新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2014/03/28

The Beijing Hour
 
Evening Edition
 
 
Shane Bigham with you on this Friday, March 28th, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this evening，
President Xi Jinping is calling for a new level of cooperation between China and Germany.
The remains of more than 400 Chinese soldiers killed during the Korean War have been repatriated.
And Russia is expressing its regret over a UN resolution on Ukraine.
In business, The World Trade Organization rules in China's favour in a dispute with the US.
In sports, Li Na set for showdown with Serena Williams in Sony Open Final.
In entertainment, The Grandmaster sweeps the Asian Film Awards.
 
 
Weather
 
 
Beijing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 11 degrees Celsius. Sunny tomorrow with a high of 22 degrees.　
Meanwhile Shanghai will be rainy tonight, with a low of 14, also rainy tomorrow, with a high of 19.
Chongqing will be cloudy, 13 degrees the low, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 24.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny with a high of 24.
Kabul, rainy, 8.
Over in Australia
Sydney, rainy, highs of 24.
Canberra, rainy, 22.
Brisbane, rainy, 28.
And finally, Perth will be rainy with a high of 23.
 
 
Top News
 
 
Australia shifts Malaysia Airlines plane search area
 
Australian authorities have moved the search area for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 based on a new lead.
The new location in the Indian Ocean is more than 1,000 kilometers north-east of the previous search zone.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority, or AMSA, says the shift comes from new information based on continuing analysis of radar data before radar contact was lost with Flight 370.
The analysis indicates the aircraft was travelling faster than previously estimated, reducing the possible distance the flight could have flown over the Indian Ocean.
John Young is with AMSA.
"The new search area is approximately 319,000 square kilometers an area and about 1850 kilometers west of Perth. The Australian Geospatial Intelligence Organization, AGO, is re-tasking satellites to capture images of the new area. Weather conditions are better in the revised area and 10 aircraft have been tasked with today's search."
Young says the new search area is closer to Perth, which should enable surveillance aircraft to spend more time in the air before having to refuel.
Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott says his government will continue to work closely with the Malaysian and Chinese governments on the search.
Six ships including five Chinese vessels have been relocated to the new search area.
A U.S. pinger-locator and an autonomous underwater vehicle have also arrived in Perth to assist with locating the black box and cockpit voice recorders.
On Friday, China again called for more information from Malaysia regarding the search operation.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei says China will also protect the interests of relatives of the missing passengers.
"We will continue asking Malaysia to timely, accurately and comprehensively brief families regarding the progress of the investigation, while at the same time provide services for the families as they wait. The Chinese government certainly will protect the legal rights and interests of everyone. Meanwhile, we hope all family members will take care of themselves."
The Chinese icebreaker, Xuelong, is moving to the new search area.
During today's press conference, Malaysian authorities confirmed the new search area identified by the Australian authority.
Malaysia's acting transport minister says the new search area provides a new lead and the Australian authority will now work on a new search and rescue plan.
He says all satellite images released so far are centered around seas west of Perth, and the search team will continue to look for possible debris.
Malaysian authorities also say they will take further steps to find out whether the pilot and co-pilot knew each other before the MH370 trip.
 
 
Chinese president calls for new stage of cooperation with Germany
 
Anchor:
Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Berlin for a state visit to Germany, the third leg of his ongoing Europe tour.
Xi Jingping will meet with German leaders and to witness the signing of cooperation agreements on various fields.
Ahead of the visit, Xi wrote in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, saying there will be more areas and new impetus for the China-Germany cooperation.
CRI's Qizhi has more.
Reporter:
In the article, titled "China-Germany Cooperation for the Benefit of China, Europe and the Whole World", the Chinese President calls for a new stage of China-Germany cooperation.
Xi Jinping says the current level of cooperation between the two nations has led overall China-EU cooperation in recent years, with the two countries becoming each other's largest trading partners in Asia and Europe respectively.
He says China has adopted a comprehensive plan on deepening reform in all areas, in which the market will play a decisive role in the allocation of resources.
Meanwhile, Germany has introduced the strategy of industry 4.0, optimizing its energy mix and introducing its own structural reform.
Therefore, the President concludes, there will be more areas and new impetus for China-Germany cooperation.
The article notes that fundamentally, cooperation between China and Germany will serve domestic development and improve people's lives in the two countries.
It adds that there is no doubt that China's market and Germany's technologies will facilitate this economic growth and social development.
Xi Jinping says China and Germany are the most important economies in Asia and Europe respectively.
Therefore, greater integration of the two economies will greatly promote the formation of an Asia-Europe market and have a far-reaching impact on the world economy.
The article stresses that since friendship is based on mutual respect, the best way to enable China-Germany cooperation is to understand and respect the basic system and development path each nation has chosen.
It also recognizes the need to go beyond business relations and add strategic dimensions to cooperation with a more open mind, while handling differences through friendly consultations and dialogue on an equal footing.
For CRI, I'm qizhi.
 
