新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 08:00 2016/02/17（在线收听）

The Beijing Hour

Morning Edition

Bob Jones with you this Wednesday February 17th 2016.

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

Coming up on the program.

After talks in Seoul, China again condemns the possible deployment of the US THAAD anti missile system in South Korea.

Beijing calls on Australia to be objective and take a fair stance on the issue of the South China Sea.

Former U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali passes away at the age of 94.

In Business - A senor economist with China's central bank forecasts the Yuan will become a "safe-haven currency" amid global turbulence.

In Sport - Shanghai draws first blood in the Women's CBA semi-finals.

And in Entertainment - Golden Bear award nominee - the Chinese film 'Crosscurrent' premieres in Berlin.

All that coming up in the next hour.

Top News

China Opposes THAAD Deployment on Korean Peninsula

The seventh high-level strategic dialogue between the foreign affairs ministries of China and South Korea has wrapped up in the South korean capital, Seoul.

At the press conference after the meeting, China's vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui reiterated China's stance on a new UN resolution over North Korea's nuclear programs.

"China backs the UN Security Council's decision to adopt a new resolution to curb the nuclear ambition of North Korea; in the meantime, all parties should find solutions to solve the issue through dialogue."

Zhang Yesui also expressed China's opposition to the possible deployment of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on the Korean Peninsula.

"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 discretely on the matter."

For his part, South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-Nam said his country will still attach great importance to the strategic cooperative partnership with China and is willing to make efforts to further promote bilateral relations

On the same day, South Korean President Park Geun-hye made a speech to the parliament, saying North Korea's "nuclear development would not help its survival but rather it will only speed up the collapse of the regime."

Pyongyang conducted its fourth nuclear test on January 6 and launched a rocket carrying a satellite on February 7.

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

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

China Defends Island Construction after Australian Concern

China says it hopes Australia will take an objective and fair stance on the issue of the South China Sea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei defended China's construction projects on the islands there, after the Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop indicated she intended to raise the subject during a visit to Beijing this week.

"China's deployment of necessary homeland defense facilities on its own territory is designed to exercise the rights of self-preservation and self-defense endowed by international law. This will not affect other countries' freedom of navigation and flight over the South China Sea enshrined by international law."

Hong Lei urged the Australian government to refrain from doing things that will harm peace and stability in the region.

He also promised that the international community would be given access to these services whenever they needed.

The foreign ministry spokesman also reiterated that the arbitration initiated by the Philippines violated international law as well as commitments in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

Bishop arrived in China on Tuesday and will stay till Thursday.

China Urges US to Block Bill to Honor Convicted Criminal

China has urged the U.S. Congress to block the approval of a bill by the Senate, seeking to rename a street in Washington D.C. after Liu Xiaobo, a convicted Chinese criminal.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei says the bill violates basic norms of international relations.

"The bill passed by the US Senate violates the basic principles of international relations. China is firmly opposed to it. If the bill becomes law, it will lead to serious consequences. We demand the US Congress stops reviewing the bill, and also hope the US administration can put an end to such a political farce."

Liu Xiaobao was sentenced to 11 years in prison at the end of 2009.

He was convicted of violating Chinese law and engaging in activities aimed at overthrowing the government.

The bill still needs to be approved by the U.S. House of Representatives and must be signed by the president before it can become law.

Chinese Suspects in Bangkok Bomb Case Deny All Charges

Two Chinese ethnic Uygur men have denied all charges against them relating to the Bangkok bomb attack last year. They were appearing at a Thai military court yesterday.

The two suspects face eight charges related to the bombing, including conspiracy to explode bombs and commit premeditated murder.

The bomb attack took place on August 17 at the Erawan Shrine, a popular attraction for tourists, leaving 20 people dead and more than 120 people wounded.

Police said the case against the two men was supported by video footage, witness testimonies, DNA matching and physical evidence, in addition to their confessions.

China's Unveils "Taiji" Gravitational Wave Plan

Anchor

The confirmed discovery of gravitational waves by researchers in the United States is prompting scientists around the world, including here in China, to begin drawing up plans to conduct their own studies on the scientific breakthrough.

CRI's Luo Bin explains.

Reporter

Chinese scientists have announced a gravitational wave research plan they're dubbing "Taiji."

The Chinese Academy of Sciences says their research plans will be finalized later this year.

Academy member Wu Yueliang says their research will focus on low and medium-frequency gravitational wave signals, which would be different from those which US researchers confirmed they'd found last week using their Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, or LIGO.

