possible deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defence system (THAAD) were a part of government measures to strengthen the country's defence capabilities.

"In order to maintain strong deterrence power against the North, our government is proceeding negotiations to enhance the joint defence capabilities and missile defence posture of the South Korea-US alliance. The start of negotiations on the deployment of THAAD to US forces in South Korea, which was announced on February 10th, is part of these measures."

This was the first presidential messages to the public since the South Korean government announced its decision last week to shut down a jointly run factory park in North Korea amid a heightened standoff over North Korea's recent nuclear test and rocket launch.

U.S. to Dispatch F-22 Stealth Fighters to S. Korea: Media

South Korean media have reported that the United States will dispatch nuclear-capable F-22 stealth fighters to South Korea in an apparent show of force to militarily pressure North Korea.

According to Yonhap news agency, four F-22 fighters will make a sortie on Wednesday to the Korean peninsula.

The F-22 fighter has a stealth function that allows it to avoid any radar detection.

The US-developed jet is also capable of carrying nuclear missiles and bombs.

China's Second Confirmed Zika Patient under Observation

A second imported case of the Zika virus has been confirmed in China.

A 28-year-old male patient was red-flagged at the Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou on Friday after arriving with a high fever.

The patient is currently under quarantine at Guangzhou's Eighth People's Hospital. Physician Wang Jian at the hospital says further observation and treatment is needed.

"We gave the patient a number of tests. He was mainly showing abnormal liver functions, and we have focused his treatment on that. He had a fever on February 12th and 13th, and now signs of the fever and rash have receded. The Zika virus can still be found in his saliva and urine, so we need to keep him for further observation."

The patient had lived in Venezuela for three years. He was exposed to an infected person there before returning to Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province.

An official from the Guangdong Provincial CDC He Jianfeng says southern China could see more imported cases of mosquito-borne viruses.

"The aedes albopictus and aedes aegypti mosquitoes are active on China's Hainan island, the Leizhou Peninsula and near the Yunnan borders. I think we will see more imported cases of viruses as rising temperatures make them more active. Currently, we need to focus on reducing their density, so we can minimize the possibility of further infections."

China's first confirmed Zika patient returned from South America earlier this month and was discharged from hospital on Sunday.

HK LegCo Security Panel Passes Motion for Condemnation against Mong Kok Riot

The Security Panel of Hong Kong's Legislative Council on Tuesday passed a motion of condemnation against the Mong Kok riot.

The motion was initiated by LegCo member Elizabeth Quat, who suggested the motion against rioters who attacked law enforcement officers and journalists.

The motion also suggested an increase in manpower and equipment for the police, saying that they should be given full support to enforce the law and to bring rioters to justice.

The Mong Kok riot happened from Feb. 8 to Feb. 9 late at night, leaving more than 100 people injured, of whom more than 90 were police officers.

As of Tuesday, the police have arrested more than 60 suspects.

New Guideline on Left-behind Children's Protection Released

Anchor

The State Council, China's Cabinet, has released a guideline on the protection of children left-behind by parents earning a living in distant cities.

CRI's Xie Cheng reports that the document delineates the various responsibilities of parents, the government and society at large.

Reporter

The guideline stresses the parents' primary responsibilities of guardianship over left-behind children who are minors.

Their kids under the age of 16 should not be left living alone without protection while their parents are working away from home.

If the migrant workers can neither take their children with them nor have one parent stay home, they must appoint a responsible guardian.

They should also keep in touch with their children regularly and see them often, so as to keep track of their lives, studies and mental health.

The guideline also states that local governments and village committees should keep themselves well-informed of the status of left-behind children within their jurisdiction, in a bid to ensure the kids are properly cared for.

Governments at the township level must set up a file for each child and help left-behind children contact their parents, and village officials and Party members must visit the children regularly as well.

Wang Zhenyao, a professor from Beijing Normal University, comments on the guideline.

"In the past, most of these obligations were implemented by local governments at the township level, with very little support from their superior organizations. Thus, almost all the heavy burdens were shouldered by grass-roots departments lacking adequate professional assistance."

