新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 08:00 2016/02/24（在线收听）

The Beijing Hour

Morning Edition

Bob Jones with you this Wednesday February 24th, 2016.

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

Coming up on the program.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks on South China Sea issues and the Korean Peninsula at a joint news conference with his US counterpart John Kerry.

Chinese President Xi Jinping calling for new policies to deal with problems caused by the country's aging population.

China's Top Court Addresses Public Concern Over New Urban Development Guidelines.

In Business - Shanghai looking to boost the number of affordable apartments in the city.

In Sport - Zheng Saisai Breezes into Third Round at Qatar Open.

And in Entertainment - Liu Cixin's Sci-fi Novel Ball Lightning heading for the silver screen.

All that coming up in the next hour.

Top News

Chinese FM expresses views on issues of South China Sea and Korean Peninsula

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has given his views over issues in the South China Sea and the Korean Peninsula at a joint news conference with his US counterpart John Kerry.

Wang said freedom of navigation in the South China Sea has not been a problem and demilitarization in the region needs the efforts of all relevant parties.

He also said that China would like to have dialogue with the United States on the South China Sea to avoid misunderstandings.

In addition, Wang said significant progress had been made in talks on a UN resolution on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) which is expected to be adopted within days.

Wang Yi is expected to wrap up his 3-day visit to the United States on Thursday.

China Reaffirms Self-Defense Legitimacy Regarding Reported Radar Deployment

China has reaffirmed its right to self-defense after a U.S. think tank report accused it of installing radar installations on some of the Nansha islands in the South China Sea, citing satellite images as evidence.

The report from the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said the radar facilities could significantly change the operational landscape of the area.

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying reiterated that it was China's right to deploy defense systems on its own territory.

"China's construction on its own territory is completely within its sovereign rights. By deploying limited necessary defensive facilities on the relevant islands and reefs in the South China Sea, China is exercising its defensive rights as a sovereign country empowered by international law, which cannot be questioned."

Hua Chunying said more attention should be paid to the civilian facilities China has been building in the area.

Hua also criticized the United States for using so-called freedom of navigation as a coverup for its attempt to seek maritime dominance.

"The United States talks about freedom of navigation, but I fear in its heart what it's thinking about is absolute maritime hegemony. So we urge the U.S. to stop intentionally creating tension, stop inciting, stop the words and actions that are not beneficial to peace and stability in the South China Sea."

Also on Tuesday, China's Defense Ministry suggested the strengthened US military deployment of "being the root" of the tensions in the South China Sea.

Xi Urges Improved Policies for China's Aging Population

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for improved policies relating to birth, employment and the elderly, to cope with problems created by the country's aging population.

Xi Jinping made the remarks in a written instruction made public on Tuesday.

Calling for better top-down design, the Chinese President said coping with an aging population was crucial for development and the well-being of hundreds of millions of people.

Xi Jinping stressed this issue should be placed high on the agenda and relevant work should be carried out during coming five years.

In a separate written instruction, Premier Li Keqiang urged the authorities to take a scientific approach to policies and suggestions on the issue of aging.

China has well over 200 million people aged 60 or above, more than 15 percent of the population.

Also on Tuesday, President Xi Jinping underscored a sustainable urbanization and the comprehensive reforms currently underway in China.

China To Launch New Anti-Corruption Inspection In 2016

A new round of CPC anti-corruption inspections are set to get underway here in China - the first of 2016.

A total of 32 different organizations and 4 provinces will be put under the Party's microscope in this latest round.

The provinces to be re-examined include Liaoning, Anhui, Shandong and Hunan.

Inspectors are heading there to ensure Party cadres are maintaining discipline from the previous round of inspections.

Organizations up for scrutiny in this latest round include the publicity department of the CPC Central Committee, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

The CCDI is the Party organization responsible for launching internal Party probes.

In launching the new campaign, CCDI chief Wang Qishan has told his inspectors to maintain loyalty to the Party, as well as study speeches given by Xi Jinping.

China's Top Court Addresses Public Concern Over New Urban Development Guidelines

China's top court has addressed public concerns raised as a result of new national urban planning guidelines which were released at the weekend.

China's central authorities declared that the country should no longer build enclosed residential communities in cities.

The guidelines also said that existing residential areas would be gradually opened up for public access.

The announcement prompted fears that the planned measures would infringe on the legal rights of existing property owners.

Cheng Xin-wen is a presiding judge at China's Supreme People's Court. He explained on Tuesday that under China's property laws, residents of enclosed communities collectively own private roads and spaces within the communities.

Cheng urged lawmakers to properly address the planned private to public transition, within the legal framework, to facilitate China's long-term urban planning goals.

Fu Zhong-wen is a senior partner at China's 'Long An' law firm.