"Gravitational waves can be categorized into three types according to their frequency bands. Low-frequency gravitational waves come from a larger variety of sources than the other two types, like the merger of binary galaxies or supermassive binary black holes and celestial body explosions. But these sources are yet to be found and this is what we are striving for."

The latest Chinese draft includes two sets of alternative plans.

One would includes teaming up with the European Space Agency's eLISA project.

The other would be to launch a group of Chinese satellites to authenticate any data that the eLISA project comes up with.

eLISA, or "Laser Interferometer Space Antenna," is going to be designed to detect and observe gravitational waves with three satellites arranged in a triangle that sends a laser beam between each other.

It's tentatively scheduled to take shape in 2035.

Chinese Physicist Hu Wenrui says compared with the LIGO's ground-based observatory, eLISA will be able to do more in gravitational wave research, given that it will do the research in space.

"It's more significant, of course more challenging as well, to study low-frequency gravitational waves than high-frequency waves. LISA's project can even deserve more than a Nobel Prize if it succeeds. LIGO's discovery proves the existence of gravitational wave, but there are more secrets in the space waiting to be disclosed."

The new "Taiji" project would be similar to the so-called "Tianqin" plan being launched by Sun Yat-sen University.

"Tianqin" will is due to be carried out in four stages over the next 15 to 20 years, ultimately launching three high-orbit satellites to detect gravitational waves.

However, Wu Yueliang with the Chinese Academy of Sciences says said Taiji and Tianqin would have different objectives.

"Tianqin project is aimed at something different from ours. The two projects target gravitational waves of different frequencies. The satellites for Tianqin project will orbit the earth and try to observe the waves, while ours fly around sun and help with study the theories behind the waves as well as the evolution of the universe."

US researchers confirmed last week that they discovered gravitational waves for the first time through the collision of two black holes some 1.3-billion years ago.

The waves from that collision were first detected back in September after making their journey through the cosmos.

While obviously beyond most people's understanding, the discovery is being hailed as a breakthrough in astronomic research, as its appears to prove theories put forward by both Einstein and Stephen Hawking about how the universe works.

By studying the discovery, astronomers may eventually be able to see the universe beyond what can currently be detected through the spectrum.

For CRI, this is Luo Bin.

Zika Virus within Control in China after Second Imported Case Confirmed

Anchor

China confirmed a second imported case of the Zika virus on Monday, after a passenger arriving at an airport in Guangzhou was found to be suffering from a high fever.

Experts remain confident the risk of the virus spreading in China remains low, but even so have urged people to consider preventative measures.

CRI's Huang Shan has been looking at their advice in greater detail.

Reporter

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said the 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 had reportedly been working in Venezuela for three years, and had been in contact with a friend there, who'd been diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus.

Physician Wang Jian at Guangzhou's Eighth People's Hospital says the patient is currently in quarantine.

"From February 14th, the patient has shown signs of recovery, with a temperature back to normal, and his rash has receded. But the Zika virus can still be found in his saliva and urine. So we need to keep the patient in quarantine for further observation."

China's first case of Zika, a Chinese national who also returned from South America earlier this month, was discharged from hospital on Sunday after making a full recovery.

Li Dexin, a disease prevention expert, says the spread of the Zika virus in China is relatively small, which is within expectations.

"The outbreak of Zika is not over in South America, and the virus is still active in Southeast Asia. This means China could see more imported cases of the Zika Virus. However, the current low temperatures in China will keep the mosquito population low, which will inhibit the outbreak and spreading of the Zika virus in China."

At present, there is no effective vaccine and specific treatment for the Zika virus.

Deputy Director with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ni Daxin, says people should strengthen personal protection through mosquito eradication.

"During the season when mosquitoes are extremely abundant, people should better protect themselves from insect bites and stings, by wearing long-sleeve clothing, spraying mosquitos, and cooling in-door temperatures with air conditioning. By implementing such comprehensive prevention measures, the epidemic can be controlled even during the season with high density of mosquitoes."

Though Zika causes only minor flu-like symptoms in adults, researchers believe it is likely to be behind a sharp rise in cases of newborns with abnormally small heads - a condition called microcephaly.

Symptoms of the Zika virus, which spreads to people through mosquito bites, include fever, joint pain, a rash, conjunctivitis, headache, and muscle pain.

For CRI, this is Huang Shan.

