新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2014/04/24

 
The Beijing Hour
 
Evening Edition
 
 
Paul James with you this Thursday, April 24, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening...
The Chinese government is rebuffing comments from US President Barack Obama connected to the Diaoyu Islands.
Ukranian authorities say they're making headway in regaining government buildings from pro-Russia protesters.
A new political reconciliation deal between Paletinian factions is being both applauded and panned in the region.
In business, a very busy day on the earnings front around the world.
In sports, we'll recap this morning's playoff action in both the NBA and NHL.
In entertainment, we'll take you through the China Music Awards handed out in Macau.
First... a check on what's happening on the weather front....
 
 
Weather
 
Beijing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 16 degrees Celsius. Rainy tomorrow with a high of 24 degrees.　
Meanwhile Shanghai will be cloudy tonight, with a low of 16, overcast tomorrow, with a high of 22.
Chongqing will be rainy, 18 degrees the low, also rainy tomorrow with a high of 21.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny with a high of 32.
Kabul, overcast, 22.
Over in Australia
Sydney, overcast, high of 20.
Canberra, overcast, 18.
Brisbane, sunny, 27.
And finally, Perth will be overcast with a high of 26.
 
 
Top News
 
China rejects Obama's remark on disputed islands
 
The Chinese government has released a new statement, rejecting comments made by the U.S. President Barack Obama connected to the Diaoyu Islands.
In his meeting today with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Obama says the US security arrangement with Japan covers the Diaoyu Islands.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Qin Gang.
"The so-called US-Japan security treaty is a product of the Cold War era and it cannot be aimed at a third party and ought not to harm China's territorial sovereignty. No matter what anyone says or does, it cannot change the basic reality that the Diaoyu Islands are China's inherent territory and cannot shake the resolve and determination of the Chinese government and people to protect our sovereignty and maritime rights."
While stressing the US will not take sides in the territorial disputes between China and Japan, Obama is also calling on Japan and China to tackle their disputes through dialogue.
The U.S. President also says the US-Japan alliance is not only the "foundation" of the United States' security in the Asia-Pacific region, but "for the region as a whole."
"We are looking at a whole range of issues that are challenging at this time including the threats posed by North Korea, the nuclearization that has been taking place in that country, but because of the strong cooperation between our countries, I am confident that we will continue to make progress in the future,"
Obama and Shinzo Abe have also agreed to continue their talks on the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade talks.
Abe also says both sides have agreed to work together with South Korea and China to deal with issues connected to North Korea.
 
 
Kiev says Mariupol city hall 'liberated'
 
The Ukrainian government says it has regained control of the city hall in the eastern city of Mariupol from pro-Russian activists.
This comes after the authorities in Kiev announced they are resuming their anti-terrorist operations in the eastern part of the country.
Several people are said to have been hurt during the overnight operation.
Mariupol is the same city where three pro-Russian protesters were recently shot dead.
Administrative buildings have been taken over by pro-Russian factions in at least a dozen towns in eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government is now openly accusing Russia of intending to invade Ukraine.
The accusation comes following new comments from Russia's Foreign Minister.
Sergei Lavrov says Russia will retaliate if its citizens' interests are threatened and its territory comes under attack.
"If we are attacked we would certainly respond. If our interests, legitimate interests, the interests of Russians have been attacked directly, like they were in South Ossetia for example, I don't see any other way but to respond with full accordance with international law. Russian citizens being attacked is an attack against the Russian Federation."
Washington is accusing Russia of flouting a deal reached last week on Ukraine.
US President Obama is on-record saying his government is preparing for the prospect of further sanctions against Russia.
 
 
Reconciliation deal hailed by Palestinian factions, irks Israel, U.S.
 