"Residents and developers paid for the land when construction began, therefore they legally own the private spaces in their communities. However, according to China's property and urban land management laws, the government could expropriate the land if public interest is involved. And residents must be properly compensated for the public use of the land."

China began building enclosed residential communities in the 1950's. However, as the pace of urbanization has quickened, city planners say these developments are hampering effective urban development.

Demolition of former Shanghai "comfort station" suspended

The demolition of a former Japanese army military brothel used during World War II in Shanghai has been put on hold by the local government.

An official with Hongkou district government said a historical assessment of the unlisted building had been launched.

The government is seeking advice from the local cultural heritage authority to determine whether the building should be preserved.

The two-story 1920s building was once home to more than ten households.

It had been earmarked for demolition as part of an urban transformation project. The site will make way for a school expansion and a road.

During the Japanese occupation of China, an estimated 200-thousand women from China and many others from the Korean Peninsula, the Philippines and Indonesia were forced into sexual servitude by Japanese troops. Many of them died.

Experts have confirmed that 166 "comfort stations" existed in Shanghai, more than 30 of them in Hongkou district.

The building, which opened in 1939, once housed 40 "comfort women" in its 17 rooms -- 10 were from Japan, 10 from Korea and 20 from China.

Relatives of Japanese soldiers say they were told the building was called Home of the Sea, and was used as a "comfort station" for the Japanese navy.

Folk Singer Sa Dingding Called Out For Lip-Syncing On CCTV Gala

Chinese folk singer Sa Dingding, who once won the BBC Radio 3 Award for World Music, has been criticised for lip-syncing during her performance on CCTV's Lantern Festival evening gala held on Monday.

Shortly after Sa's performance, a short video clip of the performance went viral on the Internet.

In the clip she's seen holding her microphone upside-down while her voice can still be heard clearly. Seconds later, the singer quickly turns the microphone around and continues with the performance.

The singer later mocked herself on her Sina Weibo account, posting that she would try harder to hide her lip-syncing next time.

The scandal has also led to criticism of State-owned CCTV for allowing the recorded performance to take place.

16-Year-Old Couple Draws Attention on the Internet

The marriage ceremony of a young Chinese couple, both aged 16, has gone viral on the Internet.

The legal age for marriage in China is 22 for men and 20 for women, which means they'll have to wait another six years before they can be legally married in the eyes of the law.

The "groom", surnamed Zhang, and the "bride", surnamed Wu, are both from southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The boy quit his high school studies in Year Two and has been working in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi; and his partner, Wu, also dropped out of school last year.

Zhang said online that he didn't regret leaving school at such a young age and said that they "love each other truly."

The vast majority of internet users have shown their support for the "marriage."

Kindness Wall Sees Ups and Downs in China

Anchor:

Kindness Walls are beginning to become a familiar sight in the streets of cities around the world. These are places where people leave unwanted items of clothing for those in most need.

China is no exception, but as CRI's Li Jianhua reports, one example of this growing charity phenomenon has run into unexpected problems.

Reporter:

Walls of Kindness were first seen in Iran last year.

People leave spare warm clothes on walls in public places, and those in need are encouraged to take away what they really need, leaving the rest for others.

Such walls also began cropping up in more than a dozen Chinese cities, as the bitter winter temperatures took hold.

The first kindness wall in Xiamen went into operation just ahead of the Spring Festival in an underground passageway, but ran into problems within 24 hours.

Chen Jiangwei is among the program initiators. He says they received more than five thousand items of clothes, shoes and blankets in just one day, and the tunnel became overcrowded by the needy people busily choosing and trying on the donated clothes.

"The clothes we had prepared earlier had been taken away when we arrived for the second day. There were three or four new items of clothing hung up on each hook and even more donated items had been piled up on the floor. There wasn't even anywhere to put your feet."

The unexpected chaos triggered concerns from the local authorities.

City management officer Chen Jiaping said the operation of the wall was originally illegal.

"You should file an application before the operation and take necessary measures to prevent such potential safety hazards. We are supportive of anything that represents "positive energy," but it should operate in a legal and proper way."

Until a meeting with the program operators, the local authorities had planned to shut down the program completely.

Zhan Zhaowen is from the management of the sub-district where the underground tunnel is located.

He attended a meeting to discuss the problem, held right after the Spring Festival holiday.

"Law enforcement authorities had suggested the wall should be shut down. That's indeed the simplest and most efficient solution and would not have caused any trouble. But it's more important to show tolerance, encouragement and provide support and guidance when facing such emerging matters."

At the meeting, it was agreed that the wall operators would take charge of collecting and cleaning the donated clothing and make sure the supply at the wall was sufficient, while the sub-district administration would provide places to store the excess donations.