 
Xi Jinping's visit to Germany
 
Anchor:
For more on Chinese President Xi Jinping's time in Germany, CRI's Zheng Chenguang spoke earlier with Michael Clauss, Germany's Ambassador to China.
…
Back Anchor:
Michael Clauss, Germany's Ambassador to China, speaking with CRI's Zheng Chenguang.
 
 
South Korea returns remains of Chinese soldier
 
Anchor:
South Korea has officially handed over the remains of more than 400 Chinese volunteer soldiers killed during the Korean War.
CRI's Ding Lulu has more.
Reporter:
The handover ceremony has taken place at the Incheon International Airport in South Korea.
There was a South Korean honour guard, and officials from both sides watched as Chinese national flags were laid on top of 437 caskets.
A Chinese plane carrying the soldiers' remains has now landed at an airport in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.
The head of the Chinese delegation, Zou Ming, expressed gratitude to South Korea and says such repatriations will continue.
"We appreciate South Korea's proactive efforts and sincerity. China and South Korea will continue to cooperate on this sensitive issue over the long-term. The remains of Chinese soldiers will be repatriated to China every year before Chinese Qingming Festival on April 5th."
The Chinese Forgien Ministry has released a new statement to welcome the move, saying it will increase the friendship between the two countries.
China and South Korean reached agreement on the repatriations last year.
The South Korean Defence Ministry said the remains of the Chinese soldiers were exhumed in December 2013 and identified between January and February this year.
The remains were interred at a burial ground in Paju after the Korean War.
South Korean Vice Defence Minister, Baek Seung-joo also expressed hope of developing better relations between the two countries.
"South Korea and China walking together and cooperating, with trust, will not only lead the relationship between the two countries towards harmony, but also foster East Asia's peaceful cooperation. It will also mark a big turn in creating an international community full of humanitarianism and trust."
The Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) fought side by side with the army of North Korea in the Korean War against the South Korean army and a U.S. -led international forces.
Tens of thousands of CPV soldiers died on the Korean Peninsula during the war, which ended in an armistice in 1953.
For CRI, I'm Ding Lulu.
 
 
Russia regrets U.N. resolution on Ukraine
 
Moscow has says it regrets that Kiev and its foreign sponsors support a U.N. resolution on Ukraine's territorial integrity.
The comment was made after a recent vote by the United Nations General Assembly to not recognize Crimea's absorption by Russia.
The Russian Foreign Ministry is alleging pressure, political blackmail, and economic threats were used to coerce U.N. members to support the resolution.
Describing the resolution as "counterproductive," Moscow claims the document will complicate the settlement of Ukraine's domestic crisis.
The vote on the Ukraine-sponsored resolution was 100 in favor, 11 against and 58 abstentions.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia.
"The purpose of this document is to reinforce core United Nations principles at a moment when they are experiencing a major challenge. This text is also about respect of territorial integrity and non-use of force to settle disputes."
Unlike the more powerful Security Council, resolutions in the General Assembly cannot be vetoed.
However, the resolutions in the General Assembly are not legally binding.
Russia's UN Ambassador did lobby for a "no" vote.
China abstained.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday released a new statement, calling for all parties concerned to exercise restraint and refrain from exacerbating the situation.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the question of Ukraine has historical complexity and involves the interests and concerns of various parties.
He called for a balanced approach to solve the issue.
"China has been adopting an objective and just attitude on the Ukraine issue. China has put forward 3 proposals in solving the issues. These include the early establishment of an international coordination mechanism with the participation of all the parties concerned to explore and examine the ideas and concept for a political settlement. Under the current situation, all parties should avoid escalate the tensions and confrontations, but to create a sound environment for political settlement."
Meanwhile the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have approved separate bills to provide financial assistance for Kiev and impose sanctions against Russian officials over Moscow's annexation of Crimea.
The sanctions against Russian officials including freezing assets and banning visas while setting aside millions of dollars in funding to support Ukraine's economy.
 