Excitement is running high in Gaza following word of a reconciliation agreement reached between the Palestinian factions of Hamas and Fatah.
"We were waiting for this moment and for the reconciliation for a long time. We were divided into two states, one in Ramallah and one in Gaza. This is not right, we are one people".
"I am very happy about national unity, and this feeling will be completed when the reconciliation is achieved and the Palestinian Authority returns to the Gaza Strip"
Although the agreement is being hailed by both Palestinian sides, it has "disappointed" and irked Israel and the United States, both of which have branded Hamas as a terrorist group.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accusing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of sabotaging the peace efforts by seeking rapprochement with Hamas.
"We're trying to re-launch the negotiations with the Palestinians. Every time we get to that point, Abu Mazen stacks on additional conditions which he knows that Israel cannot give. So instead of moving into peace with Israel, he's moving into peace with Hamas and he has to choose. Does he want peace with Hamas or peace with Israel. You can have one but not the other."
For his part, Mahmoud Abbas contends the reconciliation agreement does not contradict the peace talks with Israel.
However, the US side is questioning the timing of the agreement.
State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki.
"This announcement was - the timing was troubling and we were certainly disappointed in the announcement. If absent a clear commitment to those principles I just outlined, this could seriously complicate our efforts - not just our efforts, but the efforts between the parties, more importantly - to extend the negotiations."
U.S.-brokered peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians is approaching the April 29th deadline without a resolution in sight.
Israeli negotiators called off a meeting scheduled for Wednesday night in protest of the Palestinian deal.
Since the beginning of the Palestinian rift in 2007 when Hamas took over Gaza, both Hamas and Fatah have been involved in a number of reconciliation agreements.
However, none of those deals were implemented, as Hamas insisted that no elections could be held before a number of controversial issues were resolved.
 
 
Victims Families Accept the Compromise Reached between Hong Kong and the Philippines Government
 
The families of those killed in the 2010 Manila hostage crisis say they accept the compromise reached between authorites from Hong Kong and Philippines.
In a joint statement issued by the two sides, the Philippine government has expressed "its most sorrowful regret" to the victims and their families.
However, the word "apology" has not been included in the statement, which has long been demanded by Hong Kong.
Tse Chi-kin, a representative of the families, says the issue is now over.
He says they're not going to dwell on the specific word.
"We have been thinking when we are seeking justice, whether we are making another injustice. Taking all factors into consideration, we feel that if we continue to dwell on the issue, it will bring negtive impact to many parties. So we've decided to accept the final arrangement."
The families have received an undisclosed sum in compensation, which they are describing as reasonable.
Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, who is in Hong Kong this week, has handed over two resolutions passed by Manila's city council.
The resolution declares August 23rd will be a day of prayer for the victims.
At the same time, Hong Kong has reinstated 14-day visa-free travel for Philippine officials and diplomats.
Hong Kong officials have also downgraded the city's travel alert to the Philippines from black, the highest level, to amber.
Amber was the alert status before the hostage taking took place.
 
 
Death toll rises to 171 in S.Korean ferry sinking disaster
 
The Chinese embassy in South Korea has confirmed another Chinese passenger's body has been recovered from the South Korean sunken ferry.
The remains of two other Chinese national have already been recovered, while one other is still missing.
The number of bodies pulled from the ferry now stands at 171.
130 others are still unaccounted for.
Around 40 family members of the victims have visited the office of the government-wide disaster response headquarters to protest the pace of the recovery efforts.
Koh Myung-seok, spokeperson for the emergency task force, says poor visibility and strong currents are hamping the recovery efforts.
"Most of them, because of strong currents and limited sight, came back out in less than 10 minutes, and there was even a diver who returned back, taking pictures without having dived into the water. There has been no rescue achievement made by the volunteer divers."
Divers are making their way deeper into the ferry.
However, the recovery is said to be becoming more difficult, as divers have to rip through cabin walls to retrieve more victims.
Meanwhile, students who lost classmates in the ferry disaster have gone back to school without them for the first time.
Mourners have also been lining up at the Ansan Olympic Park where a temporary memorial altar has been set up.
 
 
Australia says beach debris not from MH370
 
Australian authorities say debris found on a beach in Western Australia this week is unlikely to have come from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
The materials washed up on the coast south of Perth near the southwestern tip of Australia.
Authorities looked into the material, as it is said to be metalic and about 2.5-meters long.
Meanwhile, seabed scans of the area thought to be a possible crash site are due to end within days.
So far no trace of the missing flight has been found.
Malaysian and Australian officials say the search will continue, despite the rising costs.
It's believed the costs of the massive search are set to run into the 100's of millions of dollars, making it the most expensive international search mission ever conducted.
 