It's also hoped that providing alternative places for clothes donation and distribution will help prevent the passageway from being over-crowded again.

Ye Pingna is another initiator of the program. She is eager to solicit more support from members of the public.

"We hope people from every walk of the society can show support to ensure the wall can play its role as it anticipated."

In the latest development, the local authorities say they are planning to form a special team to help promote the program, and will open more kindness walls if this first one proves to be a success.

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua.

Chinese Companies Compete with Established Giants at MWC

Anchor

Chinese phone makers have been making their global ambitions known at this week's Mobile World Congress wireless show taking place in Barcelona in Spain.

The success of emerging Chinese smartphone vendors such as Huawei, Xiaomi and ZTE is being put down to the development of mid-range, cheaper devices.

CRI's Luo Wen reports.

Reporter

Nestling among the big players such as Apple, Samsung, LG and Sony - Chinese companies like Huawei and Alcatel are vying to steal the limelight. Xiaomi too is making it's European debut with the Mi5 smartphone.

But the major players are waking up to the threat. Sony is unveiling its new Xperia X smartphone - a mid-range model.

Nicole Scott, Editor of Mobilegeeks, says like Chinese manufacturers, Sony is also targeting people who want a phone that works, at an affordable price.

"Everybody is launching a mid-range phone, because it is all about pricing, versus not necessarily having high specs but having a phone that just works really well. And we are definitely seeing that at the Sony launch, with the launch of the Xperia X which is a mid-range phone. But Sony is doing it with their own style, it looks good, everything feels high-end, but the specifications are quite budget. And that is definitely in competition to what we are seeing from the Chinese manufacturers."

Also making an impact at the show in Barcelona is Chinese company ZTE, with the launch of the ZTE Blade V7.

The new smartphone will be selling for about 250 euros in Germany, Spain, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Mexico by this summer.

Adam Zeng, CEO of ZTE mobiles, says the company is gaining strength in key markets, which they hope to use to gain traction globally.

"In future, our strategy is to leverage our success in China and the US, and the European markets, to expand into additional strategic countries around the globe. We hope that in the next three to five years, ZTE can be one of the top three smartphone vendors in select markets."

Beijing based company Lenovo is also looking to expand worldwide. The company, which is currently fifth in the global market share race, is launching the Vibe K5 Plus at the show – a 149-U.S. dollar phone only available in emerging markets.

Neil Mawston, smartphone market analyst at Strategy Analytics, warns that no company can be safe as the market is constantly changing.

"The market historically for the last 30 years, in mobiles, has always changed. Companies like Siemens from Germany used to make phones, now they don't. So the market always changes. I think how it is changing at the moment is that we are seeing a swing from developed markets to developing markets. So, more Chinese brands. More Indian brands. And I think potentially also more African brands in the future as well."

This year's Mobile World Congress has attracted around 21-hundred exhibitors worldwide.

The event runs until this Wednesday.

For CRI, this is Luo Wen.

Xiamen University Malaysia Welcomes First Batch of Students

Anchor

China's Xiamen University has welcomed the first batch of students at its newly-opened Malaysian campus. This is the first overseas base set up by a renowned Chinese university.

The establishment of the campus is expected to boost exchanges and ties between students and academics between the two countries.

For more on this, CRI's Huang Shan reports.

Reporter

Xiamen University was founded by a Malaysian-Chinese business tycoon, Tan Kah Kee, in 1921.

It's now one of the top universities in China, ranking 37th in Asia, and 275th in the "2016 Best Global Universities Rankings" published by U.S. News.

It's origins have helped the newly-established campus garner support from the Malaysian-Chinese community, including Chairman of the Kerry Group and owner of luxury hotel chain Shangri-La, widely known as the "Sugar King of Asia."

Wang Ruifang, president of Xiamen University Malaysia, says enrollment has exceeded expectations, and that's a sign that the new university is hailed by high school graduates and their parents in Malaysia.

"Graduates from XMUM will have a better understanding of China, the ASEAN nations, and East Asia, and they can make their contribution to constructing the 21st century maritime Silk Road."

Over 180 students are ready to start their college lives at Xiamen University Malaysia. Law Ying Ping, is one of them. She's pursuing a degree in International Trade and believes studying at the university will provide her with a deeper understanding of China.

"I think we can learn more about China here, like business information and culture. There will be many Chinese students so we can communicate with each other and learn more about the Chinese culture."

The 180 freshmen can choose from seven programs on offer, including New Energy Science and Engineering, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Studies, Journalism, Accounting, Finance, and International Business.

Ong Ka Ting, the Malaysian Prime Minister's Special Envoy to China, believes the founding of the university will contribute to China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative.