 
Maduro agrees to talk with Venezuela's opposition
 
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says he has agreed to enter talks with Venezuela's opposition with the help of an outside facilitator.
The announcement comes after two days of meetings between the Union of South American Nations, or UNASUR, and student protesters in an effort to bring an end to weeks of deadly unrest.
Maduro says he will accept a mediator whether it be a group of foreign ministers from the Union or someone designated from the Roman Catholic Church.
"I agree with UNASUR choosing a group of foreign ministers as witnesses and for them to sit down in the talks. What I did was tell the UNASUR delegation: 'Look, I don't accept conditions because I am not imposing them.' Whoever wants to talk in support of peace, the doors of Miraflores are open for them to come and talk."
Maduro's administration has also accepted the suggestion to set up a human rights commission that will report directly to the president and look into allegations of abuse by security forces.
Diplomats are still working out the details of the talks.
At least 32 people have died during weeks of clashes between government loyalists and demonstrators who have been protesting galloping inflation, rampant crime and shortages of basic goods.
 
 
6 killed in Indian Air Force transport plane crash
 
An Indian Air Force transport plane has crashed in the western state of Rajasthan, killing at least 6 on board.
The C-130J Super Hercules was on a routine sortie when it went down.
A probe has been ordered into the incident.
The plane was one of the six acquired from the U.S. in 2010 under a 1.2-billion-dollar deal.
 
 
Indian Supreme Court says minor convict in Delhi gangrape case can't be tried as adult
 
India's Supreme Court has ruled that a minor convicted in a gang-rape cannot be re-tried as an adult.
The convict was a minor in December 2012 when a 23-year-old medical student was fatally assaulted on a bus in the nation's capital.
The ruling from the apex court follows pleas from the victim's family to have the young man tried as adult.
A juvenile court convicted the boy last year and gave him the maximum sentence - three years in a reform facility.
The five men convicted in the case each received death sentences. One suspect committed suicide in his jail cell.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Stock
 
Asian markets edged higher on Friday, with Wall Street providing a tepid lead following a mixed batch of economic indicators.
Chinese shares closed lower.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index shed 0.2 percent.
The Shenzhen Component Index lost 0.1 percent
Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 1.1 percent.
Banking giant HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, was up 0.4 percent.
China Mobile advanced 1.4 percent. China Unicom climbed 2.8 percent.
ICBC, the world's largest bank by market value, shed 0.2 percent. Bank of China gained 2.2 percent.
As for energy stocks, China's top refiner Sinopec shed 0.7 percent. PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer, rose 0.8 percent.
Elsewhere in Asia,
Japan's Nikkei was up 0.5 percent.
But Yahoo Japan tumbled more than 6 percent, after it agreed to buy eAccess Ltd. from SoftBank Corp.
South Korea's KOSPI surged 0.2 percent.
Singapore's Strait Times Index advanced 0.3 percent.
Finally, Australia's ASX200 was up 0.3 percent.
 
 
China welcome WTO's ruling on U.S. double remedies
 
The World Trade Organization has determined that the United States has acted inconsistently with WTO rules regarding countervailing and anti-dumping measures on certain products from China.
Commerce Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang.
"China is urging the United States to respect the WTO's rulings. The U.S. side should correct its erroneous practice of abusing trading remedy measures as soon as possible to ensure a fair and competitive environment for Chinese enterprises."
But Shen says China has expressed regret over a finding that the U.S.' remedy to the Tariff Act was not inconsistent with WTO rules.
The Chinese side has been insisting the amendment puts Chinese enterprises in an uncertain legal environment.
Shen emphasizes that the case involves annual exports valued at over 7.2 billion dollars, representing significant interests for China.
The spokesman further notes that China is currently assessing the panel report and will follow WTO dispute settlement procedures.
 