 
China's Foreign Minster Wang Yi begins official visit to Argentina
 
China's Foreign Minister has begun the latest leg in his current Latin American tour in Argentina.
As part of his time in Buenos Aires, Wang Yi has revealed Chinese President Xi Jiping is going travel to Latin America this year.　
"China and Argentina, two friendly countries, are talking and preparing for President Xi Jiping's possible visit to Argentina. It's also one of the most important objectives of my visit to Argentina and we have talked about this theme with my counterpart, Foreign Minister Hector Timerman, reaching wide agreements. We also hope that this visits marks another milestone for relations between China and Argentina, and that it strengthens cooperation in distinct areas of the strategic partnership which today unites China and Argentina at a higher level."
Bilateral trade between China and Latin America has doubled over the past decade, reaching over 260-billion dollars last year.
Wang Yi is due to travel to Brazil later on this Thursday.
His current trip has already taken him to Argentina, Venezuela and Cuba.
 
 
Danish Queen's visit to deepen Sino-Danish ties
 
Anchor:
The Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II, is now on a five-day state visit here to China.
CRI's Yu Yang has more.
Reporter:
This will be the second time the Danish Queen has visited China, and the first visit in 35 years. In 1979, she became the first western monarch to visit the country. Usually, Danish monarchs never make a second official trip to a country they have visited except for those Scandinavian neighbors.
Zhang Bei, a research assistant with the China Institute of International Studies, explains the significance the Queen's break with convention.
"The Danish queen's visit is also in the bigger picture of the ever-closer China-Europe relationship. Denmark is a very special European country. It is an EU member with many famous labels like 'Nordic country' 'welfare state' and 'small but successful.' To make the best of the China-Denmark relationship will set a very good example as China seeks win-win cooperation with developed small and medium-sized European countries."
China and Denmark have witnessed fast development in economic cooperation since 2008, when the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership.
China became Denmark's second-largest trading partner outside the European Union in the same year. Total bilateral trade volume was more than 107 billion Danish krone, or nearly 20 billion US dollars, in 2013.
Danish Ambassador Petersen says the state visit by the Queen will focus on how to support China in its pursuit of sustainable development. Researcher Zhang Bei says the two countries' economic and trade relations is highly complementary in nature.
"The visit is in a sense tailor-made to highlight and promote Denmark's advantages and strengthen China-Denmark business cooperation in these fields. These programs feature Denmark's head start in green technology areas, such as low-energy buildings, smart electricity grids, urban heating and cooling systems, and renewable energy generation. Also food, another strong Danish sector."
Zhang Bei adds the Royal visit also offers opportunities to shape new strategic partnerships, particularly in focal areas such as sustainable welfare, Energy & Environment, Health & Life Sciences, Food & Agro Industries, and Transport & Maritime Industries, where Denmark has strong capabilities which more importantly can serve the demand of the Chinese economy and society.
Four ministers,five vice-ministers and representatives from more than 110 Danish companies will accompany the Queen during the tour. In addition to Beijing, Queen Margrethe II will also visit Nanjing, Suzhou, Jiaxing and Shanghai in east China.
For CRI, this is Yu Yang.
 