Former UN Chief Boutros-Ghali Passes Away

Anchor

Former U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali has passed away at the age of 94.

The organizations current chief Ban Ki-moon has described him as a "memorable leader who rendered invaluable services to world peace and international order".

Only last month, he met Chinese President Xi Jinping and was honored for his outstanding contribution to China-Egypt friendship.

CRI's UN correspondent Su Yi has more.

Reporter

The President of the UN Security Council for this month, Venezuela's UN Ambassador Rafael Dario made the announcement ahead of a Security Council meeting on Tuesday morning.

"Dear colleagues, we have been informed that Secretary General Boutrous Boutros Ghali has passed away. We want to ask members of the Security Council to hold a minute's silence in his memory."

Boutros-Ghali served as U.N. chief from 1992 to 1996. His term was marked by brutal conflicts in Haiti, Somalia, Rwanda and the the former Yugoslavia.

Present UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, says Boutros-Ghali headed the United Nations at the time when the world body was redefining itself after the Cold War.

"The late Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali was a respected statesman in the service of his country Egypt. He was a well-known scholar of international law and brought formidable experience and intellectual power to the task of piloting the United Nations through one of the most tumultuous and challenging periods in its history, and guiding the Organization of the Francophonie in subsequent years."

Ban Ki-moon also praised Boutros-Ghali's role in the strengthening of the UN's peacekeeping system.

"As Secretary-General, he presided over a dramatic rise in UN peacekeeping. He also presided over a time when the world increasingly turned to the United Nations for solutions to its problems, in the immediate aftermath of the cold war."

Boutros-Ghali was the author of a report called 'An Agenda for Peace,' an analysis on ways to strengthen UN capacity for preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and peacekeeping.

Born on Nov 14, 1922 Boutros-Ghali came from a Coptic Christian family in Cairo. He was educated at Cairo University and then later in Paris.

He went on to study international relations at Columbia University in New York and became Egypt's foreign minister in 1977.

Boutros-Ghali accompanied Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat on the historic visit to Jerusalem in 1977 and played a prominent role in the Camp David accords aiming to being peace to the Middle East.

He visited China several times and only last month met with Chinese President Xi Jinping along with nine other people to be awarded for their outstanding contribution to China-Egypt friendship.

Boutros-Ghali died at Al Salam Hospital in Cairo on Tuesday. He was 94 years old.

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

Saudi, Russia Agree Oil Output Freeze

Top global oil exporters including Russia and Saudi Arabia have agreed to freeze output, to tackle a global glut. But they said the deal was contingent on other producers. Iran - which is planning to ramp up exports - was absent from the meeting.

The Qatari and Venezuelan oil ministers also attended the meeting in Doha - the highest-level discussions in months on joint action to help prices recover from their lowest level in more than a decade.

The Saudi minister, Ali al-Naimi, says freezing production at January levels was an adequate measure and new steps to stabilise the market could be considered in the next few months.

"The reason we here agreed to a potential freeze of production is simply, it is a beginning of a process which we will assess in the next few months and decide whether we need other steps to stabilise and improve the market."

Oil prices rose to over 35 dollars per barrel after the news of the meeting, but later pared gains and closed below 33 dollars as expectations for an immediate deal faded.

Prices reached a high of around 114 dollars a barrell in June 2014.

But persistent oversupply, bloated inventories and a slew of negative economic news dragged crude prices to a 12-year low last week.

Iran has pledged to raise supply steeply in the month to come, as it looks to regain market share lost after years of international sanctions, which were lifted in January.

The slump has been longer and deeper than anyone predicted, and the mood may be shifting among producers that have been determined to defend market share rather than prices.

Assad Doubts Ceasefire in Syria

Syrian President Bashar al-Asad has cast doubt on the prospects of a proposed ceasefire in the Syrian war, despite the agreement hammered out in Munich on Friday.

He said the ceasefire didn't mean each side had to stop using weapons, and nobody would be able to create the conditions stipulated within a week.

"Until now, we hear about them requesting a ceasefire within a week. Ok, then who is capable of bringing together all these conditions within a week? No one. Who will speak to the terrorists if a terrorist organization refused to adhere to the ceasefire, who will make them accountable? Who, as they say, will bomb them? If they wanted to bomb them, where can we find them, where are they? From a practical perspective, all this is difficult to implement."

In the meantime, President Assad belittled Turkey and Saudi Arabia for their threats of military action on the ground in Syria, saying they were merely following orders.

