新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2014/04/01

The Beijing Hour
 
Evening Edition
 
 
Paul James with you this Tuesday, April 1, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has signed off on a new document following meetings with European Union leaders in Brussels.
The Chinese government is warning the US not to take sides in the South China Sea amid the growing dispute between China and the Philippines.
South Korea's defense ministry is warning North Korea is now ready and able to conduct another nuclear test.
In business, Chinese manufacturing growth appears to be on the rebound after 3-months of declines.
In sports, a couple of Chinese victories in Day-2 of the China Open Snooker Tournament here in Beijing.
In entertainment, American actor Johnny Depp is continuing his time here in Beijing after wowing crowds yesterday at 798.
 
 
Weather
 
 
Beijing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 11 degrees Celsius. Cloudy also tomorrow with a high of 22 degrees.　
Meanwhile Shanghai will be cloudy tonight, with a low of 12, also cloudy tomorrow, with a high of 18.
Chongqing will be rainy, 14 degrees the low, rainy tomorrow with a high of 19.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, rainy with a high of 15.
Kabul, rainy, 7.
Over in Australia
Sydney, cloudy, highs of 18.
Canberra, cloudy, 13.
Brisbane, cloudy, 19.
And finally, Perth will be sunny with a high of 12.
 
 
Top News
 
 
Joint statement released by Xi Jinping and EU leaders
 
Anchor:
Chinese President Xi Jinping and EU leaders have issued a joint statement in Brussels following a series of meetings.
As CRI's Xiong Siqi reports, the memorandum covers areas ranging from bilateral, regional to international issues.
Reporter:
The joint statement, the first from a visit by a Chinese President at EU headquarters, is being hailed as a milestone in China-EU relations.
The statement says past ties between both sides have not only benefited China and the EU, but the world as a whole.
The joint declaration also highlights global cooperation between the two sides, as well as the need to enhance understanding and respect for each other's development choices.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso says the EU stands ready to promote trade and investment with China under the guidelines of a document called the Strategic Agenda 2020 for China-EU Cooperation.
This document highlights the EU's desire to continue promoting trade with China while a new free-trade agreement is worked on.
Barosso says the EU is keen to work with China in areas such as urbanization and innovation.
At the same time, he says current trade disputes connected to wireless telecommunication equipment and other products needed to be dealt with through bilateral negotiations.
China-EU bilateral trade came in at more than 580 billion US dollars in 2012, quadruple what it was a decade ago.
The two sides have a goal of increasing that figure to one-trillion US dollars by 2020.
Chen Fengying, director of the World Economy Institute with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, suggests President Xi Jinping's time in Europe should help push forward free-trade talks.
"I think this is a good sign, which is the two sides all feel it's necessary to push forward negotiations and cooperation. This is because China and the EU feel negotiations can benefit the economies of both sides. But I think first, the Bilateral Investment Treaty or BIT talks, should be the priority ahead of any FTA talks. If possible, the BIT sessions could lead toward a feasibility study of building the FTA."
Meanwhile, as part of the new joint statement, China and the EU have both expressed a willingness to maintain coordination in areas such as diplomacy, finance, climate change and human rights.
Zhang Xiaoling is the director of Human Rights Studies Centre at CPC Central Commmittee's Party School.
She says discussion surrounding human rights between the two sides is a long term process.
"Many developed countries attach a lot more importance to an individual's political rights, people's civic rights, freedom of religion and free speech. But in the broader global community, many developing countries see people's broader rights to live and to develop as the priority. It's not to say China doesn't value individual rights. However, every country has their right to decide what kind of human rights should be developed first. Of course, in the future, China is also likely to adjust its focus when it comes to human rights development."
Last year marked the 10-year anniversary of the signing of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership.
The EU has been China's biggest trading partner for the past 10-years.
For CRI, I am Xiong Siqi.
 
 
U.S. should not take position on South China Sea dispute: FM spokesman
 
The Chinese government has issued a new warning to the United States to remain neutral when it comes to disputes in the South China Sea.
This, after the US State Department released a statement this week, appearing to support the Philippine government's move to take the dispute over Ren'ai Reef and the broader Nansha Islands to an international arbitration panel at The Hague.
A statement from the US state department says "all countries should respect the right of any states to avail themselves of dispute resolution under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea."
The move by the Philippine side to take the dispute to international arbitration comes amid the growing rise in tensions between China and the Philippines over Ren'ai Reef this weekend, which saw a Philippine boat defy Chinese orders and land on the reef.
This is the spot where the Philippines has had a World War II-era ship grounded since 1999 in an attempt to try to lay claim to the Reef.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei.
"The Philippine side is the provocateur and trouble maker. There's no doubt about it. We urge the U.S. to stick to its commitment and do more to contribute to regional peace and stability, rather than the opposite."
The Philippine side claims its stranded warship is a permanent installation.
The Chinese side has insisted that disputes in the South China Sea are not subject to international arbitration, as the region within the so-called 9-dash line is Chinese territory.
 