 
Parliamentarians urged to improve women's reproductive health service
 
Anchor:
Parliamentarians from over 100 countries are being urged to take action in improving women's reproductive health ahead of the 2015 deadline set out in the UN's Millennium Development Goals.
CRI's Chen Xuefei has more from a conference in Stockholm, Sweden.
Reporter:
Lawmakers attending the conference say among the UN Millennium Development Goals, targets toward women's reproductive health,gender equality and access to sexual health are still lagging behind.
Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin is the Executive Director of United Nations Population Fund.
"We say these girls, you are old enough to be married, you are old enough to have sex, you are old enough to have children, but you are not old enough to have access to contraception, you are not old enough to have access to comprehensive sexuality education, you are not old enough to control your own body, this simply doesn't make sense, we must not treat them as commodities, they are human beings. "
Ostotimehin is calling on the parliamentarians at the conference to take action when it comes to funding projects, which will give women better access to sexual health programs.
Sweden's Parliamentary Speaker Per Westerberg is among those taking part in the meeting.
"I am concerned that young people are not being offered the opportunities to which they are entitled, such as education, information, healthcare – and decent opportunities to have a future. Many young people worldwide lack access to correct information, and the knowledge and means to protect themselves against both sexually-transmitted diseases including HIV and unintended pregnancies."
Hillevi Engstrom, Sweden's Minister for International Development Cooperation, adds the leading cause of death among girls aged 15 to 19 is complications from prenancies and unsafe abortions. Engstrom is also suggesting better equality is needed.
"It is not acceptable that women work two-thirds of the total working hours, but only earn ten percent of the works' income, it is not acceptable that women make up half of the population, yet represents 30 percent of the world's poor, it is not acceptable that only one in five parliamentarians in the world is a woman. "
Engstrom suggests a separate standard is needed for gender equality. She's also calling for a clear commitment on women's economic empowerment, as well as better standards when it comes to issues such as literacy, violence against women and women in politics.
The three-day event is being organized by UN and the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and development, as well as the Swedish Parliament.
For CRI, this is Chen Xuefei in Stockholm.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
Stocks
 
Asian stocks swung between gains and losses today as investors digested softer than expected U.S. home sales data and strong quarterly earnings from Apple and Facebook.
Here in China, the Shanghai Composite fell half a percent as Shanghai free trade zone-linked companies extended declines, offsetting gains among property developers.
The Shenzhen Component closed down 0.2 percent.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng finished 0.2 percent higher.
Japanese shares fell sharply as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of the looming earnings season.
Investors also appeared disappointed after negotiations between Japan's Prime Minister and visiting US President Barack Obama produced little on a bilateral trade deal.
The Nikkei fell 1 percent today.
Australian shares closed firmly in positive territory.
The benchmark ASX 200 closed up 0.2 percent.
South Korean shares drifted lower on institutional selling.
And Singapore's Straits Times gained 0.7 percent.
 
 
Chinese trusts' assets hit 11.73 trln yuan
 
Anchor:
Authorities here in China are taking steps to try to rein in trust companies as the shadow-banking sector expands agressively.
New data shows that assets in Chinese trusts have surpassed 11.5-trillion yuan as of the end of March.
This is up 7.5-percent from the previous quarter.
Trusts surpassed insurance companies last year to become the 2nd largest sector in China's financial system behind only commercial banks.
The China Banking Regulatory Commission recently issued stricter guidelines governing trust companies in a bid to counter systemic risks posed by the shadow-banking sector.
The new rules are aimed at reducing liquidity risks associated with off-balance-sheet Wealth Management Products.
For more on this, The Beijing Hour's Shane Bigham spoke earlier with Cao Can, CRI's Financial Commentator.
Cao Can, CRI's Financial Commentator, speaking with The Beijing Hour's Shane Bigham.
 
 
Apple announces share buyback as earnings rise
 
Apple is reporting first-quarter net profits of 10.2 billion US dollars.
In making the announcment, Apple has also revealed plans to buy an additional 30-billion US dollars of its stock back from shareholders and increase its quarterly dividend by 8-percent.
The company also says its going to split its stock for the first time in 9-years.
Sales of the iPhone, still the company's most popular product, has contributed to more than half of Apple's revenues, which are up 17-percent year-on-year.
Apple has sold 43.7-million iPhones through the first three months of this year.
Shares of Apple have surged more than 7-percent in after-hours trading, as investors welcome news of the seven-for-one stock split, which is set to take effect in June.
 