He also said any political transition should be subject to the existing Syrian constitution and called on Syrian people to stay in the country to fulfill their duties.

The five-year Syrian war has forced many to flee the country, heading for neighboring countries and some eventually on to Europe.

Ukrainian PM Survives No-Confidence Vote

The government of Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has survived a no-confidence vote, despite strong criticism over the slow pace of reforms allegations of corruption.

Speaking in advance of the vote, the Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction with the achievements his administration had made.

"We leave the country with full treasury, with armed Ukrainian army, with written-off debts, with paid salaries and pensions. I ask parliament to make a decision about the future destiny of the country today and to put the resolution on no-confidence to voting. We'll hand over the government to a new prime minister with honour and dignity."

The no-confidence motion required 226 votes to pass in parliament, but only 194 out of the 339 members of parliament supported it.

This means the government will probably be safe at least until the next parliament session starts in September.

The decision came moments after lawmakers voted the cabinet's work in 2015, unsatisfactory.

Earlier, the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said the prime minister had lost the country's trust and called for a new cabinet of ministers to be appointed.

US And Cuba Sign Aviation Agreement in Havana

An aviation agreement between the US and Cuba will resume commercial flights between the two countries for the first time in more than 50 years.

The agreement was signed in Havana on Tuesday.

Anthony Foxx, US Transportation Secretary, says the agreement represents another important step in normalizing relationships between the two countries.

"It represents a critically important milestone in the United State's continued efforts to engage with Cuba and normalize our relations."

Foxx's counterpart in Cuba, Adel Yzquierdo Rodriguez echoed his views.

"The adoption of this memorandum is an important step that will allow for the start of regular commercial flights between the United States and Cuba very soon."

Currently dozens of charter flights regularly run between the US to Cuba every week, under Department of Treasury restrictions and with limited capacity.

After the signing of the agreement, as many as 110 weekly direct commercial flights could bring tens of thousands of Americans to Cuba as early as June of this year.

The US and Cuba announced plans to normalize their relations at the end of 2014, after a half-century of Cold War opposition.

Giant Slide to Open in Shanghai Shopping Mall

Anchor

Visitors to a shopping mall in Shanghai have been getting a first look at a giant five-storey slide which is due to open to the public next month.

Pictures of the chute have already gone viral, sparking excitement and fear in equal measures.

CRI's Luo Wen has more.

Reporter

The 54-meter - 177-foot - curling slide winds from the fifth floor down to the ground floor of a shopping mall in China's financial hub city of Shanghai.

The slide is part of a promotional campaign for the Pinault Printemps Redoute Shanghai shopping mall.

Erica Liu, the general manager of marketing department of the mall, says sliding from the top takes about 16 seconds.

"The building is high, so we have to have curves to avoid making a sudden dive. So having curves would slow down the speed. I've slid before, it's not dangerous at all and it's also very interesting. But for those people who are afraid of heights, they don't like it; but for those who like the feeling of excitement, this slide is nothing for them. That's what I think."

Liu adds that, as a safety measure, only one person would be allowed on the slide at any time.

Riders must be older than 3 years old and taller than 1.1 meters, that's just over 3 and a half feet.

Some customers are clearly ready to give it a try.

"The idea is very good. Firstly, it's quite attractive. When I first came in, I saw it with the shape of dragon; I think it has a good meaning. I think it will attract a lot of people. I came here to have lunch with my friend, we both have kids. We will take our kids to have a try next time. I think it's really good."

Others say they would like to have seen a more open design to make it more exciting.

"I think it's more reasonable that the slide is semi-transparent on the upper part, while it has steel tube on the lower part as you can have a full view of the shopping mall when you slide on it. It would increase the feeling of excitement when you can see objects moving when you slide and it will have more fun. It would also reduce the fear of the people who have acrophobia when they look down during the slide if the slide has steel tube of the lower part."

The giant slide is set to open to the public on March 15 after it's undergone more safety checks.

It experience will be free of charge to customers of the Mall.

For CRI, this is Luo Wen.

French Parliament Extends State Of Emergency by 3 Months

The French Parliament has approved an extension to the country's state of emergency by a further three months, to May 26.

The State of Emergency expands the powers of the French authorities by allowing them to conduct police raids and put people under house arrest without prior authorization of a judge.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told lawmakers that the legal conditions for the extension were now in place.