 
China highly concerned about Japan's changes in military policy
 
The Chinese government has released a new statement, saying it's paying great attention to Japan's easing of its weapons export restriction.
The statement follows a move by the Japanese government to relax its decades-old ban on military-related exports.
The move by Tokyo represents the first major change in Japan's defense export policy in nearly half a century.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei.
"Japan's changes in its military policy is related to regional security and strategic stability, and is also related to Japan's future path. China is highly concerned by the move. We call on the Japanese authorities to learn from history and listen to the concerns of its neighbours, while at the same time, pursue peaceful development and make moves that are conducive to regional peace."
Observers are suggesting the move by the Japanese government is meant to expand its arms sales into Southeast Asia.
The new guidelines endorsed by the Japanese Cabinet are being viewed as part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's push to revise the country's broader defense and security policies.
Abe is on-record saying Japan needs to play a larger role in international peacekeeping and defence.
Japanese observers widely expect the Abe administration to push for the elimination of Article-9 of the Japanese Constitution to allow for its military to engage in activities outside the current mandate of self-defense.
 
 
DPRK completes all preparations for another nuke test: S.Korea
 
South Korean authorities say they now believe North Korea has completed all the preparations needed for another nuclear test.
The South Korean Defense Ministry says North Korea is now ready to conduct a fourth nuclear test on short notice.
However, officials in Seoul say they've yet to see any definative signs that another test could be imminent.
Kim Min-seok with the South's Defense Ministry says Seoul will strike back at any provocations from the North.
"When North Korea damages the lives of our citizens, destroys our infrastructures or civilian property, we will strike back at where the attack came from. That strike will be so strong that North Korea cannot re-provoke."
Pyongyang this past weekend indicated it might be ready to carry out a "new form" of nuclear test to boost its deterrence.
North and South Korea yesterday fired hundreds of artillery shells into each other's waters off their respective west coasts along their disputed maritime border.
No injuries have been reported from either side.
North Korean shelling of the South Korean island of Yongpyong in November of 2010 left 4 South Koreans dead and raised tensions on the Korean Peninsula to new levels.
 
 
Pyongyang's envoy comments after high level talks between NKorea and Japan
 
North Korean authorities have announced plans to continue their high-level government talks with Japan connected to the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea decades ago.
North Korea's ambassador to China, Song Il-ho, chaired the talks for the North, which have taken place here in Beijing.
"Both sides have discussed the critical issues closely and they are still negotiating. So right now, we cannot elaborate on the specifics things that were discussed, but we can say that the discussions are still ongoing."
After years of denials, North Korean authorities admitted in 2002 that their agents kidnapped over a dozen Japanese nationals during the 1970's and 80's.
They were taken to North Korea to help train North Korean agents in the Japanese language.
The North eventually allowed 5 of those abducted to return to Japan.
However, North Korea claims the rest either died or were not abducted in the first place.
Issues connected to the abductions, along with Japan's alliance with the United States, have left the two countries without diplomatic relations.
 
 
Search for missing flight could drag on for long time: Australian coordination chief
 
The Malaysian authorities have released the full transcript of the communications between missing flight MH370 and Kuala Lumpur's air trafic control on the morning it disappeared.
Malaysian authorities say there is no indication of anything abnormal, saying a re-analysis of the final broadcast has the co-pilot announcing the phrase "Good Night Malaysian 3-7-0."
This would be a formal response than the "all right, good night" statement first reported by Malyasian authorities in the days shortly after the disappearance of the flight.
There's been no explanation as to why the original comments from the co-pilot have been revised.
Meanwhile, the new head of the Australian team searching for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is warning the search could drag on for a long time.
Former Australia defense chief, Air Chief Marshall Angus Houston, says the search of the southern Indian Ocean off Australia's southwest coast is "the most challenging one" he has ever seen.
Houston has been put in-charge of the newly-established Joint Agency Coordination Center in Perth.
He says the group's main task is to find any debris which can be confirmed as being from MH370.
"It's based on the best information available to us. It's a vast search area, and I think that's what is important to emphasize to you this morning, you know, essentially we do not have any precision in where the, where the aircraft entered the water. And that's why, if we can find a piece of wreckage, some debris, we will then be able to narrow the search to a much smaller area."
Houston says if they can narrow the focus, they can bring in more advanced equipment to try to locate the missing airliner's flight data recorder - the black box.
More than 11 airplanes and 9 ships have been scowering the different grids this Tuesday in the search for MH370.
While satellite images from last week have spotted what appears to be debris fields, none of the materials found in the water can be directly linked to the Malaysia Airlines flight.
That flight, with 239 passengers and crew onboard, disappeared March 8th while on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
154 of the passengers are Chinese.
 