He added that with this new guideline, this year might even be marked as the year of transition towards better handling the left-behind children issue.

"Under the new guideline, a professional system will be available that specifies the obligations and responsibilities of all parties involved, which will help to ensure that the protection of left-behind children can be performed in a solid and thorough manner."

The guideline also states that a system of compulsory reporting, intervention, assessment and help will be established.

Cases involving injury, abuse or other harm must be reported to the appropriate authoritie, and intervention must take place as soon as possible.

Governments can also contract charities and voluntary bodies to provide professional services.

Xu Weihong, an expert in child psychology, said the protection and caring for left-behind children requires joint efforts from across society.

"In my opinion, the issue of left-behind children is a long-term phenomenon. All sides should make great efforts and never ignore any issues connected to the children. The left-behind children need more timely psychological counseling; otherwise an ignorance as to their psychological issues could lead to serious negative effects on their overall mental health."

Recent figures show that over 60 million children are considered left-behind in the country.

Lack of proper care for many has resulted in a number of heartbreaking incidents, including a suicide of 4 left-behind siblings last year in southwest China's Guizhou Province.

For CRI, I'm Xie Cheng.

"Overpriced Fish" Triggered Public Discussion on Social Media

Anchor

The issue of "overpriced fish" in Northeast China's Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, has become the subject of heated public discussion, after a restaurant customer posted an image of his bill on social media.

CRI's Huang Shan has more.

Reporter

A customer surnamed Chen from Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, claimed he was charged over ten thousand yuan for a fish feast during a visit to a wild fish village in Harbin city.

A bill posted by Chen on his Sina Weibo account shows the price of the Huso sturgeon he purchased at the restaurant was as high as 796yuan per kilogram.

Mr. Chen spoke gave more details about his experience in a phone interview.

"I think the restaurant mislead us on the weight of the fish. They first told us the Huso sturgeon was 5.2 kilogram. But when we checked out the bill, the fish's weight showed on the receipt was 7.2 kilograms. After we questioned the price, the restaurant staff clashed with us. Then we called the police."

In response, the manager of the restaurant, Zhao Ling, said their pricing system was transparent and reasonable.

"After customers order the fish, we clearly tell them the price per kilogram. You can also see a fixed price list on the wall. Then we'll bring the customers to weigh the fish, check the kilograms and price with them. In Mr.Chen's case, we gave him a discount over 3,000 yuan to settle the dispute, which means we only charged him the cost price in total of 7,200 yuan. So his claim of spending over ten thousand yuan on the meal was not true."

Though Mr. Chen soon deleted the post of "overpriced fish" on the social media, his experience has triggered an investigation by the local price bureau into the case.

Sun Baisen, director of Harbin Market Supervisory Authority says the investigation confirms the fish was sold at reasonable price.

"Through our investigation into the restaurant involved, their pricing system and standards are in accordance with laws and regulations. By checking the final receipt, we found Mr. Chen's claim is inconsistent with the actual consumer spending and weight of Huso sturgeon."

He added that after checking the surveillance video, the authority found Mr. Chen's accusation that there was a physical altercation involving restaurant staff did not fit the facts.

Sun Baisen indicated they are still trying to contact other customers, in order to get further evidence to ascertain the truth.

Unreasonable charges in China's catering industry has along been a target of public criticism, especially during holidays.

An open-air restaurant in Qingdao, Shandong Province, was found to charge a customer over 1,500 yuan for a dish of shrimp during last year's National Day holidays.

It was fined 90,000 yuan with its license suspended at last.

For CRI, this is Huang Shan.

Air Strikes on Syrian Civilian Targets Condemned

Anchor

Air strikes hit a number of civilian targets in northern Syria on Monday, killing 50 people. The United Nations has condemned the attacks as a blatant violation of international law.

CRI's Victor Ning reports.

Reporter

The UN said on Monday the stricken targets included five medical facilities and two schools.

An official with Doctors without Borders Isabelle Defourny said on Monday a clinic run by the organization in Syria was bombed.