"First, if the state of emergency is extended or at least if we submit to the National Assembly a request of extension which will justify its vote, it's because we are convinced that the legal conditions required for its extension are in place, and they are. The impending threat of the danger which exists and about which I just gave very precise elements coming from our intelligence services leads me to tell you that the legal conditions are in place."

Some opponents argue that the increased police powers and restrictions on public gatherings damage democracy and are ineffective in tackling terrorist threats.

The State of Emergency in France has been in place since the November 13 terror attacks on Paris. Since then the police have carried out more than 3,000 house searches; placed some 300 people in custody; and put at least 400 under house arrest.

Weather

Beijing will be sunny with a high of 9 degrees Celsius.

Overnight temperatures should drop down to 1.

Shanghai will be sunny with a high of 11 and a low of 5.

In Chongqing, it will be overcast with a high of 12 and lows of 6.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,

Islamabad will be cloudy with a high of 22.

Kabul will be cloudy with a high of 4.

Over to North America,

New York will be cloudy with a high of 7 degrees.

Washington, overcast with a high of 7 degrees.

Honolulu, overcast, 26.

Toronto will see slight snow with a high of minus 2 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,

Buenos Aires will have slight rain with a high of 34.

And Rio de Janeiro will see moderate rain with a high of 31 degrees Celsius.

Headline News

China, S. Korea hold strategic dialogue on Korean Peninsula nuclear issue

High-level officials from China and South Korea have concluded a round of strategic talks in Seoul.

Tuesday's sessions among representatives from their respective Foreign Ministries have seen both sides express opposition to the nuclear test and satellite launch by North Korea.

The Chinese side says it wants to see the issue resolved through talks.

The South Korean side says it wants the international community to show solidarity on the issue.

South Korea's delegation to the talks in Seoul also say it wants the UN to pass a forceful new resolution on sanctions against North Korea.

When it comes to the possible deployment of the American THAAD missile defense system in South Korea, the Chinese delegation has told Seoul any such move will not help ease tensions on the Korea Peninsula, or maintain regional peace and stability.

South Korea says it will continue to discuss this issue with China, and says it does not want it to affect bilateral ties.

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

The Security Panel in Hong Kong's Legislative Council has passed a motion, condemning this month's rioting in Mong Kok.

The motion also includes a call for increasing police resources.

Rioting broke out in the Mong Kok district of Kowloon on the evening of February 8th after local police attempted to shut down illegal street vendors.

More than 100 people were hurt after law enforcement officers were attacked along with several journalists.

So far over 60 suspects have been arrested.

Local authorities have suggested the rioting may have been bolstered by so-called "localist" forces.

New City to Be Established In China's Tibet

The State Council, China's cabinet, has approved the application of Shannan to become the fifth prefecture-level city in Tibet.

Located in southeastern Tibet, Shannan is set to officially become Tibet's 5th city after the regional capital Lhasa, Qamdo, Xigaze and Nyingchi.

Shannan is considered the birthplace of the ancient Tibetan civilization.

It's located along the border with India and Bhutan.

Former UN Chief Ghali Dies in Egypt At 94

Former United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali has died.

The Egyptian diplomat passed away yesterday at the age of 94.

Boutrous Boutrous Ghali led the UN from 1992 until 1996, becoming the first Arab to hold the post.

After returning to Egypt, Ghali headed the state's National Council for Human Rights under long-time former President Hosni Mubarak.

Ghali resigned in 2011, the year Mubarak was ousted by a popular uprising.

3 Killed, 8 Wounded In Intensified Violence In E. Ukraine

At least 3 are dead and 8 others hurt following a burst of renewed violence along the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine.

The fighting appears to be localized around the village of Zaitseve.

It comes just ahead of a new round of peace talks this Wednesday in the Belarusian capital, Minsk.

Fighting in eastern Ukraine for nearly the past 2-years has left over 9-thousand dead.

Hosilities have eased significantly after the two sides declared a ceasefire last year.

Biz Reports

Anchor

Turning to business news, starting with the closing numbers across North America and Europe.

U.S. stocks rallied on Tuesday, as a rebound across the global equity markets boosted investor sentiment.

Crude oil traded higher earlier the day in the hope that major oil producers would agree to freeze output. But oil prices retreated after the deal was sealed later the day.

On Tuesday, Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker, went on-record as saying the Federal Reserve should wait until inflation data is stronger before raising interest rates again.

At the closing bell,

The Dow jumped 1.4 percent

The S&P 500 leapt almost 1.7 percent.