"As far as I know, besides the courses offered now, the XMUM has plans to set up the ocean engineering college. This will benefit the construction of the 21st century maritime silk road."

A second batch of students is set to start in April, followed by another intake for bachelor's degree programs in September. The total number of students to be enrolled in 2016 will eventually surpass seven hundred.

For CRI, this is Huang Shan.

Obama Proposes To Close Guantanamo Bay Detention Centre

It appears US President Barack Obama is going to try to make good on an election pledge made nearly 8-years ago, suggesting he may use his executive privilege to shut down the controversial Guantanamo Bay detention center.

"For many years, it's been clear that the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay does not advance our national security. It undermines it. This is not just my opinion. This is the opinion of experts. This is the opinion of many in our military. It's counterproductive to our fight against terrorists because they use it as propaganda in their efforts to recruit. "

Under Obama's plan, 35 of the 91 detainees currently being held there will be transferred to other countries in the coming months.

The remaining prisoners are going to remain in US custody, though the Obama administration has not said where they may end up.

Thirteen different prison facilities on US soil have been proposed.

The Guantanamo Bay detention facility was established on the US Naval base in Cuba in 2002 to hold "high value" targets captured in the so-called War on Terror.

Then-senator Obama campaigned for President on a pledge to shut the detention center down, arguing at the time that it violated US laws by holding prisoners indefinitely without trial and proper legal representation.

However, Obama backed away from the pledge shortly after taking office.

The Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is also a sticking point in attempts by the Obama administration to normalize relations with Cuba, as the current Cuban government has never accepted its continued presence on Cuban territory.

The US signed a lease for the Base with the Cuban government in 1903, and continues to send an annual cheque worth 4-thousand-85 dollars to the Cuban government for its continued contract, none of which have been cashed since the Cuban revolution in 1959.

Syria Minister Says Government "Respects" Truce

A leading Syrian official is suggesting the Bashar al-Assad government is going to "respect" the ceasefire proposition now on the table from Russia and the United States.

But in saying the government will abide by the ceasefire, Syrian Minister for National Reconciliation, Ali Haidar, suggests the Syrian government is going to be forced to keep up the fight against groups unwilling to put down their weapons.

"the agreement itself doesn't only pertain to the ceasefire, but it also mentions excluding Daesh (the Islamic State group), Nusra Front and terrorist groups which will not abide by the agreement and will not announce before today their agreement to it. Consequently, violations will happen from other parties and not from the Syrian state's side."

The ceasefire agreement brokered by the US and Russia requires Syrian and opposition forces to stop fighting by Friday evening.

Groups that do not adhere to the peace process face the risk of being targeted as terrorists.

Meanwhile, Ali Haidar says this week's announcement of Syrian parliamentary elections in April are proof of the democratic goodwill of the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Sweden's SIPRI Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Anchor

Stockholm International Peace and Research Institute has celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf attended the celebration and spoke highly of SIPRI's long-term dedication to research in the field of global security.

CRI's Chen Xuefei attended the ceremony and has filed this report.

Reporter

The Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf has said that the research by SIPRI is of high quality and read by politicians, diplomats, journalists and researchers all over the world.

"The institute's data of nuclear weapons has helped generations of diplomats in negotiation on disarmement. And as a result the number of nuclear weapon is indeed lower today."

SIPRI was founded by the Swedish Parliament in 1966. Urban Ahlin, Speaker of the Parliament said that SIPRI has achieved what the parliament wanted it to achieve.

"The work of SIPRI and what you have done have benefitted Sweden and the peace in a better way than in a momument of stone. SIPRI is an important actor within its field. Facts, analysis enjoy international recognition.

Independence has been of importance ever since the foundation of SIPRI aiming at objectivity not possible to put into question. SIPRI works for disarmament by arming us with knowledge."

Margot Wallstrom, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs also voiced strong support for SIPRI.

"I believe in the old saying, If you want peace, prepare for war. What I want to say is this, we must invest in peace, we must invest in research in a solid knowledge base. That can work at a starting point for negotiations. And of course, SIPRI's research is essential to increasing global knowledge, about peace conflict management, and international security including non-proliferation and arms control. "

Dan Smith, newly recruited director of SIPRI said at the celebration that SIPRI has set up 2016 as a year of reflection.

"A place like SIPRI is offering policy makers and decision makers it is also offering the media and inform the public a chance to pause for thought, and sometimes I look at political discourse in different countries around the world. And I just think why don't you just have pause for thought, there is actually an opportunity to do that, And someone like SIPRI is providing that opportunity, that's why we labeled our 50th anniversary a year of reflection."

Despite of being funded by the parliament, SIPRI has always upheld the position that it is an independent research institute focusing on international security, arms control, and disarmament.