"So we were contacted this morning by our head of mission based in Gaziantep, who was himself contacted by the team, the medical team based in Maaret al-Numan. So the hospital was bombed this morning three to four times, almost completely destroyed, seven people were dead, five patients, one caretaker, one guard of the hospital and eight staff are still missing, presumed dead."

The UN did not identify the responsible party for the attacks.

But the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says Russian forces carried out the strikes.

The observatory is an anti-government activist organization based in London. It says it relies on activists on the ground in Syria for information. Its claim of Russian involvement has not been independently verified.

Russia has been conducting airstrikes on targets inside Syria since last September. Russian officials have repeatedly said they are not targeting civilians, contrary to the claims of the opposition on the ground.

Just last week, world powers agreed in Munich to a cessation of hostilities in Syria to allow the deliveries of humanitarian aid. But the deal was not signed by any parties and does not take effect until the end of this week.

The air strikes have drawn international condemnation. On Monday, US National Security Advisor Susan Rice said her side is concerned about the civilian impact of these attacks.

"This has been a period of intensified bombing particularly in the north of Syria. We have condemned that in the strongest terms and we think it runs counter, frankly, to the commitments made in Munich on Friday and to our shared interest in seeing the violence reduced, civilians allowed to receive humanitarian assistance which is of critical importance."

On Monday, the European Union also condemned the attack on the facility run by Doctors without Borders, with the French name of Medecins Sans Frontieres. The EU's ni promises more humanitarian aid.

"What happened today to the hospital of Medecins Sans Frontieres, is completely unacceptable and we will continue to pressure all the parties to respect basic principals of humanitarian law and focus on the protection of civilians. In the same spirit, the European Union is taking a fundamental role in the task force that has started already to work in Geneva, in these days, on humanitarian delivery."

The EU official added that plans are in process for establishing a humanitarian aid office in the Syrian capital of Damascus.

Doctors without Borders says the destruction of its clinic leaves 40,000 people in the area without medical access.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed "deep concern" about the bombings, calling on the international community to implement the Munich agreements to achieve stability in Syria.

For CRI, I'm Victor Ning.

Demand for Citronella Candles Rises amid Zika Outbreak in Brazil

Anchor

Brazil has seen a surge in demand for citronella candles as a natural repellent against mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus, as a public health emergency spreads across the Americas.

CRI's Luo Wen reports.

Reporter

The World Health Organization has stressed mosquito bites are responsible for almost 100 percent of Zika virus cases.

This has led to panic buying of insect repellent across Brazil, amid the country's Zika outbreak.

Brazil's biggest retailer, the Pao de Acucar Group, says supermarket sales of repellant were up 120 percent in the first weeks of this year, in comparison to the same period a year ago.

The rise is sharpest in the Northeast region at the center of the outbreak, where sales rose fourfold, and in Brazil's second city of Rio de Janeiro, where they tripled.

At the same time, a similar trend has been seen regarding citronella candles.

Antonieta Cunha, owner of AD Candles, says citronella provides a natural alternative to spray repellents.

"Citronella candles are the best option in the market right now. In comparison to other chemical products, the candle is a natural repellent against the mosquito which carries dengue, chikungunya and Zika, against all insects."

The candle factory adds that demand for citronella products has risen by 25 percent since the start of the epidemic.

AD Candles' owner Antonieta Cunha says the spike in demand has significantly affected her production pattern.

"Citronella candles used to make up a very small portion of our turn over, but after everything with dengue and Zika, there was much greater demand, so we have had to meet this demand and produce more citronella. It went from five percent of our turnover to 25 percent, so each month I work a whole week producing only citronella in order to supply my city and other states."

Locksmith, Claudionor da Silva, says using citronella candles is another good way for residents to protect their homes.

"It is an option to tackle the problem we have with the Zika virus, it is something we can use at home and it works well to scare off the mosquito which is causing the population so much harm."

Much remains unknown about Zika, including whether the virus actually causes microcephaly, a condition marked by abnormally small head sizes among babies that can lead to developmental problems.

Brazil is investigating the potential link between Zika infections and more than 43-hundred suspected cases of microcephaly.