 
Air transport conference opens in Kuala Lumpur
 
The annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association has kicked off in Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur against the backdrop of the ongoing search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet.
The conference has opened with a minute's silence to honor of those onboard the lost flight.
IATA CEO Tony Tyler has used his speech to the opening of the session to highlight the need for improving the tracking of aircraft in flight.
"In a world where our every move seems to be tracked, there is disbelief that an aircraft could simply disappear and that the black box is so difficult to recover. An Air France 447 brought similar issues to light a few years ago, and some progress was made, but that must now be accelerated. We cannot let another aircraft simply disappear."
Tyler also says the missing Malaysia Airlines flight is reminder the industry can never be "complacent on safety."
The IATA is the main trade association for the world's airlines.
 
 
One Thai anti-government protestor shot dead
 
An anti-government protestors has reportedly been shot dead during a demonstration this Tuesday in the Thai capital Bangkok.
Four others have reportedly been injured in the shooting.
Thai authorities say an unidentified gunmen opened fire on the demonstration.
If confirmed, this would bring the death toll to 24 since protestors took to the streets in November, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Meanwhile, preliminary results from the Thai Senate election this past weekend are suggesting a pro-government majority.
Initial results released by the Election Commission show a wide-ranging win by Shinawatra-backed candidates in the country's rural north and northeast.
If confirmed, it could spell an end to the Thai anti-corruption watchdog's case against Yingluck.
The Prime Minister is accused of dereliction of duty for her role in a state rice-buying scheme.
Any impeachment recommendation emerging from the investigation would have to be approved by the Thai Senate.
 
 
Kerry ends visit to Israel after talks with Netanyahu
 
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has concluded his unscheduled visit to Israel.
Kerry flew to the region late last week in an attempt to try to salvage the crumbling peace talks between Israelis and the Palestinians.
It remains unclear at this point if his time in the region has done anything to help salvage the talks.
Kerry met twice with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of his departure to Brussels today for a NATO meeting.
The Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have been faltering amid issues connected to the release of Palestinian prisoners.
Israel was supposed to have released the last group of 26 prisoners it originally promised on Saturday.
However, the release of a number of the prisoners has been held-up because of internal Israeli concerns.
Israel originally agreed last year to release a total of 104 prisoners as part of a compromise to get the peace-talks restarted after a 3-year hiatus.
However, Israeli authorities began balking last week about the release of the final tranche of prisoners amid the recent increase of Palestinian rocket launches into southern Israel.
 
 
Japan whaling ban welcomed in Australia and New Zealand
 
Both Australian and New Zealand officials are applauding a new UN court ruling which bans the Japanese government from whaling in the Antarctic.
The International Court of Justice has ruled that Japan's annual hunt is not really for scientific purposes, as Tokyo has claimed.
The Japanese side has since said it will abide by the new ruling.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully.
"The very optimistic feature here is that they've (Japan) made it very clear that they're going to abide by the decision and it appears that they're going to remain committed to the IWC membership as well."
Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd also says he's "delighted by the result."
In announcing it will abide by the ruling, the Japanese government also says it's "deeply disappointed" with the outcome of the case, but says it will remain a member of the International Whaling Commission.
This is a voluntary organization which has set quotas on so-called scientific whaling, which has allowed Japanese whaling ships to hunt down over 36-hundred Minke Whales since 2005.
While some scientific research is done on the whales, the vast majority of the meat is put to market in Japan.
Iceland and Norway, also members of the IWC, have simply chosen to ignore the Commission's quotas.
Australia launched the international court action against Japanese whaling in 2010 amid a growing number of conflicts among environmental activists and Japanese whaling ships in the waters south of Australia and New Zealand.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Stocks
 