 
Facebook earnings surge on mobile advertising
 
Facebook is reporting net profits of 642-million US dollars through the first quarter, beating 'the street.'
An increase in mobile advertising has helped push Facebook revenues up 72-percent to 2.5-billion US dollars.
Mobile revenues now account for just under 60-percent of the company's ad profits, up from 30-percent a year ago.
Shares of Facebook have risen over 4-percent in after-hours trading.
Facebook says it reached just under 1.3-billion users in the first quarter.
More than a billion of those accessed the site through a mobile device.
Facebook is taking steps to grow its mobile business by expanding its product offerings.
This includes launching a new Facebook Messenger service and a news application.
 
 
Boeing raises 2014 profit forecast
 
Boeing has raised its profit forecast this year, while at the same time, announcing a "strong" first quarter.
Boeing's 2014 core earnings forecast has been raised to between 7.2 and 7.4-US dollars a share, which is a 20-cent increase from previous projections.
Boeing's revenues through the first quarter are up 8-percent to 20.5 billion US dollars, driven by an increase in deliveries.
However, Boeing's net earnings are down by 13-percent.
Still, Boeing is raising its full-year profit forecast because of a tax settlement that will take effect in the second quarter.
The company delivered 161 commercial airplanes in the first three months.
 
 
Qualcomm shares dip on weak outlook
 
Shares of Qualcomm, one of the world's biggest chipmakers, have fallen 5-percent in after hours trading after the company issued a weaker than expected growth outlook.
Qualcomm is now forecasting sales of between 6.2 and 6.8 billion US dollars through the 2nd quarter.
The low end of the estimate represents a decline of 1-percent from a year ago.
However, the company is also reporting a net profit increase of 5-percent though the first qurter of just under 2-billion US dollars.
 
 
Novartis profit rises 23% on sales of new drugs
 
Pharmaceutical giant Novartis says sales of its newly-launched drugs have helped push first-quarter net profits up nearly 23-percent.
The company says its cancer treatment drug Afinitor and multiple sclerosis pill Gilenya, two of the company's newest treatments, have contributed to sales growth.
Sales in emerging markets, most notably China, have also helped drive up the company's results.
The first-quarter results come as Novartis prepares to work through a series of deals announced earlier this week.
On Tuesday, Novartis announced plans to buy GlaxoSmithKline's oncology unit, while Glaxo will acquire Novartis's vaccines business.
In a separate deal, Novartis will sell its animal health business to Eli Lilly.
The deals are worth more than 25-billion US dollars.
 
 
Hyundai Motor's Q1 operating profit grows 3.7 percent
 
South Korean automaker Hyundai is reporting a 1st quarter profit increase of 3.7-percent.
The company has earned 1.9-billion U.S. dollars during the January to March period.
Hyundai's revenues are up 1.3-percent on year to 208-billion US dollars.
The company's sales globally are up 4.8-percent.
 
 
South Korea economic growth beats forecasts
 
South Korea's economy has grown more than forecast in the first quarter, helped by surge in construction and exports.
The South Korean economy has expanded by 3.9-percent in the January-to-March quarter.
Most projections were for 3.7-percent growth.
Quarter-by-quarter, South Korea's economy has grown by 0.9-percent.
South Korean exports are up 1.7-percent on a quarterly-basis.
 
 
Headline News
 
China rejects Obama's comments on Diaoyu Island dispute
 
The Chinese government is rejecting comments made by the U.S. President Barack Obama connected to the Diaoyu Islands.
In his meeting today with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Obama says the US security arrangement with Japan covers the Diaoyu Islands.
The Chinese side is refuting the suggestion, saying the US-Japan security treaty is a product of the Cold War, and does not change the fact the Diaoyu Islands are Chinese territory.
Meanwhile, Obama and Abe say they're going to continue their work toward completing the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade deal.
The two also say they plan to work with China and South Korea when it comes to dealing with issues connected to North Korea.
 
 
Ukraine government retakes occupied city hall
 
The Ukrainian government says it has regained control of the city hall in the eastern city of Mariupol from pro-Russian activists.
This comes after the authorities in Kiev announced they are resuming their anti-terrorist operations in the eastern part of the country.
Several people are said to have been hurt during the overnight operation.
Mariupol is the same city where three pro-Russian protesters were recently shot dead.
Administrative buildings have been taken over by pro-Russian factions in at least a dozen towns in eastern Ukraine.
 