Researchers have confirmed more than 460 of these cases as microcephaly, and identified evidence of Zika infection in 41 of these cases, but have not yet proven conclusively that Zika can cause microcephaly.

For CRI, this is Luo Wen.

Hollande, Cameron to Discuss Deal to Keep Britain in EU

British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande have met in Paris to discuss a deal to keep Britain in the European Union.

The 28 European Union heads of state and government are set to debate a draft deal brokered by summit chairman Donald Tusk in Brussels on Thursday.

If the 28 leaders agree to a deal, Cameron is expected to call the referendum and campaign to stay in the EU.

The British Prime Minister is also due to meet the leaders of European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday.

Headline News

China Launches Channels to Tip off Military Disciplinary Violators

China's Central Military Commission has opened hotlines and a special mailbox for tip-offs of disciplinary violations in the military as part of the country's wider anti-corruption effort.

Soldiers and officers are encouraged to report military personnel violating military discipline through the new channels.

Party members and officials in the military accused of violations have right of appeal through these same channels.

New City to be Established in China's Tibet

China's Cabinent, the State Council has approved the application of Shan-nan to become the fifth prefecture-level city in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Located in southeastern Tibet, Shannan will become a new city after the regional capital Lhasa, Qamdo, Xigaze and Nyingchi.

It is the birthplace of the ancient Tibetan civilization, and borders Indian and Bhutan.

Chinese Scientists Invent Leak Detection System for Moon Exploration

Chinese scientists have developed a leak detection system for the country's moon exploration program.

The measurement system will help scientists figure out a better way to preserve samples from the moon.

It will also ensure a similar vacuum environment as found on the moon for the samples.

China has a three-step moon exploration project, including orbiting, landing and return.

Chang'e-5 lunar probe is expected to be launched next year.

China to Relocate 9,110 for World's Largest Radio Telescope

Southwest China's Guizhou Province is expected to evacuate over 9-thousand residents for the protection of the world's largest radio telescope before September.

The evacuation is facilitated by a proposal delivered last year by several government officials in Guizhou.

According to the proposal, the local government will relocate residents within 5 kilometers of the Aperture Spherical Telescope to create a good electromagnetic wave environment.

Each resident can get a 12-thousand yuan or 2-thousand U.S. dollars subsidy from the government.

1 Dead, Dozens Remain Buried after Gas Explosion Collapses Residential Building

An apartment building in the Russian city of Yaroslavl has partially collapsed after a natural gas explosion, leaving one person dead and over 30 others buried underneath the rubble.

So far four people have been rescued.

Ten flats of a single unit of the residential structure fell apart in the blast early Tuesday morning.

Search and rescue operations are underway.

The explosion did not trigger any large fire, but authorities cautioned that they could not rule out the possibility of further collapse of the building.

Biz

Stocks

Anchor

Time to check today's business news, starting with the closing market numbers in Asia.

Here is CRI's Fei Fei.

Reporter

Mainland stocks closed higher on Tuesday, having their strongest day in three months.

Gainers were led by technology and industrial companies after banks' new loans hit a record high last month.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has urged financial regulators to learn lessons from the past to further stabilize the capital market.

He also said that the regulators "defused some bombs" and prevented systemic risks last year.

At the close,

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index grew 3.3 percent.

The smaller Shenzhen Index rallied 3.9 percent.

The small-cap ChiNext Index moved up 4 percent.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index gained 1 percent.

Elsewhere in Asia,

Markets headed for the biggest two-day gain in four years, extending rallies in overnight European bourses.

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei edged up 0.2 percent.

South Korea's KOSPI rose 1.4 percent.

Singapore's Straits Times gained 1.3 percent.

And finally, Australia's ASX/200 added 1.4 percent.

Back Anchor

That is CRI's Fei Fei reporting.

China's New Yuan Loans Soar in Jan.

China's new yuan-denominated lending jumped to 2.5 trillion yuan or over 380 billion U.S. dollars last month.

That is an increase of 71 percent from a year earlier and also four times the figure posted in December.

Analysts attributed the lending spike to increased injections by the central bank ahead of last week's Lunar New Year holiday.