Asian markets hit a four-month high today amid word the Chinese manufacturing sector has finally expanded in March.
We'll have more on that in just a moment.
The Chinese markets closed the day higher.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.7 percent.
The Shenzhen Component Index increased 1.3 percent.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng also advanced 1.3 percent.
HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting on the Hang Seng, gained 0.3-percent in value.
China Mobile closed flat, while China Unicom gained 1 percent.
As for energy stocks, Sinopec climbed 0.9 percent, while PetroChina gained 1.3 percent.
Elsewhere here in Asia,
Japan's Nikkei shed 0.4 percent, with a survey from the Bank of Japan seeming to underscore fears today's tax hike could weigh heavily on the economy.
We'll also have more on the new Japanese sales tax in just a few moments.
South Korea's KOSPI ended 0.3 percent higher.
Singapore's Strait Times Index advanced 0.4 percent.
And finally, Australia's ASX200 ended Tuesday's trading down 0.1 percent.
 
 
China's manufacturing growth rises after 3-month decline
 
China's manufacturing growth has risen in March for the first time in 3-months.
The National Bureau of Statistics and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing are reporting the purchasing managers' index for the manufacturing sector has increased to 50.3 this past month, up from the 50.2 reading in February.
An reading below 50 indicates contraction, while any figure above 50 signals expansion.
However, the official figures are in contrast to HSBC's manufacturing PMI, which samples small-and medium-sized businesses.
The HSBC/Markit PMI has dipped to an eight-month low of 48 from a final reading of 48.5 in February.
HSBC's chief China economist says the numbers suggests that overseas demand is stable, while domestic demand is weakening.
 
 
China grants more investment quotas to QFII, RQFII
 
New data shows the central authorities here in China granted new investment quotas worth 29 billion yuan to qualified foreign institutional investors in March.
The State Administration of Foreign Exchange says around 1.5-billion U.S. dollars worth of new quotas have been granted to six investors under this country's QFII program.
At the same time, just over 20-billion yuan worth of new quotas have been granted to RMB-denominated Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors this past month.
As part of the current Chinese government plans to open up this country's capital accounts, foreign investors are given a certain quota to move money into China's capital account under QFII and RQFII programs.
Currently the renminbi is convertible for trade purposes only under the current account.
But the capital account, which covers portfolio investments and borrowing, is still largely controlled by the state, given that it remains concerned about so-called hot-money moving in and out of the country.
 
 
Industrial Bank's profit up 18.7 pct in 2013
 
Industrial Bank, one of this country's second-tier commercial banks, is reporting net profits of just over 41-billion yuan this past year.
This represents an increase of nearly 19-percent compared to 2012.
Industrial Bank's annual report shows the publically-listed firm's revenues increased nearly 110-billion yuan in 2013, up just under 25-percent year on year.
Increasing service charges and commissions have contributed to Industrial Bank's rising revenues.
Industrial Bank's non-performing loan ratio for the whole of 2013 has come in at 0.76-percent.
 
 
Abe determined to keep economy afloat as Japan increases sales tax
 
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he remains determined to "take necessary action" to keep the economy afloat.
Abe's comments comes as authorities today have increased Japan's sales tax for the first time in 17-years.
Japan's sales tax increased today from 5-percent to 8-percent.
The increase is the first stage of a planned two-stage sales tax hike.
Abe's government hopes to raise the sales tax again to 10-percent next year, provided the economy can handle it.
Ryoji Musha, an advisor at Deutsche Securities, suggests at this point, the Japanese economy should be able to shoulder any downturn in domestic spending brought on by the tax increase.
"The consumption tax hike back in 1997 from 3 to 5-percent was a very negative additional impact to economy. However, today, the situation is totally the opposite. Other than consumption tax increase, everything else in the economy is turning around in a very positive way."
The Abe administration has argued the tax hike is necessary to help cover the rising cost of pensions and health care for the country's elderly population, on top of financing the major stimulus spending which has been underway to try to lift Japan's economy out years of stagnation.
Japan's overall debt, which sits at around 10-trillion US dollars, is equivalent to nearly 250-percent of the country's annual gross domestic product.
 