 
Three Americans killed in Kabul hospital attack
 
Three Americans have been shot dead by an Afghan police officer in a hospital in Kabul.
Police say the attack took place after the officer at a nearby checkpoint opened fire on a group of foreign doctors who were entering the hospital.
The hospital in western Kabul is run by a small US Christian charity.
The US embassy has confirmed the victims, including two women, are Americans.
The shooter is in police custody.
The motivation for the attack remains unclear at this point.
 
 
Excitement running high following Palestinian reconciliation agreement
 
Excitement is running high in Gaza following word of a reconciliation agreement reached between the Palestinian factions of Hamas and Fatah.
Although the agreement is being hailed by both Palestinian sides, it has "disappointed" and irked Israel and the United States, both of which have branded Hamas as a terrorist group.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accusing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of sabotaging the peace efforts by seeking rapprochement with Hamas.
For his part, Mahmoud Abbas contends the reconciliation agreement does not contradict the peace talks with Israel.
 
 
Australia says beach debris not from MH370
 
Australian authorities say debris found on a beach in Western Australia this week is unlikely to have come from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
The materials washed up on the coast south of Perth near the southwestern tip of Australia.
So far no trace of the missing flight has been found.
Malaysian and Australian officials say the search will continue, despite the rising costs.
It's believed the costs of the massive search are set to run into the 100's of millions of dollars, making it the most expensive international search mission ever conducted.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
China Daily
"Survey reveals too much trust in Internet encyclopedias"
A survey on Thursday revealed that 86.2 percent of respondents have consulted Internet encyclopedias, with 41.6 percent admitting frequent use, while only 46.9 percent have ever questioned the credibility of the content.
The China Youth Daily surveyed over 3,000 people last week, and found that 62.6 percent of correspondents are aware that free Internet encyclopedias can be edited by any random person with a computer.
Nearly 50 percent said that free editing rights will promote better understanding of the truth, while 20.5 percent disagreed and 27.3 percent chose "hard to say."
"As long as the Internet is open to all, there is bound to be deliberate tampering with the articles," said Wu, former editor-in-chief of Hudong Encyclopedia.
The authority of online encyclopedias is not guaranteed, which makes questioning necessary. According to the survey, 56.6 percent of people expressed concern over a lack of skepticism among netizens, especially the young.
China News Service
"China to further develop village tourism"
Local township and village tourism in China will receive a boost in investment this year, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang said today.
Ten thousand villages will transform into tourism hotspots and 200,000 households will be turned into farm stay accommodations, Wang said at the opening ceremony of the 2014 World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit.
Over 13.5 million people were employed in the tourism sector last year, with more than 1.7 million households in the farm stay business.
China is the second largest travel and tourism economy in the world with each Chinese person making an average two trips last year. This is expected to grow 7 percent annually for the next 10 years, according to the WTTC.
The Chinese tourism market is expected to exceed 2.5 trillion U.S. dollars within five years and the country will roll out more supportive policies to nurture the tourism sector, Wang added.
The Telegraph
"British students 'being driven overseas by fees hike'"
Rising numbers of students are considering taking courses overseas, driven by an increase in tuition fees in the UK and the need for "travel and adventure".
A report by the British Council found that more than a third of young adults were preparing to take courses overseas – which is nearly double than one year ago.
Figures show a "thirst for travel and adventure" and experiencing other cultures were cited as the most popular reasons for wanting to take a university or college course abroad.
But more than half of students said they were considering moving overseas because of the sharp rise in tuition fees at British universities, which can now charge up to ?9,000 a year for a degree.
The scale of overseas study has prompted concerns in the past that British business could be losing thousands of talented graduates to companies overseas.
Yahoo News
"Wellness programs grow more popular with employers"
More US companies are starting or expanding wellness programs that aim to reduce their medical costs by improving their employees' health.
That little voice nagging you to put down the cakes and lace up the running shoes might start coming from your employer as a federal health care overhaul looms.
A survey of nearly 600 large U.S. companies by benefits consultant Towers Watson found that 22 percent of companies that use financial incentives to encourage wellness program participation structured them as penalties. That's up from 18 percent last year.
Along with that, many companies also are dangling the threat of higher monthly insurance premiums to prod workers into action.
The Affordable Care Act is one reason the programs are spreading. The federal law calls for a 40 percent tax on expensive benefit plans starting in 2018, and many companies that offer employer-based coverage already have begun looking for ways to lower costs and avoid that tax.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
Beijing Auto Show: Local brands
 