The surge is also said to be the result of soaring demand for mortgages as property prices recover and government step up fast-track infrastructure projects to spur activity.

According to the central bank, M2, a broad measure of money supply that covers cash in circulation and all deposits, rose 14 percent year on year, to 140 trillion yuan.

This while the narrow measure of money supply, M1, which covers cash in circulation plus demand deposits, also grew 19 percent year on year, reaching 41 trillion yuan.

Total social financing, another important indicator of credit expansion, rose to 3.4 trillion yuan last month from a less than 2 trillion yuan in December.

China's ODI Posts Strong Growth in Jan.

China's non-financial outbound direct investment has posted strong growth of 18 percent year on year last month.

The Ministry of Commerce said in a statement some 12 billion U.S. dollars of ODI came out from China.

The increase accelerated from a 6 percent rise in December.

The authority attributed the spike to investment in the manufacturing sector, which soared nearly 90 percent year on year to 1.6 billion dollars in January.

Big overseas mergers and acquisitions boosted the ODI growth, making up over 90 percent of the total ODI.

The U.S. is the most popular destination for Chinese investment, which is also expected to continue to see fast growth this year.

China's outbound investment ranks as the world's third largest in flow and and the eighth in terms of total stock.

China Bad Loans Edge up Last Year

Anchor

Official data shows that Chinese banks saw more bad loans last year.

The bad loan rates stood at 1.67 percent by the end of last year, up 0.03 points from 2014.

The total amount of bad loans was valued at some 1.3 trillion yuan or close to 200 billion U.S. dollars.

The banking sector raked in net profit of 1.6 trillion yuan in 2015, an increase of 30 billion yuan year on year.

For more on this, CRI's Bob Jones spoke earlier with Gao Shang, analyst with Guantong Futures.

Back Anchor

That is Gao Shang, analyst with Guantong Futures, speaking with CRI's Bob Jones.

China's New Energy Vehicle Output Swells in January

China's production of new energy vehicles has surged by over 140 percent year on year last month, to 16 thousand units.

Xin Guobin, a vice minister at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, says new energy vehicle industry has benefited from government support.

"At first, we just subsidized each vehicle. Then we gradually rolled out policies that cover research and design, tax reduction, market access and infrastructure. They have basically become a complete system to support the industry."

China is the world's largest market for new energy vehicles.

It saw nearly 500 thousand units sold last year.

The output for the year of 2015 reached over 300 thousand.

Leading automakers are now seeking to get bigger shares in the market, such as Volkswagen who looks to launch 15 new energy models in the next 5 years in China.

More Chinese Tourists Go to South Korea for Lunar New Year

Chinese outbound tourism to South Korea has reached some 160 thousand trips during this Spring Festival period.

That is an 18 percent year on year rise.

About 80 percent say they went to the country for shopping.

"I give it a 9 in terms of shopping. As to travelling experience, South Korea lags behind China a bit."

Major duty free shops saw a 10 percent increase on sales during the period, while sales in Seoul's shopping malls and supermarkets jumped some 70 percent.

Last year, fewer Chinese visitors went to South Korea compared to other Asian countries like Japan and Thailand.

Sports

CBA Play-off First Games Recap

Four teams have taken the initiative by winning the first game of the CBA play-offs.

Xinjiang overshadowed the Beijing Ducks again, downing the defending champions 117-105 to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

They have maintained an unblemished record against the Ducks this season.

Home fans are still sore about Li Gen's move to Xinjiang at the start of the season. Li was unfazed by the booing and had 18 points, the second highest of the team.

In other action,

Guo Ailun led Liaoning with 27 points in their 116-108 success over Zhejiang.

Sichuan hammered the Zhejiang Lions 139-98 with the biggest winning margin in this round.

And Yi Jianlian recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds to help Guangdong to a 95-81 win over Shandong.

The second games in the playoffs are set for tomorrow.

Champions League, Europa League Preview

Anchor

In football, it's the middle of the week and it means the start of the knock-out games in the UEFA tournaments.

CRI's Fu Yu breaks it down for us.