 
"Auxiliary capital" talk inflates housing bubble
 
Housing prices in the city of Baoding in Hebei have been surging over the past week, following reports the city is poised to become an "auxiliary national capital".
A number of reports have been suggesting Baoding is being looked at by the authorities as a place where the central government is considering relocating a number of national-level institutions out of Beijing.
It's being reported this is part of a broader development plan for Beijing, Hebei and Tianjin.
And even though there has been no official confirmation of these reports by the authorities, property prices in Baoding have jumped by over 10-percent since the reports first began surfacing in mid-March.
For more on this situation, CRI's Shan Bigham spoke earlier with Gao Shang, analyst with Beijing-based GuanTong Futures.
…
Gao Shang, analyst with Beijing-based GuanTong Futures, speaking with The Beijing Hour's Shane Bigham.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
Xi Jinping signs joint document with EU officials
 
Chinese President Xi Jinping and EU leaders have issued a joint statement in Brussels following a series of meetings.
The new memo, the first from a visit by a Chinese President to EU headquarters, is being hailed as a milestone in China-EU relations.
The statement says past ties between both sides have not only benefited China and the EU, but the world as a whole.
The joint declaration also highlights global cooperation between the two sides, as well as the need to enhance understanding and respect for each other's development choices.
 
 
China highly concerned about Japan's changes in military policy
 
The Chinese government has released a new statement, saying it's paying great attention to Japan's easing of its weapons export restriction.
The statement follows a move by the Japanese government to relax its decades-old ban on military-related exports.
Observers are suggesting the move by the Japanese government is meant to expand its arms sales into Southeast Asia.
The new guidelines endorsed by the Japanese Cabinet are being viewed as part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's push to revise the country's broader defense and security policies.
 
 
DPRK completes all preparations for another nuke test: S.Korea
 
South Korean authorities say they now believe North Korea has completed all the preparations needed for another nuclear test.
The South Korean Defense Ministry says North Korea is now ready to conduct a fourth nuclear test on short notice.
However, officials in Seoul say they've yet to see any definitive signs that another test could be imminent.
Pyongyang this past weekend indicated it might be ready to carry out a "new form" of nuclear test to boost its deterrence.
 
 
Iran marks 35th anniversary of Islamic revolution victory
 
Official celebrations are taking place across Iran today to mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the Islamic Republic.
April 1st marks the official establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran following a national referendum which saw over 98-percent of those who voted supporting the move.
Islamic Republic Day is not to be confused with the more popular February 11th anniversary of the start of the Islamic Revolution, which saw the overthrow of the Shah of Iran.
 
 
Mumbai paralyzed as state-owned buses off roads following employees' strike
 
India's largest city has been ground to a standstill today by a major transit strike.
All state-run buses in the city of Mumbai are off the roads today in a mass strike by the 26-thousand drivers and conductors on India's financial hub.
It's unclear at this point whether the job action will continue into tomorrow.
People in Mumbai, home to well over 20-million, get around the city mostly using public transportation, as private vehicle ownership in India is still well behind that of China.
 
 
Maoming to consult public over PX project
 
Municipal authorities in the city of Maoming are promising to scuttle a controversial petrochemicals project if the majority of the people in the city are opposed to it.
The municipal leadership is making the move following a weekend of mass demonstrations in the city, which saw hundreds take to the streets to demand the project be stopped, concerned it will do significant damage to the local environment.
Since 2007, mass demonstrations against similiar projects in cities including Xiamen, Kunming and Dalian have also been shut down by protests.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
China Daily
"Mourners for rent on Taobao for Qingming Festival"
With China's Qingming Festival approaching, some online stores on the country's online platform Taobao have begun offering to send "professionals" to weep at graves on tomb-sweeping day.
Visiting graves during Qingming is a time-honored tradition here in China, and not going to the tombs is a sign of disrespect to the departed.
So by paying just 500 yuan, customers can hire someone to kowtow, mourn, weep and clean the gravesite in their place. The hired mourner can also offer sacrifices and flowers for the deceased.
The owner of one such shop said professional mourners are required to bow three times and give eulogies to the deceased. The whole ceremony lasts between 20 and 30 minutes and is recorded on video.
Some believe that tomb worship should be an occasion to pay tribute to the departed and it's inappropriate for businesses to put a commercial face on the activity.
More than 20 online stores are offering tomb-sweeping packages, but little interest has been shown so far.
Shanghai Daily
"Credit card fraud tops financial crime charts at Jinshan court"
Most of the financial crime cases handled by the Jinshan District People's Court last year involved credit card fraud, it said yesterday.
Of the 41 cases to reach the court, 38 were linked to credit card offenses. And of the 45 people convicted of financial crimes in the year, 39 were found guilty of credit card scams.
Four kinds of Credit card fraud were found: using a fake identity to apply for a card, intentional overdraft, account takeover and using a voided card. And the intentional overdrafts took the biggest proportion.
One of the largest cases handled by the court last year involved a gang of three men who skimmed personal information from 52 credit cards and used it to defraud their owners of 430,000 yuan, the court said.
The combined value of all the financial cases last year was more than 1.9 million yuan, the court said.
Aisa One
"Happily surprised? Sadly angry? Computer tags emotions"
Researchers from Ohio State University have uncovered a way for computers to recognise 21 distinct and often complex facial expressions.
Their research is being hailed as a breakthrough in the field of cognitive analysis, because up until this point cognitive scientists have only tracked six basic emotions - happy, sad, fearful, angry, surprised and disgusted.
The researchers photographed how 230 volunteers responded to verbal cues such as "you just got some great unexpected news", or "you smell a bad odour" .
Painstaking analysis of the resulting 5,000 images allowed researchers to pinpoint variations on prominent landmarks for facial muscles, such as the corners of the mouth or the outer edge of the eyebrow.
As a result they were able to uncover 21 emotions - the six basic emotions - plus "compound emotions" which are combinations of the original six.
The research may eventually aid the diagnosis and treatment of mental conditions such as autism and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Channel News Asia
"Space makes the heart grow rounder: US study"
A US research found that Astronauts' hearts grow rounder while they are in space, suggesting that spending lots of time in microgravity could lead to heart problems.
Data based on 12 astronauts who had ultrasounds while in space were used in the research, and a total of 9.4 per cent more spherical of their hearts became in microgravity.
"The heart doesn't work as hard in space, which can cause a loss of muscle mass," said James Thomas, lead scientist for ultrasound at NASA and senior author of the study.
The astronauts' hearts returned to their normal, more oval shape, shortly after their return to Earth.
However, Astronauts currently spend up to six months at the orbiting International Space Station.
That could mean trouble for people who want to embark on long-term missions to Mars.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
Public hospital doctors allowed to open private practices
 