 
Bank of China Signs Cooperation Agreement with Airbus
 
The Bank of China, the country's leading state-owned commercial bank, has reached a global cooperation agreement with the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
The agreement signed on Friday states that the two sides will start cooperating in the credit business field, which includes domestic and international settlements, global cash management, capital operations, trade financing, and in issuing loans.
The two will also reportedly work together in certain aspects of aircraft leasing and aircraft asset management.
Tian Guoli, chief executive officer at the bank, says that as the world's largest bank involved in aircraft financing, Bank of China has provided financial services to the aircraft industry for over 30 years.
 
 
Call in on cooperate news of the week
 
Anchor:
Let's check out some of the key events on the corporate front in China this week.
First, ICBC reduced the number of interfaces that allow customers to use their bank cards to make payments on Alipay from five down to one.
It also shaved the cap on daily payments made to Alibaba's platform.
The bank, one of the big-four lenders in the country, said it is consolidating the five interfaces located across the country into one in Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, where Alibaba is based.
The big-four banks — ICBC, China Construction Bank, the Agricultural Bank of China, and the Bank of China — have lowered the cap on payments per transaction as well as total payments per day that users can make via Alipay.
For more on the two issues, CRI's Paul James spoke earlier with Doug Young, Associate Professor of Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.
…
That was Doug Young, Associate Professor of Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.
 
 
China's Qianhai economic zone steps up financial reform, innovation
 
China's Qianhai special economic zone in Shenzhen is viewing the innovation of financial services and mechanisms as a top priority of its reform efforts in 2014.
The Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone issued a 46-point guideline for administrative and financial management reforms in February.
Forty percent of the document focuses on launching new financial services and mechanisms.
Zhang Bei is the director of the Cooperation Zone
"In tune with the new momentum of the country's overall economic development, (we have proposed) innovation on free trade accounts, a Renminbi capital pool, and on securities and insurance. We hope that breakthroughs on more than a dozen points will lay a solid foundation for our country's financial innovation and reforms." .
By the year end, the zone is expected to see the amount of registered cross-border Renminbi loans jump to 50 billion yuan, compared to 15 billion yuan in 2013, thanks in part to a low interest rates.
The zone was established in 2010 in Shenzhen, aiming to spearhead financial reforms.
 
 
Chery plans to put up assembly plant in Philippines
 
Chinese car manufacturer Chery Automobile Co. Ltd is planning to put up an assembly plant in the Philippines within the next three years.
It costs 4.5 billion pesos, or about 100 million U.S. dollars.
Chery has existing assembly plants in Malaysia and Indonesia and it is grooming the Philippines to become its third assembly hub in Southeast Asia.
China's top car company recently has partnered with a local firm to create Chery Cars Philippines, Inc. which will initially serve as the exclusive distributor of its cars in the country, and eventually manage assembly operations.
Chery cars currently sold in the Philippines are all imported from China.
The company has introduced eight new models of commercial and utility vehicles and passenger cars which will be sold by local dealers this year.
 
 
Japan's consumer prices up 1.3 pct in Feb
 
Japan's Internal Affair Ministry says Japanese consumer prices rose 1.3 percent in February compared to and recorded the ninth consecutive month of growth.
Rising electricity prices contributed to the upturn, surging 9.3 percent during the reporting period, while energy prices as a whole expanded 5.8 percent.
The ministry also says Japan's jobless rate in February improved to 3.6 percent, down from 3.7 percent in the previous month, reaching the lowest level since July 2007.
According to Japan's Kyodo News, the improvement is partly due to an expansion in corporate profits, which has prompted companies to hire more workers on the back of the nascent economic recovery.
Separate data have showed that the country's job availability ratio rose to 1.05 in February from 1.04 in January, up for the 15th straight month, which means 105 positions are available for every 100 job seekers.
 