Anchor:
Today in our special report on this year's Beijing International Auto Show, we'll check in with how Chinese brands are dealing with the challenges of an increasingly open market with stiff foreign competition.
Here is CRI's Ding Lulu.
Reporter:
With MORE than 2000 auto companies, 11-hundred vehicles and a hundred world premiers, the Beijing Auto Show is China's auto market in a nutshell, at the China International Exhibition Center.
The phrase "Market Penetration" is constantly on the lips of domestic carmakers and their international counterparts alike.
Du Guozhong is a public relations manager at Chinese manufacturer BYD.
"As joint venture brands and their domestic self-owned brands lower their product prices and penetrate deeper into second and third-tier markets, China's own domestic brands are meeting tough competition. So our market share is sliding downwards in general."
Du's company is trying to fight back with unique products that meet the demands of average consumers.
"The key is to develop our own techniques and to offer unique products. I mean we can always learn from our competitors, but we've got to have some highlights of our own. We'll rely on science and technology to improve the consumer experience."
Certainly, going "geek" with technology is seen as one way to succeed in a highly-industrial business.
But there are others who dare take a risk to build up a name.
Zeng Yehui from GAC Gonow Auto boasts "unprecedented service".
"Our clients can return their cars for any or no reason within 7 days of purchase. So far, GAC Gonow is the only company that supports returning without reason. And clients who buy our Xinglang model during a promotion period can enjoy free maintenance till the car becomes obsolete. We are the first carmaker to guarantee that service."
With enough commitment to customer service, China's domestic brands might just make a breakthrough.
But Wuhu-based Chery seems keen on winning the battle when it comes to personal tastes. Former Porsche designer Hakan Saracoglu now leads their design team.
"And we are an international team, a domestic team of international influence. My job is really to show possibilities; it is the designers themselves, the young creative Chinese designers putting these things on the paper. I can take their creativity, and put it into a real car to show them how to build a car, but the creativity comes from those guys, who can do it better than them?"
Decades ago, when China signed the treaty to enter the WTO, people worried about Chinese carmakers being knocked out by competitive foreign brands.
Today, still, no one can forsee the futures of those automakers, but now at least some of them are trying their best to enjoy the ride.
For CRI and China.com, I'm Ding Lulu.
 
 
Sports
 
 
Wins for Miami, Portland, and Dallas in NBA opening round series
 
In NBA playoff action,
The Miami Heat lead their first-round series with the Charlotte Bobcats 2-0 after winning 101 to 97 at home. It was an intense battle in the final quarter, with Miami protecting a tentative 3 point lead as the clock wound down. But a critical steal by Dwayne Wade sealed the victory.
Lebron James had 32 points and 8 assists, and Chris Bosh added 20 points.
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 113 to 92 in game 2 to level the series at a game apiece.
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said his team had problems on both ends of the court, shabby defense and poor ball handling.
And a visiting Portland squad topped the Houston Rockets 112 to 105 to take a 2-0 series lead.
It was a big night for LaMarcus Aldridge who ended with a whopping 43 points, including a sick one-handed dunk over Omer Asik. Dwight Howard led Houston with 32 points.
The NBA has been handing out end of the season awards, and yesterday the prize for Most Improved goes to Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic.
"The main thing was just my confidence this year. You know, I feel like my teammates, they trust me, the coaches trust me and that I can play my game and you know, when your confidence is up then you can shoot the ball better and I think that is the main reason that I shot the ball so well this year."
Earlier Chicago Bulls Joakim Noah was named defensive player of the year.
 