Anchor:
The Beijing municipal government has released a new set of guidelines designed to help businesses and individuals set up private hospitals and clinics.
This follows a change in the rules to allow doctors in public hospitals to open their own private clinics.
CRI's Zhou Heyang has more.
Reporter:
The guidline specifies that in order to be eligible, professionals need to have been practicing medicine for at least five years since receiving their national physician licenses.
Many doctors are welcoming the new policy. However, few have applied to practice at multiple institutions. The high initial cost of investment has put many doctors off at the idea of starting their own clinic. Liang Cunhe is with Beijing Tongren Hospital.
"In large cities such as Beijing, costs relating to employing medical staff and renting facilities are quite high. We are worried that the initial financial and bureaucratic investment needed will be too high, preventing the business from being profitable."
At present, the application process for opening a clinic involves more than twenty documents and administrative approvals from local government, but that is not all. A staff member of the Dongcheng district health bureau explains the procedure in more details.
"You need to first choose the site where you want to open the clinic, then get the environmental evaluation certificate as well as attain approval from industrial and commercial authorities; I don't know how long this would take. After all that, you bring all the documents to us and we shall give you the final approval in THREE months. It's the procedures before our part which is most time-consuming."
Therefore, experts suggest loosening the grip on unnecessary application procedures could help facilitate change in the medical industry and attract more skilled doctors into health centers and private clinics.
They also suggest that the city should revise the regional health planning policies to make it easier for medical personnel to enter the private business. Liu Guoen is professor of economics at the National Development Research Institute of Peking University.
"Improving the regional planning policies regarding medical resource distribution should attract social capital into the relatively closed system of public hospitals. It should also restrict the unlimited expansion of public hospitals."
Experts agree the new policy aims to lessen the burden on public hospitals and provide more access to qualified doctors. Increasing the number of private clinics may create competition for public institutions and thus improve the quality of service provided.
For CRI, I'm Zhou Heyang.
 
 
Sports
 
 
Wins for Ding Junhui and Marco Fu on day two at China Open
 
Today was day two of snooker action at the China Open here in Beijing,
World number four Ding Junhui was playing on his birthday today, and I guess it was his day because he beat wildcard winner John Astley of England 5-1.
Earlier, England's Judd Trump trumped Northern Irishman Kurt Maflin 5-1.
Marco Fu of Hong Kong defeated fellow Chinese player Li Hang 5-3.
And still to come later tonight, world number one Mark Selby of England will take on his compatriot Stuart Carrington.
 