 
BJH/biz British gov't orders probe into big energy companies
 
Six British energy suppliers will face a competition inquiry after the energy regulator Ofgem (off-jem) published its first competition assessment of the energy market on Thursday.
The joint assessment has identified weak competition between larger energy suppliers, low customer trust and engagement, and barriers to entry and expansion.
Energy supplier SSE, one of the six energy suppliers in question, has announced it will freeze domestic gas and electricity prices at their current levels until 2016.
 
 
BJH/biz Australia's travel agency Flight Center fined for price-fixing
 
Local media say Australian travel agency Flight Center has been ordered to pay fine of 11 million AU dollars, or around 10.2 million U.S. dollars, for inducing airlines to enter into price-fixing arrangements.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has alleged that the travel agency had attempted to induce Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Airlines and Emirates to agree to stop directly offering and booking their own international airfares at prices less than Flight Center offered on six occasions between 2005 and 2009.
In December, the Federal Court in Brisbane found that the travel agency attempted to enter into illegal arrangements with the airlines, breaching the Trade Practices Act.
Flight Center has issued a statement saying it plans to appeal the decision.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
Australia shifts Malaysia Airlines plane search area
 
The search area for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been moved some 1,000 kilometers north-east of the previous search zone.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority says the shift based on continuing analysis of radar data, which indicates the aircraft was travelling faster than previously estimated.
Six ships including five Chinese vessels have been relocated to the new search area.
China has again called for more information from Malaysia regarding the search operation.
The Chinese icebreaker, Xuelong, is moving to the new search area.
Meanwhile Malaysian authorities confirmed the new search area identified by the Australian authority.
Malaysia's acting transport minister says all satellite images released so far are centered around seas west of Perth, and the search team will continue to look for possible debris.
 
 
Chinese president calls for new stage of cooperation with Germany
 
Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Berlin for a state visit to Germany, the third leg of his ongoing Europe tour.
Xi Jingping will meet with German leaders and witness the signing of cooperation agreements on various fields.
Ahead of the visit, Xi wrote in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, saying there will be more areas and new impetus for the China-Germany cooperation.
In the article, titled "China-Germany Cooperation for the Benefit of China, Europe and the Whole World", the Chinese President notes that fundamentally, cooperation between China and Germany will serve domestic development and improve people's lives in the two countries.
 
 
South Korea returns remains of Chinese soldier
 
South Korea has officially handed over the remains of more than 400 Chinese volunteer soldiers killed during the Korean War.
The handover ceremony has taken place at the Incheon International Airport in South Korea this morning.
China and South Korean reached agreement on the repatriations last year.
The two sides have also agreed that the remains of Chinese soldiers will be repatriated to China every year before Chinese Qingming Festival .
Tens of thousands of Chinese soldiers died on the Korean Peninsula during the war, which ended in an armistice in 1953.
 