Its latest report says the volume of international transfers of major weapons, including sales and donations, was 14 percent higher in 2011-2015 than over the five previous years, with the US and Russia doing most of the exporting.

For CRI, this is Chen Xuefei reporting from Stockholm.

Weather

Beijing will be sunny with a high of 7 degrees Celsius.

Overnight temperatures should drop down to minus 2.

Shanghai will be sunny with a high of 9 and a low of 2.

In Chongqing, it will see slight rain with a high of 13 and lows of 9.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,

Islamabad will be cloudy with a high of 23.

Kabul will be cloudy with a high of 14.

Over to North America,

New York will have moderate rain with a high of 16 degrees.

Washington, moderate rain with a high of 19 degrees.

Honolulu, slight rain, 26.

Toronto will see sleet with a high of 3 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,

Buenos Aires will be cloudy with a high of 37.

And Rio de Janeiro will be cloudy with a high of 32 degrees Celsius.

Headline News

Xi Jinping Urges Policies for Aging Population, Implementation of Reforms

Chinese President Xi Jinping is suggesting this country's aging population is going to be a priority in the coming 5-year development plan.

As part of a State Council meeting this week, Xi Jinping is calling for improved policies when it comes to births, employment and care for the elderly.

He says coping with an aging population is critical for the livelihoods of hundreds-of-millions of people.

Meanwhile, he's also issued a warning to those who are hesitating to implement the government's current reform strategy, calling on local officials to "crack hard nuts" who are unwilling to change.

Chinese FM expresses views on issues of South China Sea and Korean Peninsula

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has met with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington, with the South China Sea and the Korean Peninsula at the top of the agenda.

Speaking to reporters after their talk, Wang Yi says freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is not a problem.

At the same time, he says demilitarization of the region needs to include everyone, and suggests the Chinese side would like to have a formal sit-down with the US connected to the South China Seat to avoid misunderstandings.

Meanwhile, Wang Yi says significant progress had been made in talks about a UN resolution connected to North Korea's latest nuclear test and satellite launch.

He says that resolution could be passed within days.

Wang Yi is due to wrap up his 3-day visit to the United States on Thursday.

DPRK Warns To Use Strategic Weapons against U.S.-S.Korean Forces

North Korea is warning its ready to use both strategic and tactical weapons in preemptive strikes on South Korea and the United States in the event of even "small movements" are detected among US and South Korean special forces.

The threat, made through North Korean state media, says the first target will be South Korea's presidential office.

North Korea is also threatening to target US bases in the Asia-Pacific.

The heightened rhetoric comes as the US and South Korea prepare to launch their largest-ever joint military drills next month following Pyongyang's latest nuclear test and satellite launch.

North Korea publically suggests the exercises are a prelude to a northward invasion.

The US and South Korean sides insist the drills are defensive in nature only.

Four-Year-Old Egyptian Boy Mistakenly Sentenced To Life in Prison

The military courts in Egypt are being called on to resolve a resolve a situation in which a 4-year old has been convicted and sentenced to life in prison for a series of deadly riots two years ago.

Egypt's military court admits it inadvertently sentenced the child to life behind bars in a clerical mistake.

However, Egyptian authorities refused to listen with the pleas of his father, who attempted to show them the child's birth certificate, proving that he would have only been 1-year old when the rioting took place as part of a Muslim Brotherhood demonstration south of Cairo in 2014.

His father is one of those who was convicted in connection with the bloody riot.

Egypt's military courts have been criticized for their secrecy and frequent use in trials against non-military civilians.

Biz Reports

Anchor

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

U.S. stocks suffered big losses on Tuesday, as investors digested mixed economic reports amid declining oil prices.

Oil prices dived over 4 percent Tuesday as Saudi Arabia's Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi said there won't be any production cuts in the country.

On the economic front, U.S. existing-home sales crept forward in January to the highest annual rate in six months.

Total existing-home sales rose 0.4 percent in January from a downward revised annual rate, beating market consensus.

Meanwhile, U.S. consumer confidence came out weaker than expected.

On the corporate front, shares of Fitbit dived 21 per cent after the fitness device maker delivered a weak outlook late Monday.

At the closing bell,

The Dow lowered 1.1 percent

The S&P 500 lost one and a quarter of a percent.

And the Nasdaq slid 0.7 percent.

In Europe, equities fell back from a three-week high on Tuesday.

The UK's FTSE 100 dropped 1.3 percent.

Bucking the trend, the London Stock Exchange itself - the LSE soared 14 per cent, after it confirmed merger talks with Germany's Deutsche Boerse.

Germany's DAX decreased 1.6 percent

and France's CAC fell 1.4 percent.

The Two Sides of China's Real Estate Market

Anchor

The municipal government in Shanghai is planning to increase the number of small-sized apartments in the city.