Reporter

The first leg of the Champions League round of 16 begins tomorrow morning.

First up are Paris Saint Germain taking on Chelsea at home in the French capital.

PSG are holding an unassailable 24-point lead in Ligue 1 while Chelsea are languishing at 13th place in the Premier League.

Chelsea interim manager Guus Hiddink says they have been growing since their poor start to the season.

"We try to establish more security in the team, more a way of playing which we like to play with the quality of players we have. To be honest, we are not yet there, where we would like to be, because then you have to make series of games where you are imposing the way you like to play. We try to do that step-by-step, but to have more security, then you need a series of games where you are controlling and dominant."

The two clubs are in a tug-of-war for Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard who has expressed his desire for a potentially lucrative move to Paris.

Taking to the pitch at the same time are Benfica and Zenit Saint Petersburg in Lisbon.

UEFA's second-tier Europa League also begins tomorrow morning.

Istanbul club Fenerbahce are hosting Lokomotiv Moscow in the first leg of the last 32.

Fenerbahce coach Vitor Pereira says he will not let political tensions between Russia and Turkey get in the way of their sport.

"It didn't even cross my mind. Football is football. Politics is politics. These are completely different matters. We will play football. Eleven players will be on the pitch from each team and they will go all out for their clubs. I don't believe that any of the players think about politics. I am a complete stranger to politics. I don't understand politics. My job is football. My passion is football. Therefore, I don't think about the 'angle' of this game."

A full slate of games are to follow this upcoming weekend.

Tottenham are in Florence,

Favorites Dortmund are hosting Porto,

Title holders Sevilla are against Norwegian outfit Molde,

And Manchester United who descended from the Champions League are facing Demark's Midtjylland.

Back anchor

CRI's Fu Yu reporting.

Winter Youth Olympics Results

From the Winter Youth Olympics in Norway,

Silver medalist in women's 500 meter speed skating Han Mei has doubled it up with another silver in the 15-hundred meter event.

Team China have won five medals in total at the Games.

Chinese biathletes had breakthrough successes.

Meng Fanqi's 6th place in the women's event is the best finish by an Asian athlete in an event that is dominated by northern Europeans.

Zhu Zhenyu is the best men's finisher from Asia at 16th place.

O'Sullivan Drops Maximum Break for Cheap Prize Money

In snooker,

Ronnie O'Sullivan deliberately dropped a maximum 147 break in the first round of the Welsh Open because the prize money was too little.

O'Sullivan potted 14 reds and 13 blacks before opting for a pink which made him a 146.

The six-time Masters winner was not impressed by the 10-thousand pound award and said he wanted to wait until it builds up.

He still wins two thousand pounds for getting the highest break.

O'Sullivan got past Barry Pinches 4-1 to reach the next round at the tournament.

World snooker chief Barry Hearn criticized O'Sullivan's action as unacceptable and disrespectful.

The prize money for the maximum break is a rolling fund at ranking events.

It snowballed to over 40-thousand pounds before Neil Robertson took it at the UK Championship last December.

Five Chinese players made it through the opening round at the Welsh Open.

They are Liang Wenbo, Tian Pengfei, Yu Delu, Li Hang and Marco Fu.

Stuart Bingham is the big upset of the day. The world number two suffered a 4-1 defeat by Anthony Hamilton.

Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, Judd Trump, Shaun Murphy and defending champion John Higgins all cruised through.

Nadal, Ferrer Talk about Olympics, Zika in Rio

In tennis,

Top seed and former winner Rafael Nadal has said he would like to compete in the Olympic Games but the ongoing Rio Open is his priority at the moment.

"My most important event now is Rio de Janeiro, but not the Olympics. It's the ATP 500. And then it's going to be Indian Wells and then it's going to be Miami. Every event is so important for me and i follow my calendar and, when the Olympics arrive, my most important event is going to be the Olympics."

Nadal's fellow Spaniard David Ferrer is hoping he can join the national squad at the Olympics.

Both players say they are aware of the Zika virus outbreak but are not too concerned about it.