 
Russia regrets U.N. resolution on Ukraine
 
Moscow has says it regrets that Kiev and its foreign sponsors support a U.N. resolution on Ukraine's territorial integrity.
The comment was made after a recent vote by the United Nations General Assembly to not recognize Crimea's absorption by Russia.
The Russian Foreign Ministry is alleging pressure, political blackmail, and economic threats were used to coerce U.N. members to support the resolution.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday released a new statement, calling for all parties concerned to exercise restraint and refrain from exacerbating the situation.
Meanwhile the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have approved separate bills to provide financial assistance for Kiev and impose sanctions against Russian officials over Moscow's annexation of Crimea.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
China Daily
"Civil service jobs in less demand"
The number of applicants for civil service jobs has dropped in most places so far this year, according to information released by provincial-level governments.
Sixteen of the 18 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions that released employment information on Thursday saw a decrease in applicants year-on-year.
According to the human resources and social security department, the number of applicants in Zhejiang province was down 37 percent this year, most other provinces saw a decrease of between 10 and 30 percent.
Civil service jobs have long been deemed ideal for many college graduates. The central authorities, provincial-level governments and city governments respectively recruit civil servants once a year.
Xu Yaotong, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Governance, said the decrease in applicants this year shows that the public has been changing its attitude toward such jobs. He also said it is good news that more young people want to work outside of the government.
Xinhua
"Social insurance lacking among e-commerce employees"
China's online shops have created nearly ten million jobs, but a lack of social insurance has failed to give employees a sense of security.
A report by China Association for Employment Promotion showed more than 40 percent of owners of individually-run online shops and nearly 76 percent of their employees are not covered by any type of social insurance, while the figures for company-run online stores are 32.7 percent and 52.4 percent respectively.
Zhang Xiaojian, head of China Association for Employment Promotion said most of the people working for online shops are under the age of 35 and the stores are usually disadvantaged because of a short operation history, low profit and unstable transactions.
Zhang suggested the government give preferential policies and lower insurance payments to encourage both employers and workers to pay into social insurance programs.
Reuters
"Bamboo-munching giant panda also has a sweet tooth"
Giant pandas eat plenty of veggies, but apparently they like dessert, too.
Scientists studying the endangered black-and-white bears said that while pandas almost exclusively eat bamboo, which contains only tiny amounts of sugars, they showed a strong preference for natural sweeteners in an experiment.
The researchers also examined panda DNA and found a match to the same "sweet receptor" gene that humans possess that underpins their ability to taste sugars.
Sweeter foods like fruit may have been part of the natural diet of pandas before human activities helped drive the animals into their current mountainous habitat where those foods are scarce, the researchers said.
Pandas, the rarest species of bear, reside primarily in bamboo forests high in the mountains of western China. Understanding what type of food pandas prefer may help determine what nutrients can be used to supplement bamboo in their diet as part of efforts to conserve them.
Sky news
"Autism on the rise in the US"
The latest data from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention show that the proportion of children with autism is on the rise and one in 68 children in the United States have autism, an increase of over 30 percent since the last estimate released in 2012.
Previously, as many as one in 88 US children were known to have autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, a developmental disorder that recent research suggests may originate in the womb.
The findings were based on diagnoses of eight-year-olds at 11 US sites in 2010.
The data continued to show that autism is five times more common in boys than in girls. In the US, one in 42 boys is diagnosed with autism, compared to one in 189 girls.
Reasons for the rise were unclear, but the CDC said the criteria used to diagnose autism spectrum disorder and the methods used to collect data have not changed.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
Students in Beijing witness a decline in physical health
 
Anchor:
Recent survey results are showing a decline in physical health amongst Beijing middle school students.
CRI's Sam Duckett has the details.
Reporter:
Survey results by the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference concluded that among the 1.3 million primary and secondary school students in Beijing, 21.46% of them suffered from obesity. The lack of physical exercise amongst young students has also been linked to several chronic diseases including fatty livers and hypertension.
I then spoke to professional physical trainer Dee Rawlings to gain a better understanding of this issue. She discussed some exercises that would appropriate be for young students in China.
"I think it would be team sports, because it is fun and a good way for kids to work together. Although I do agree with sports such as running I don't think they are as stimulating for children. Especially if you are playing something like netball or basketball you are always stopping and starting which is a lot like a high intensity sort of training. With high intensity training you only need to do about 20 or 30 minutes and it is just as effective as exercising for an hour."
She suggested how allowing young children to play sports together after school would have dramatic effects on their physical fitness.
The Gaokao exam is also considered to be one of the most prominent causes of lack in physical health in China. There is an exceptional amount of pressure put on students to perform well on the national college entrance exam that leaves little time for young students to focus on sports and other extra curricular activities.
I popped down to the Jingyuan middle school in the western part of Beijing to see how much exercise their students do on a weekly basis.
"Because of the smog, we have not done outdoor sports during Physical education classes recently. I personally find indoor sports more tiring."
"I usually run for about 20 minutes a day, and very occasionally play badminton."
When considering the health of young citizens, it is crucial to consider their diet. Chinese food often contains large quantities of MSG and oil that offer convenience and taste at the price of high cholesterol and increased blood pressure. Adjustments to the diet of the average Chinese citizen therefore, may be as crucial as changes made to their exercise regime.
I asked the Jingyuan Middle School Students about their daily diet.
"The food in the school cafeteria is great; we get to eat lots of meat. The food in the cafeteria is relatively healthy but I do have a sweet tooth for snacks."
"We usually eat rice and fried Chinese food everyday, I am not sure how healthy it is but it is delicious."
"We eat a wide variety of foods at school; for the most part the food all seems pretty healthy."
China has worked very diligently as a nation to achieve strong academic results. It would now seem after some reform the country will once again need to strive together to achieve high physical standards. Effort made in this field will allow for Chinese citizens to live both healthy and happy lives.
BACKANCHOR:
That is CRI's Sam Duckett reporting
 