Plans are in place to make homes below 90-square meters have to make up at least 7 out of every 10 units in any new projects located in central Shanghai.

Development projects in the suburbs are going to be required to have at least 3 in 5 apartments below 90-square meters.

The new regulations also require any subsidized housing projects all be built under 90-square meters.

This follows a new local government ban on financing any more land purchases for property development.

Local governments currently holding large chunks of land are also being told to sell off some of their property assets to try to reduce their debt burdens.

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

Questions:

John Ross, with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University, speaking with CRI's Spencer Musick.

Letv to Live Stream CSL Matches from Next Season

Chinese online media group LeEco, or formerly known as LeTv, is to start streaming China Super League matches starting from this year.

This comes as LeSports, the sports arm of LeEco, the parent company, reached a five-season partnership with a Beijing-based sports media Ti'ao Dongli.

In the 2016/2017 season, LeSports and its subsidiaries will broadcast all 240 matches in China, the US, Canada and much of Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, LeSports is also planning to launch a new product in 2018, which will charge users for watching games online.

It is still unkown how much Lesports will pay for the online broadcasting rights.

Earlier, Lesports won the live streaming rights for Major League Baseball and the English Premier League games in Hong Kong for the next two years.

At the same time, it has forged a five-year partnership with the top men's tennis body ATP.

China forex settlement deficit continues

New data suggests China continued to see deficit in the foreign exchange (forex) settlement in January, as forex flowed out at the retail level.

According to the foreign exchange regulator, Chinese banks sold 193 billion U.S. dollars' worth of foreign currencies last month, and bought some 139 billion U.S. dollars.

This has resulted in a net deficit of over 54 billion U.S. dollars last month.

Previous data shows China's foreign exchange reserves posted the sharpest monthly fall in December, which fell to 3.3 trillion US dollars.

Concerns about capital outflows still remain as the Chinese currency has dropped sharply against the US dollar in recent months.

In response, the Chinese authorities have reiterated that there is no basis for continued weakness of Chinese currency.

China's Unisplendour pulls out of Western Digital merger

Chinese firm Unisplendour has reportedly withdrawn an offer to buy a 15-percent stake in US data storage firm Western Digital.

It's being reported Unisplendour has decided to scuttle the 3.8 billion US dollars deal after word the US Committee on Foreign Investment planned to investigate the deal.

That Committee assesses any potential risk to US National Security through business agreements.

In response, Western Digital says its offer to purchase rival SanDisk by around 1.7-billion US dollars.

In October, Western Digital agreed to buy SanDisk for 19 billion US dollars.

Shares of Sandisk fell some 2% on Tuesday, while Western Digital's share-price plunged by close to 7%.

Amazon to Expand E-Book Reading Service in China

Amazon has officially launched its Kindle Unlimited service in China.

The new service will allow users to access e-books at a cheaper price than those charged in India and the US.

Kindle Unlimited charges a flat monthly rate of 12 yuan or 1.8 US dollars in China, while the price in US is nearly 10 dollars.

Amazon is also offering a favorable annual rate of 118 yuan in the Chinese market.

Kindle Unlimited allows users to borrow as many e-books as they want at one time from its whole e-book collection in the Chinese market.

So far, Amazon has 40 thousand e-books in the Chinese language, and 3,500 in English.

Sports

Luneng Beat Hiroshima Sanfrecce 2-1, Jiangsu Draw 1-1 with Becamex Binh Duong

In football,

Action last night from the first games of the Asian Champions League group stages has turned out to be a bit of a disappointment for Jiangsu.

Despite the addition of high-priced talents Alex Teixeira, Ramires and Jo, the Chinese Super League side was held to a 1-1 draw last night against a 10-man Binh Duong side from Vietnam to open its campaign.

The other Chinese Super League club in action last night, Shandong, did much better.

Luneng upset Japanese powerhouse Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2-1 last night in Japan.

---

This afternoon,

Shanghai SIPG will begin its campaign on the road against Melbourne Victory.

---

Defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande is at home today to Japan's Pohang Steelers.

---

Elsewhere,

Australian side Sydney FC is in Japan to ahead of their Group H encounter with the Urawa Red Diamonds.

Sydney head coach Graham Arnold.

"I hope, well I think the deciding factor will be our fitness. I don't think Urawa Reds will be at their top form, at this moment. Secondly.... we will be coming for three points. We're here in Japan to take three points back to Australia. It's the first game of the six-game tournament, and we're confident we can take three points."

Sydney FC are back in the AFC Champions League for the first time in 5-years.

---

In football action from Europe,

It was Lionel Messi with both goals as Barcelona took the first leg of its European Champions League last-16 match up with Arsenal this morning.