Guido Pella has become the first player through to the next round at the Rio Open, defeating John Isner in three sets which all went into tie-break.

In women's action,

Coco Vandeweghe stunned 6th seed and last year's finalist Karolina Pliskova 7-6, 6-1 in the opening round of the WTA Dubai Championships.

China's Zheng Saisai will hit the court against Sara Errani later tonight.

Entertainment

Taylor Swift's "1989" Becomes Album of the Year

The three big prizes at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards went three different ways at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Monday night, with Taylor Swift's "1989" album winning the evening's biggest prize: album of the year.

Swift delivered an acceptance speech, touting that she's is the first woman to ever win two Albums of the Year from the Grammys.

"As the first woman to win album of the year at the Grammys twice, I want to say to all the young women out there, there are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success. But if you focus on the work, someday when you get when you're going, you'll know it is you and the people who love you who put you there.And that would be the greatest feeling in the world."

Mark Ronson's high-spirited "Uptown Funk," featuring Bruno Mars, won Record of the Year, while Ed Sheeran won song of the year for "Thinking Out Loud."

Kendrick Lamar, who led all artists with 11 nominations, swept all four awards in the rap category for rap performance, rap song, rap collaboration and music video for "Bad Blood", a partial honor he shared with Swift.

Meghan Trainor won best new artist and reacted with joyful tears on hearing her name called.

"I remember pointing to LA Reid and I remember crying and saying, 'Don't snort on TV right now, get it together, and remember your mom and dad and charm.' I forgot a lot of people, but I got the big ones down, that's about it".

Moreover, much of the action in this year's Grammys was in the form of tributes.

Lionel Richie received a tribute from Trainor, while Lady Gaga saluted David Bowie, playing snippets of some of Bowie's greatest hits, such as "Space Oddity," "Changes," and "Heroes."

Eagles Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit and Bernie Leadon paid homage to Glenn Frey with a performance of "Take It Easy", with the song's co-writer Jackson Browne joining them on stage.

Other winners included Alabama Shakes for alternative music album and best rock song and Chris Stapleton for country solo performance, as well as Justin Bieber for Best Dance Recording.

Final Trailer of "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" Released

Warner Bros. has released the final trailer for "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", thankfully it is not spoiler heavy like the last one that came out in December.

The two superheroes also prepared a surprise in which they both use Mandarin to greet Chinese audiences prior to the release of this final trailer.

-"Da Jia Hao.(Chinese)"

-"Ni Men Hao.(Chinese)"

-"I am Henry Cavill, I am proud to part in Zack Snyder's new action venture "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", and to bring superman stories back to screen."

- ""Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is coming to China, and I can't wait to see all of you to see Batman face off against Superman for the first time ever on the big screen."

In addition to greetings, the two also take the battle to each other, and Batman shows confidence by saying 2016 should be the year of the Bat.

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is schedule to hit Chinese big screens on Mar. 25, the same date as its release in North America.

Trailer of "Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking-Glass" Released with Pink Covering Original Song

The singer and songwriter Pink is taking a trip with Alice to Wonderland.

A new trailer of the film "Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking-Glass" has been unveiled globally during today's Grammys, in which the original song "White Rabbit" covered by Pink makes its debut.

It's been five years since Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland was released, but Disney is finally giving audiences their first look at the sequel.

Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman and Mia Wasikowska will be all back to reprise their original roles.

Sacha Baron Cohen will join the cast of the new film to play the villainous role.

Adapted from Lewis Carroll's sequel to "Alice in Wonderland", this time Alice will transport herself using a special mirror that allows her to see much more of the land than before.

The movie is set to hit theaters on May 27 in North America.

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

Recapping our top stories...

China's Vice Foreign Minister expressing the country's opposition to the US deployment of a missle-defense system on the Korean peninsula.

The Security Panel of Hong Kong's Legislative Council passing a motion of condemnation against the Mong Kok riot...

And the United Nations has condemned the recent airstrikes that hit civilian targets in Syria as a blatant violation of international law.

On behalf of the Beijing Hour team, its Spencer Musick in Beijing. Join us for the next edition of the Beijing Hour, to open a window to the world together...