 
Bayern Munich and Manchester United to meet in UEFA CL clash
 
In football,
Bayern Munich and Manchester United are about to go head to head in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal clash.
Bayern are the clear favourites to win considering their sweep last season and 25 point lead this season. But manager Pep Guardiola isn't allowing his side to become too comfortable in the face of Manchester United's talented lineup.
"When I see (Wayne) Rooney, when I see (Rio) Ferdinand, when I see (Nemanja) Vidic, when I see Ryan Giggs, (Danny) Welbeck or Chicharito (Javier Hernandez), I know the quality of these players. Maybe they didn't play so good during the season and I don't know why, I'm not here, but for two games they can make the best performance of the season and they can beat us. That is the truth."
The other Champions league clash tonight is between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
In the English Premier League,
Sunderland are a dangerous four points out of the Premier League safety net after losing to West Ham 2-1 at home.
And in the Asian Champions League,
Beijing Guo'an is battling Australia's Central Coast Mariners. That game just kicked off at 7:30.
Meanwhile, Chinese FA Cup holders Guizhou Renhe are hosting Korean side Ulsan Hyundai.
 
 
Sri Lanka books second spot in semifinals at T20 Worlds in Bangladesh
 
In cricket,
Sri Lanka is the second team to book its spot in the T20 World semifinals after a decimating victory over New Zealand.
Sri Lankan bowler Rangana Herath grabbed five wickets in his team's 59-run win, in which they bowled the Kiwis out for 60 in 15.3 overs, a T20 low for New Zealand.
New Zealand had made a promising start, when Trent Boult and Jimmy Neesham claimed three wickets apiece to bowl Sri Lanka out for a moderate total, but captain Brendon McCullum said it all unraveled in the second half.
"One-twenty (120 runs) at half-time - we were really happy, I thought we bowled outstandingly well. And it's the most desperate, I think, we've been in the field - I still think we could have been better with the catches and things - but it's the best attitude that I've seen in the field this tournament... but I said at the start of the tournament that you had to start well - we coughed up a game against South Africa that we should have won - and now tonight at half-time we should have won that game as well, we let that opportunity slip, so, hence, we'll be on the plane home tomorrow."
Also yesterday, the Netherlands thrashed England by 45-runs, adding a positive memory to a T20 tournament that's been full of ups and downs for the Dutch.
Dutch captain Peter Borren was ecstatic after the match.
"Just so proud of the guys, really, for coming out there in the second half and we just left it all out there. I think we, I sort of discussed it, we weren't happy with 130, we didn't bat as well as we can. In saying that, England also summed up the conditions pretty well and bowled well, but for us to go out there and for our bowlers to execute, fantastic. And it's left a nice memory for us, definitely, it's left a fantastic memory."
Needless to say it was not a fantastic memory for the English. England captain Ashley Giles could only apologize to his squad's supporters for what he called an embarrassing performance.
"Yeah, there's a lot of emotions at the moment and of course we're angry. We're human beings and that sort of performance, when it's your line of work, you should be angry and I understand why the supporters are angry. There's quite a few out here who've come all the way out to Bangladesh to watch us, there's some in our hotel. All we can do is apologise. Apologise to them and apologise to the people watching at home."
Coming up later, the West Indies are preparing for a knock-out round with a formidable Pakistani squad. And hosts Bangladesh will take on Australia.
 
 
Miami Heat move into top spot in the Eastern Conference
 
Let's go next to basketball, and some highlights from today's NBA action,
Lebron James racked up 32 points when the Miami Heat defeated the Toronto Raptors 93-83. Chris Bosh contributed 18 in that game which sees the Heat take over the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Darren Collison had 28 points and seven assists to help the LA Clippers defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 114 to 104. That's the third win in a row for the Pacific Division leaders, and sees them moving just two games off the Oklahoma City Thunder for the second seed in the West Conference.
The San Antonio Spurs just set a new franchise record with 18 straight wins after a 103-77 decimation of the struggling Indiana Pacers. Tony Parker had 22 points in that game, and Boris Diaw added 14.
And the Charlotte Bobcats pulled it together in the fourth quarter to win over Washington 100-94, which prevented the Wizards from securing their first playoff spot since 2008.
In March Madness action,
Eight seeded Kentucky is headed to the Final Four after a big upset win over number two seed Michigan.
Kentucky's Aaron Harrison made the game-securing 24 –foot three pointer with just 2.3 seconds on the clock to lift the wildcats to a 75-72 upset win.
It was a shot worthy of they NBA, and if things play out, that's probably where a lot of those Kentucky boys will be soon enough.
The Wildcats will have to get another win over a two seed when they face Wisconsin in the semifinals.
And over in the east, seventh seed Connecticut will be looking to upset top seed Florida for a place in the final.
 