And it was Italian powerhouse Juventus managing to come from behind to squeeze out a 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich in Turin.

---

Tonight,

Manchester City is looking to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League when they take on Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine.

City defender Pablo Zabaleta.

"Well, we know this is a different competition, it's one of those competitions where we are trying to make progress. I know we're coming from a big defeat on Sunday (5-1 to Chelsea in the FA Cup) but obviously we are now 100% focused on the game tomorrow. It will be a different game, different competition so hopefully we can perform well enough to get a good result."

City comes into the match off an embarrassing 5-1 defeat to Chelsea in the English FA Cup on Sunday.

Zheng Saisai Breezes into Third Round at Qatar Open

In tennis,

The Chinese pair of Zheng Saisai and Xu Yifan have been bounced from the Qatar Open, going down to top seeds Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza in a three-set battle.

However, Zheng Saisai's time in Qatar isn't over.

The 22-year old has reached the third round in the singles event after upsetting Germany's Angelique Kerber in straight sets 7-5, 6-1.

Others advancing on the day yesterday include Agnieszka Radwanska, Petra Kvitova, Roberta Vinci, Garbi?e Muguruza and Eugenie Bouchard.

However, a number of top players have been ousted.

Second seed Simona Halep, who has been struggling somewhat so far this season, went down to Russian Elena Vesnina in a three-set affair.

Sixth seed Belinda Bencic and seventh seed Lucie Safarova are also out.

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On the men's side,

Stan Wawrinka had to fight back from the brink of defeat to overcome Russian Sergiy Stakhovsky in a 3rd set tiebreaker to advance through the opening round at the Dubai Championships.

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Third seed Tomas Berdych is into the second round, easing past Joao Sousa in straight sets 6-1, 6-4.

Berdych will next face Italian qualifier Thomas Fabbiano, who defeated Leonardo Mayer also in straight sets.

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At the other ATP event in Mexico,

Kei Nishikori is in the second round of the ATP 500 event in Acapulco following a 6-0, 6-3 win over Thiemo de Bakker.

First round action in Mexico is underway again this morning.

Trail Blazers to Take on Nets for 6th Straight Win

In basketball,

This year's WCBA Final has been set.

Beijing has made its way into the finals for the 2nd straight season after downing Shanghai 79-70 last night.

American import Sylvia Fowles leading Beijing with 31-points and 12-rebounds to give Beijing the 3-1 series win.

This year's WCBA Final between Beijing and Xinjiang will get underway on Friday.

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The CBA semi-finals get underway tomorrow, with Xinjiang taking on Sichuan, while Liaoning battles Guangdong.

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In the NBA this morning,

Portland is at home to Brooklyn looking for its season-high 6th straight win.

In other action,

Houston is in Utah.

Washington is at home to New Orleans.

Orlando is in Philadelphia.

And Sacramento battles Denver.

Ladd likely to play last game as Winnipeg Jet today

A busy schedule this morning in the National Hockey League,

But while 18 teams battle on the ice today, general managers across the league are also going to be burning up the phone lines ahead of next week's impending trade deadline.

On the ice, the Winnipeg Jets may be playing their last game at home with Captain Andrew Ladd this morning against Dallas.

Ladd, who is an impending free-agent at the end of the season, has not received an offer from Winnipeg, meaning it appears likely the team is going to try to trade him before the February 29th deadline.

In other action,

Arizona is on the road in Tampa Bay.

The Coyotes have reportedly pulled a qualifying offer for forward Mikkel Boedker, suggesting he's likely going to be traded before Monday's deadline.

The New York Rangers are in New Jersey.

Carolina is at home to Philadephia, with Hurricanes' Captain Eric Staal also a solid trade possibility.

Detroit, losers of 4-straight, is at home to Columbus.

Nashville is in Toronto.

Minnesota, riding a 4-game winning streak, is at home to the Islanders.

The Edmonton Oilers, who appear likely to begin selling off some of their young assets in the coming days, are at home to Ottawa.

And the LA Kings are at home to Calgary.

Vettel sets fastest time on day two of pre-season test

In Formula One,

Sebastian Vettel appears to hold the hot hand so far for Ferrari in F1 preseason testing, setting the fastest time for the second consecutive day in Barcelona.

Infiniti Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo finished seven tenths of a second slower than Vettel.

"I think we got one day maybe over 100 (laps) last year but it's good to do it early on as I was mentioning before. Normally we come to Barcelona after Jerez. We've come here and yesterday was the first tine I'd seen the car fully with the body on so to get nearly 100 (laps) yesterday and over 100 (laps) today is really good."

Two-time champion Fernando Alonso also made his debut in this year's preseason testing, driving 119 laps.