And the Nasdaq surged 2.3 percent.

In Europe, equities finished mixed on Tuesday as European Central Bank President Mario Draghi hinted at further monetary policy easing.

The UK's FTSE 100 added 0.7 percent.

Germany's DAX fell 0.8 percent

and France's CAC was also down 0.1 percent.

China to Increase Financial Support to Encourage Industrial Growth

Eight economic regulators within the Chinese government have issued a joint guideline to increase financial support for the country's industrial growth.

They include China's central bank and the top securities regulator, the CSRC.

The new guideline aims to push forward supply-side reform and reduce industrial overcapacity amid China's ongoing industrial upgrades.

Measures include the expansion of credit to industrial enterprises and innovation in corporate financing.

Financial institutions are being encouraged to make long-term loans to high-tech firms, while loans to "zombie companies" that have suffered huge losses will be cut or withdrawn.

The regulators also promised stronger support for companies exploring foreign markets.

Yuan "Safe-Haven Currency": China Central Bank Economist

A senor economist with China's central bank has gone on-record saying that the Chinese yuan is likely to keep appreciating and become a "safe-haven currency" amid global turbulence.

Yao Yudong, head of the Research Institute of Finance and Banking at the People's Bank of China, says there remains no basis for the yuan's continued depreciation as it has held relatively firm against a basket of currencies.

This comes after the Chinese yuan set its central parity rate above 6.51 against US dollar on Monday, the first trading day after the Spring Festival.

It was also the highest fixing rate in a month.

On Tuesday, the central party rate for yuan rebounded slightly to close at nearly 6.52 per US dollar.

Earlier, the PBOC's central governor Zhou Xiaochuan also shrugged off investors' concern, saying there was no basis for it to fall further.

Record Year Expected For China's Outbound M&As

Anchor:

A new report is suggesting outbound mergers and acquisitions by Chinese companies are going to set another record this year, as well as be more diversified.

A Chinese government-backed think tank based in Beijing is suggesting the current global economic slowdown is offering a significant opportunity for Chinese companies to purchase overseas assets.

The analysis is suggesting virtually any industry could be a target for Chinese companies.

Government figures are already pointing to a sharp increase in outbound Chinese investment, with some 55-billion US dollars worth of Chinese investments already being made overseas so far this year.

For more on this, CRI's Spencer Musick spoke earlier with John Ross, senior fellow with the Chongyang Institue for Financial Studies at Renmin University.

Back Anchor

That is John Ross, senior fellow with the Chongyang Institue for Financial Studies at Renmin University, speaking with the Beijing Hour's Spencer Musick.

Taiwan Exports Drop for 12th Month

Official data suggests Taiwan's exports have fallen for a 12th consecutive month in January.

The Local financial authority says Taiwan's exports stood at over 22 billion US dollars last month, 13 percent lower year on year.

Among all products, exports of optical instruments and metal products suffered the greatest loss.

At the same time, Taiwan's exports to the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong accounted for more 38 percent in January.

That was also down over 19 percent from a year ago.

Alipay Not to Charge over Cash-Drawing Amid Peers Pressure

Alibaba's mobile payment system Alipay, announced on Tuesday that it will not charge its users for withdrawing cash following speculation by users.

This comes two days after Internet giant Tencent confirmed it planned to charge its WeChat users for withdrawing cash vis its system.

Users of the popular messaging app will be charged 0.1-percent for every cash withdrawal transaction through WeChat starting next month.

However, WeChat will allow every user to withdraw 1-thousand yuan without a fee at the beginning.

Alipay and WeChat Payments now dominate China's mobile payments market, while Apple Pay will be launched in China from 5 am on Thursday.

Chinese E-Commerce Firms Launch Packaging Recycling Schemes

Some Chinese e-commerce companies have started to recycle used packaging to cut down on rubbish pollution.

The companies involved have begun offering points to consumers who recycle packaging.

Meanwhile, residents are also being encouraged to use a mobile phone app to allow their waste materials to be bought back.

Manager of a waste recycling company Chang Tao says the online system can track the path of the recycled materials.

"Where the waste goes can be monitored. It is more convenient for residents and safer for the government. The waste can be used more effectively."

China's postal authority says that over 20 billion packages have been handled last year, an increase of nearly a half, year-on-year.

Figures show that 80 percent of consumers simply throw away packaging materials which take a long time to decompose.