 
Norway leads mens world curling championship in Beijing
 
And finally,
The men's world curling championship is underway here in Beijing.
Norway tops the standings with an unbeaten record after five games. Yesterday, the Norwegians disappointed an arena of Chinese fans when they defeated team China 5-3.
Also in session 8, Canada defeated the Czech Republic 10-6, which places them just one game behind Norway. And Denmark edged by Scotland 7-6.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Johnny Depp meets fans at 'Transcendence' red carpet event in Beijing
 
American actor Johnny Depp has been continuing his tour of Beijing today after officially launching his first trip to China with a number of media events through yesterday.
The "Pirates of the Caribbean" star is here in Beijing to promote his new film "Trancendence."
As part of his promotional tour, Depp has made a stop in Beijing's popular 798 Art District, where he wowed his fans and the media by showing off some of his Chinese-language tatoos.
"Johnny Depp treats his fans well. He is handsome. He likes kids. He is kind. And he is handsome!"　
Taiwan singer David Tao was also among those who stopped by to see Depp on Monday.
"I always say that Johnny Depp is my favorite pirate. Although we see him on screen all the time and are familiar with his acting achievements, we didn't realize that he is also a great musician."
As part of his media event in 798 yesterday, Depp also showed off a self-described "chick's ring" he was wearing, a move which observers are suggesting is his undeclared engagement to 27-year old American actress Amber Heard.
As part of his time here in Beijing, Depp is set to take in a concert, as well as taking a tour through Beijing's old Hutong neighborhoods.
His new film, "Transcendence," is set to hit Chinese screens on April 18th.
 
 
"The White-Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom" theme song released in memory of Leslie Cheung
 
Today marks the 11th anniversary of the death of legendary Hong Kong singer and actor Leslie Cheung.
In memory of the late icon, Bona Film Group has released Leslie's original song "White haired Beauty" as the theme song for the new 3D Chinese action film "The White-Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom".
"White Haired Beauty" is the original song for the 1993 version of the film, which stars Leslie Cheung and Brigitte Lin in the leading roles.
Bona Film Group says using the song as the theme for the remake is a great tribute to Leslie Cheung.
Bona Film has reportedly spent over 6-figures to aquire the copyright for the song, which was held by another label.
The forthcoming Chinese wuxia 3D film is adapted from Liang Yusheng's novel of the same name.
It stars Fan Bingbing, Huang Xiaoming and Vincent Zhao.
The film is expected to hit Chinese theatres on April 25th.
 
 
Frozen becomes top grossing animated film in history
 
The Disney animated film 'Frozen' has now become the top-grossing animated film in box office history.
The hit musical from the end of last year has now made 1.072-billion US dollars worldwide.
This has surpassed the previous record of 1.063-billion was set in 2010 by 'Toy Story 3.'
'Frozen,' which is loosely based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairytale "The Snow Queen" is now the 10th biggest grossing film in box office history, regardless of genre.
However, the double-Oscar winner may not hold the record for long, as the 'Lego Movie' is hot on its heels.
That picture, which came out in February, is the first this year to gross 400-million US dollars globally.
There are still many countries the 'Lego Movie' has not been released yet.
 
 
Pharrell Williams joins "The Voice" in season 7
 
Grammy-award winning singer and producer Pharrell Williams is set to join the NBC talent show, "The Voice" as a coach for the seventh season.
Pharrell is going to replace longtime judge Cee Lo Green.
Williams will join country singer Blake Shelton, 'Maroon 5' frontman Adam Levine and pop singer Christina Aguilera on the season-seven panel this coming fall.
Pharrell has seen his star rise over the past year as a collaborator on Robin Thicke's smash hit "Blurred Lines" and Daft Punk's Grammy-winning track "Get Lucky."
Williams was also nominated for an Oscar for his own track "Happy," which is the lead song from the "Despicable Me 2" soundtrack, which he himself produced.
 
 
Elton John to marry long-time partner David Furnish in May
 
Pop icon Elton John says is planning to tie the knot with long-time partner David Furnish now Britain has legalized gay marriage.
Elton John has told NBC's The "Today" show they plan to marry "very quietly."
For his part, David Furnish is being quoted saying an intimate ceremony will take place sometime in May.
The couple, who have two children together, entered into a civil union in 2005.
A new law legalizing same-sex marriage took effect in England and Wales on Saturday.
Civil Unions have been legal there since 2005.
 
 
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has signed off on a new document following meetings with European Union leaders in Brussels.
The Chinese government is warning the US not to take sides in the South China Sea amid the growing dispute between China and the Philippines.
South Korea's defense ministry is warning North Korea is now ready and able to conduct another nuclear test.
In business, Chinese manufacturing growth appears to be on the rebound after 3-months of declines.