 
Sports
 
 
Li Na set for showdown with Serena Williams in Sony Open Final
 
First up in Tennis,
China's Li Na has made it to the final of the Sony Open in Miami after sweeping aside Domininka Cibulkova with a 7-5 2-6 6-3 victory.
Li won a rematch of her Australian open final maintaining her perfect record against the Slovakian.
This result now sets up a showdown between the best two players in the world right now as she is due to face an on form Serena Williams in the Final.
Though the American may have an edge in terms of raw power, Li said you need more than that in the difficult conditions in Florida.
"I think today the tennis match is now only about technique, you know. It's so windy and so cold I think most important is the, I think now I was pretty strong in the mentality. I was telling myself, ok, fight every point until the end of the match."
Serena Williams recorded her 15th consecutive win over Maria Sharipova to make it to her ninth Sony Open Final.
The American won five games from 4-1 down to take the first set and pulled away from three a piece in the second to end the match 6-4 6-3.
 
 
England and South Africa victorious in Twenty20 Cricket
 
In Cricket,
Alex Hales cracked a career-best 116 not out to help England run down Sri Lanka by six wickets with four balls to spare in another gripping World Twenty20 match.
Hales' 64-ball knock, the first century by an England player in T20s, also assisted England's highest successful chase in a T20 as they powered to 190-4 in response to Sri Lanka's daunting 189-4.
At the press conference afterwards it was still sinking in for Hales that he has scored his first Twenty20 century.
"Yeah, it is an amazing feeling. It still sort of hasn't sunk in what has happened. I have come close (to scoring a century) a couple of times before and I am pleased I managed to get over the line today. It was a very good wicket and happy I cashed in."
England's first win of the tournament kept them in the semi-final running.
Sri Lanka's first loss in three matches left it leading Group 1 on run differential over South Africa, who beat the Netherlands by just six runs earlier in the day.
The Netherlands had been chasing a score of just 145 so the defeat was a huge shock for them. The team's captain Peter Borren says they still haven't given up hope however:
"We just really want to get a win or an upset in this tournament. We had a really good opportunity today, we've got two more opportunities and I really hope we can take one of those. I believe this team can play and I'm very glad that we stepped it up because we were bagged back home."
Elsewhere in Twenty20 Australia have won the toss and are set to bat in their match against the West Indes.
 
 
Nico Rosberg fastest in Malaysia GP second practice
 
In Formula One,
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg beat Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen to set the fastest time in the second practice at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Defending Champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull was third fastest, although only 0.061 seconds separated the trio.
Fresh from victory at the season opening Grand Prix in Australia, Rosberg said he's feeling very happy with the way the team has prepared:
"Well it's been a fantastic start to the season definitely yes, and I think the whole team has just done a great job, with these new regulations with the car and engine and power train that they've built and yeah it's been great to win the first race for sure."
This formula one season has seen some of the biggest regulation changes for a generation, with smaller engines which are restricted to lower revs.
A side effect of this has been a huge reduction in the engine noise that petrol heads have become accustomed to over the years. Nico Rosberg's Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton says he agrees with fans who feel this has ruined the spectacle somewhat:
"Yeah, naturally, without that raw… without that tone that they used to have that's what, when I first went to a Grand Prix race in 1996 that's what really grabbed me."
Ahead of the race on Sunday Formula one drivers will be paying tribute to passengers on the missing flight MH370.
Drivers are expected to be carrying messages on their cars and helmets and there will be a minutes silence before proceedings begin.
 