Sports

Paris Saint-Germain Beat Chelsea 2-1

In football action from Europe,

Paris Saint-Germain has taken the first leg of its round-of-16 European Champions League battle with Chelsea, 2-1 in Paris this morning.

The other Champions League match had Benfica drawing first-blood in its quarter-final first leg, 1-nil over Zenit St Petersburg.

---

There are two Champions League matches on deck tonight,

Belgian champions Gent are set to take on Germany's VfL Wolfsburg.

Gent defender Stefan Mitrovic.

"For the moment, between Gent and Wolfsburg, there's not a big difference, because we showed in our group in our last games in the Champions League we are at the level to play in this competition and every point we took in our group was well deserved and I think that we totally can play a good game with Wolfsburg again."

The other European Champions League match tonight has Roma taking on Real Madrid.

---

In off-pitch football news,

West Ham United has announced striker Nikica Jelavic has joined Chinese League One side Beijing Renhe.

The 30-year-old Croatian international only made one Premier League start this season.

Jelavic signed with West Ham for 3 million pounds from Hull in August.

However, he only scored once in Premieship action, despite making 12 appearances from the bench.

Beijing Renhe finished 15th in the Chinese Super League last season, and has been relegated to Chinese League One.

Zheng Saisai falls in first round in Dubai

In tennis,

Despite making it through qualifying, 22-year old Zheng Saisai has seen her hopes in Dubai come to a quick end.

The young Chinese talent went down to Italian Sara Errani in straight sets 7-5, 6-3 last night in the opening round of the Dubai Championships.

---

In other action,

Veteran Jelena Jankovic is through after upsetting 5t seeded Swiss star Belinda Bencic in the first round in Dubai.

Jankovic will now play Germany's Andrea Petkovic in the second round.

---

Serbia's Ana Ivanovic has also progressed after destroying Daria Gavrilova of Australia, 6-1, 6-0.

The former world number one will next take on defending champion and top-seed Simona Halep.

---

At the Rio Open in Brazil.

Top seed Teliana Pereira has suffered a shock first-round exit, with the home-town favorite going down to Petra Martic of Croatia 6-3, 7-5.

"First rounds are always a little bit tougher. We get nervous, a normal thing, no matter what tournament it is. It happens, no matter who the player is. I don't think I played badly. I think that she played a great match, served better than me."

On the men's side,

Fresh from his fourth ATP Tour World title at the Argentina Open on Sunday, Dominic Thiem has continued his dominance on clay with a straightforward 6-3, 6-4 over Pablo Andujar in the first round.

"It gives me a lot of confidence, of course, but also it's always tough to play the first match after a big tournament win. Because, obviously, it was in tough conditions in Buenos Aires and here is also really hot. I was a little bit tired but played good tennis also because of my confidence and I am very happy that I am through."

And at the ATP's Open 13 event in Marseille, France,

Local favorite and 5th seeded Gilles Simon was handed a setback, going down in the first round to Russian Teymuraz Gabashvilli in a 3-set battle.

He was one of 4 French players to go down yesterday in Marseille.

3rd seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet, the top seeded French player at the tournament, opens up his tournament today against Latvia's Ernsets Gulbis.

WCBA Semi-Finals/CBA Quarter-finals/NBA

In Basketball,

The first games of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association semi-finals have taken place last night.

It was Shanghai drawing first blood, getting past Beijing Great Wall 68-66.

The other semi-final was also a tight match, but much more offensive-oriented.

Xinjiang has opened a one-game-to-none lead, getting past Guangdong 117-113 in overtime.

--

The 2nd games in the first round of the CBA are set for tonight.

Top-ranked Liaoning will try to take a 2-0 series strangle-hold in its best-of-5 quarter final tonight on the road in Zhejiang against Chouzhou.

The defending champion Beijing Ducks will try to level their series with Xinjiang at home tonight.

Guangsha will also try to level its series with Sichuan after its embarrassing 41-point loss to the Blue Whales on Monday.

And Yi Jianlian and his Guangdong Southern squad will try to take a 2-0 series lead tonight in Shandong against the Bulls.

---

A light schedule this morning in the NBA, with only 3-games on the schedule following a return to action from the All-Star Weekend.

Utah is in Washington.

Chicago will be hard-pressed to snap its 4-game losing skid, as its on the road in Cleveland to take on the Eastern Conference leading Cavaliers.

And out west, is the San Antonio Spurs looking to keep their 6-game winning streak going after the All-Star break in Los Angeles as they take on the Clippers.