This is a promising sign for McLaren after a disappointing season last year.

Meanwhile, F1 stakeholders are meeting in Geneva to discuss the possibility of a reverse-grid alignment to start races.

As part of the plan, the top qualifiers would be dropped on the grid to keep them from pulling away early.

Owners and Formula One officials have been mulling the idea to try to make F1 more attractive for fans and television audiences.

Entertainment

Liu Cixin's Sci-fi Novel "Ball Lightning" To Be Made into Movie

"Ball Lightning", one of the bestselling sci-fi novels of Hugo-award winner Liu Cixin, is set to be made into a movie.

The novel is about a man who devotes his whole life to studying ball lightning after both of his parents were killed by the phenomenon.

His quest presents a unique, mysterious and bizarre world to the audience.

The novel was first published in 2005.

"Ball Lightning" is not Liu's first novel to be made into a film.

A movie based on his best known novel- "The Three Body Problem" is currently in production and is slated for release this summer.

"The Three Body Problem" won the 2015 Hugo Award for Best Novel and was nominated for the 2014 Nebula Award for Best Novel.

Legendary Cinematographer of 'Indiana Jones' Douglas Slocombe Dies at 103

Legendary British cinematographer Douglas Slocombe has passed away.

He was 103.

Complications from a recent fall are being cited as one of the reasons behind his passing.

One of British cinema's most acclaimed cinematographers, Slocombe shot around 80 films over his lifetime, including comedies dating back to the 1940's.

He also filmed some of the earliest fighting of World War Two in Poland.

Slocombe is best known for being the man behind the camera for the Indiana Jones trilogy.

He was given a lifetime achievement award by the British Society of Cinematographers in 1996.

Country Music Singer Sonny James Dies at 87

Country singer Sonny James has died from natural causes - He was 87.

Sonny James ruled the country music charts for almost 20 years.

His biggest hit, "Young Love," topped the country charts in 1957.

During the 1960s and 1970s, he scored 26 No. 1 hits, including 16 consecutive chart toppers.

"Need You," "Here Comes Honey Again," "It's Just a Matter of Time," "Empty Arms" and "Since I Met You Baby" are all among his most memorable songs.

The singer was known as the "Southern Gentleman" because of his gentle, respectable demeanor.

He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006 and was also the first country artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Joey + Rory's 'Hymns' Debuts at No. 1 on Top Country Albums Chart

Country gospel duo Joey+Rory have earned their first number one on the Billiboard chart.

Their new album "Hymns" is debuting at No. 1 in Billboard's Top Country Albums chart and it also opens at No. 1 in the Top Christian Albums chart.

The duo's debut is bittersweet as the album is inspired by Joey Feek's enduring faith, which she has relied on while battling terminal cancer.

Joey began chemotherapy for stage-four cervical cancer in 2014.

She relapsed in 2015, with the cancer being deemed terminal.

Feek is currently receiving hospice care at the family's home.

The duo tallied seven appearances in the Top Country Albums chart previously, including two top 10s: "The Life of a Song" and "Album Number Two".

Kendall Jenner Meets Her Waxwork Self in London

Model and reality TV star, Kendall Jenner, has come face to face with a waxwork model of herself at Madame Tussauds in London.

The waxwork version of Kendall is wearing a black dress while seated in front of a mirror in a backstage makeup room.

It is part of a 'behind the scenes' fashion exhibition at the museum.

Jenner says that seeing a model of herself was initially "creepy."

"It was a bit creepy at first but it was really, I mean it's cool, it's such an honour, and I'm getting used to it and now it's fine, but at first I was a little creeped out".

Jenner was spotted at London Fashion Week's Topshop show with Delevingne earlier this week.

She modelled for Diane Von Furstenberg's Autumn/Winter 2016 collection during New York Fashion Week earlier this month.

New London Railway Line Named After Queen

Britain's Queen Elizabeth has given her name to the latest London commuter rail line currently under construction.

The project - up to now called CrossRail - is the largest infrastructure project in Europe and will carry commuters and travelers between east and west London.

It's due to the public in 2018.

The monarch, who turns 90 in April, was present for the unveiling announcement at the Bond Street London Underground station, which will also serve the new line.

After touring the completed tunnels, she unveiled a sign with the purple "Elizabeth Line" logo.

One other London transit line already has royal connection with the present queen. The Jubilee Underground line was named in honor of her Silver Jubilee, marking 25 years on the throne, back in 1977.

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

Recapping our top stories ...

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi gives his views on South China Sea issues and the Korean Peninsula at a joint news conference with his US counterpart John Kerry.

Chinese President Xi Jinping calling for new policies to deal with problems caused by the country's aging population.

China's Top Court Addresses Public Concern Over New Urban Development Guidelines.

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.