 
Live Chinese football scores
 
Over in football or soccer,
Here in China… Top of the League Beijing Guaon are to face their toughest challenge of the season so far in their fourth game.
They've just kicked off against second in the league Shanghai East Asia FC who currently sit just 2 points behind them.
Also tonight, third placed Guizhou Renhe will kick off against Shanghai Shenxin at 8pm Beijing time .
Shandong Luneng Vs Liaoning Hongyun.
Jiangsu Sainty vs Guangzhou Evergrande.
They are all goalless so far.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
"The Grandmaster" sweeps Asian Film Awards
 
The Asian Film Awards lit up Macau on Thursday and martial arts epic "The Grandmaster" dominated with seven wins, including best movie.
Inspired by the life of Yip Man, the plot spans several decades of Chinese history and was in production for more than six years.
The hard work paid off, earning Zhang Ziyi the best actress nos for her performance and Wong Kar Wai the best director award.
Despite the triumphs, Wong had a somber message in his acceptance speech. The veteran director mourned the loss of one of the film's martial arts directors on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
Wong urged for Malaysia to provide more transparent information regarding the on-going search.
"I hope the Malaysian government will use a more transparent method to let everyone know the whereabouts of this plane and what exactly happened.　I think that's the most important thing, not just for Ju Kun but for all the families of the passengers."
35 year old Ju Kun was on his way to visit family in Beijing.
Elsewhere, Indian film "The Lunchbox" picked up the best actor award for Irrfan Khan.
Khan plays the lead in the romance about two strangers in Mumbai whose paths cross because of mixed up lunch deliveries.
In its seventh year of running, the Asian Film Awards is organized by the Hong Kong International Film festival and featured 26 films from 13 different counties in competition.
 
 
Beijing International Film Festival to open soon
 
The fourth Beijing International Film Festival is scheduled to open between the 16th and 23rd of April. The week-long event will feature 260 domestic and international films screened at 30 cinemas and academic institutions across the city.
90% of the films will be open to public audiences, with prices ranging from 20 yuan for domestic films, to 80 yuan for IMAX films.
15 films have made it to the shortlist of the final competition, where they will be competing for 10 awards. Celebrated Hong Kong director John Woo is the president of this year's jurors.
 
 
"Game of Thrones" author George R. R. Martins releases chapter of new book
 
"Game of Thrones" fans are both excited and impatient after George R. R. Martin released a chapter of his forthcoming book, "The Winds of Winter." Martin's fantasy book series "A Song of Ice and Fire" is the basis for the hit TV show.
Martin's new book does not have a set release date yet but will be the sixth installment in the series and is a long time coming after 2011's "A Dance With Dragons." Martin has announced that the series will have a total of seven books and revealed the title of the final installment: "A Dream of Spring."
The recently released chapter was titled "Mercy" and was posted on Martin's website. Fervent fans quickly managed to crash the site, leaving many would-be readers anxious to access the new material.
Meanwhile, the fourth season of "Game of Thrones" premieres April 6th, bringing the world of Westeros back to the small screen after a 10-month hiatus.
 
 
L'Wren Scott leaves estate to Mick Jagger
 
Late fashion designer L'Wren Scott may have been much more than just Mick Jagger's girlfriend but Jagger definitely did receive the lion's share of her estate. Scott, who committed suicide in New York City earlier this month, willed property and other items totaling more than $9 million in value to the 70-year-old Rolling Stones frontman. Scott and Jagger have been dating for more than 12 years.
Scott left all her jewelry, clothing, household furniture and furnishings, personal automobiles and other tangible articles of a personal nature to Michael Philip Jagger. She added in her will that she has intentionally omitted to provide for any of her heirs living at the date of her death. The celebrated fashion designer was survived by a brother and a sister.
Her will was reportedly signed in May 2013.
 
 
That’s it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
President Xi Jinping is calling for a new level of cooperation between China and Germany..
The remains of more than 400 Chinese soldiers killed during the Korean War have been repatriated.
And Russia is expressing its regret over a UN resolution on Ukraine.
In business, The World Trade Organization rules in China's favour in a dispute with the US.