The Clippers come into the game with a lot of buzz surrounding whether or not they will ever see Blake Griffin amongst their ranks again.

Griffin, who is currently sidelined with an injury, is also the focus of significant trade rumors ahead of the NBA trade deadline, particularly given his off-court dust-up with a team staffer, which has already prompted the club to announce an additional suspension of Griffin once he becomes activated off the injured reserve.

Kings In Washington, To Remain Without Gaborik Rest Of Regular Season

A busy schedule this morning in the National Hockey League.

Among the action, a pair of Division leading clubs go head to head this morning, with the Pacific Division leading LA Kings in Washington to take on the Metropolitan, as well as League-leading, Washington Capitals.

The Kings come into the game on the heels of the announcement that veteran forward Marion Gaborik will not be returning to the team until at least the playoffs.

Gaborik suffered a suspected knee injury during the Kings win over the New York Rangers last week.

In other action,

Its Columbus at home to Boston.

The New Jersey Devils hope to continue their recent strong play at home to Philadelphia.

Carolina is at home to Winnipeg.

Ottawa is home to Buffalo.

Buffalo will be without sniper Evander Kane, who the team has suspended for one game after he missed a team practice after heading into Toronto this past weekend to watch the NBA All-Star game.

San Jose is in Tampa.

Dallas looks for its 5th straight win in St. Louis.

And Edmonton is at home to Anaheim.

Entertainment

Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar Win Big At 58th Grammy Awards

Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar have walked away the big winners from the now-concluded Grammy Awards.

Swift has followed up her success with her 2009 win for "Fearless" by taking this year's Album of the Year for her runaway hit "1989."

"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."

Swift beat out Kendrick Lamar, Chris Stapleton, Alabama Shakes and The Weekend for the top prize.

Lamar, who had 11 nominations didn't walk away empty handed.

He took five Grammies, sweeping all four awards in the rap category including Best Rap Album for "To Pimp a Butterfly".

Ed Sheeran won Song of the Year for his hit single "Thinking Out Loud".

Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars earned the coveted Record of the Year trophy for their huge hit "Uptown Funk".

But beyond the awards, much of the attention at this year's Grammys was directed toward tributes.

Lady Gaga saluted David Bowie, performing snippets from some of Bowie's greatest hits, including "Space Oddity," "Changes," and "Heroes."

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

BB King was also honored at this year's Grammy's, which drew an estimated 25-million viewers in North America.

Figures from China have yet to be put together, though they should be large, as LeTV had the exclusive live broadcast rights this year, and CCTV re-aired the entire broadcast last night.

"Crosscurrent" premieres at Berlinale

Chinese film "Crosscurrent" or "Chang Jiang Tu" in Chinese has premiered at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival or Berlinale.

(crosscurrent clip)

"Crosscurrent" is the only Chinese film selected this year to compete for the Golden Bear.

The magic-realism film tells the story of a young captain, played by Qin Hao, who steers his cargo boat up the Yangtze river while looking for the love of his life.

However, all the women he meets, in all the different ports, are the same person played by actress Xin Zhilei.

His trip up the river turns into a magical journey through space and time.

"Crosscurrent" is directed by Yang Chao, who won the Cannes Golden Camera special award in 2004 with his film "Passenger".

A total of 434 films from 77 countries and regions will be screened at the 2016 Berlinale competition.

And 18 of them are running for the Golden and Silver Bears.

The Berlinale opened last Thursday and will run through till Sunday.

Eagles of Death Metal returns to Paris

Rock band Eagles of Death Metal have returned to the stage in Paris, three months after terrorists attacked their concert at the Bataclan, killing 89 concert-goers.

The sell-out concert at the French capital's Olympic concert hall packed with some 2,800 fans, including 900 survivors and relatives of those killed at the Bataclan last November.

"Bonsoir Paris, we're ready for this!" frontman Jesse Hughes told the crowd before heading straight into their first song.

Security was tight for the latest performance, and a team of 30 psychologists were at the venue in case anyone in the audience were affected by the emotion of the evening.

The Bataclan venue has been closed since the attacks across Paris on Nov. 13 that left 130 dead and 350 others wounded.

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

Recapping our top stories ...

After talks in Seoul, China again condemns the possible deployment of the US THAAD anti missile system in South Korea.

China calls on Australia to be objective and take a fair stance on the issue of the South China Sea.

Former U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali passes away at the age of 94.

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