 
McGrady signs with baseball team
 
It appears any possibility of former NBA star Tracy McGrady returning here to China to play basketball have been dashed.
The 34-year old has taken a page out of Michael Jordan's book, and has signed a deal to play baseball.
McGrady, who last year played in the CBA for the Qingdao Doublestars, has signed with the Sugar Land Skeeters in the independent Atlantic League as a pitcher.
The 6-foot-8 right-hander made his first appearance with the club last week.
He pitched one inning, allowed three hits and a run, and threw no strikeouts.
McGrady spent 16-years in the NBA and one here in China before deciding to try his hand at professional baseball.
 
 
Wins for Columbus, Chicago, and Dallas in the SCP opening round
 
In Stanley cup playoff action, three game 4's went down today.
The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 to tie up their series at 2 a piece. Down by one, Columbus's Brandon Dubinsky netted a goal with just 22.5 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime. Nick Foligno scored the game-winning goal in the sudden death overtime. The two teams head back to Pittsburgh for game 5.
It was a similar result for the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues. The Blackhawks leveled their series with the Blues at two games a piece after winning 4-3 in overtime on home ice.
Also neck and neck in their opening round series are Dallas and Anaheim. The Stars leveled their series at two games a piece after beating the Ducks 4-2 in game 4. Anaheim was missing captain Ryan Getzlaf who's out with an upper-body injury.
 
 
Real Madrid holds 1-0 advantage over Bayern after first semifinal leg of CL
 
In football,
Real Madrid has the upper hand after the first leg of their Champions League semifinal with Bayern Munich. Madrid's Karim Benzema scored for the 1-0 victory over the title holders yesterday.
Despite the loss, Bayern's coach Pep Guardiola was full of positivity for his team.
"I'm very proud of my team, we played very, very well. It is not easy to come here to play a semi-final at the Bernabeu. We played with personality, we had a lot of possession, the final passes we will have to improve back in Munich - but I'm very very proud. "
Madrid had Cristiano Ronaldo back from an injury absence. He assisted on the pass to Benzema, but missed a number of scoring opportunities himself.
Coming up later today is the first round of the UEFA Europa League semifinals.
Juventus will meet Benfica in Lisbon. And Sevilla hosts Valencia CF.
 
 
Ferrer and Fognini out in Barcelona, Peng Shuai through in Morocco
 
In tennis,
David Ferrer was sent packing from the Barcelona Open by Russia's Teymuraz Gabashvili, who beat the second seed in fairly smooth straight sets 6-4, 6-2.
"I knew that I had to play aggressive because if you drop your intensity then these types of players, like David Ferrer, they take opportunities. Then you run like an animal. I didn't want to do this and tried to be always focused and always aggressive. As soon as I had a chance I tried to open him and make him run and then if I have easier ball then hit it strong, strong as I can but with the control. I did quite well today."
Number three seed Fabio Fognini, number seven Jerzy Janowicz, and number eight Alexandr Dolgopolov were also eliminated in the second round. But all other top seeds are through, including number one Rafael Nadal.
On the WTA tour,
Ana Ivanovic easily dispatched Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 in the first round of the Porsche Grand Prix in Germany.
Number eight seed Sara Errani of Italy defeated Kaia Kanepi 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the third round.
And number three seed Petra Kvitova was upset by Russia's Alisa Kleybanova, losing 6-2, 7-6.
Meanwhile, over at the La Princesse Lalla Meryem in Morocco, China's Peng Shuai defeated Ukraine's Maryna Zanevska to advance to the third round.
 
 
Saracens and Clermont to go head to head in Heineken Cup semis this weekend
 
In rugby,
The Saracens and French club Clermont are gearing up for this weekend's Heineken Cup semifinal.
The Saracens have a lot to prove after having been knocked out of European rugby's premier competition by French sides in each of the last two seasons.
Saracens number eightman Billy Vunipola said his club has higher expectations for themselves this time around.
"As a team we're quietly confident that we can turn over this Clermont team. I think there is a bit of truth to that (higher expectations). Semi-finals are maybe not enough any more. I'm not saying we're going to win the thing but we'll at least try and get to the final."
The much-improved Saracen sits at the top of the Premiership table after their recent 23-18 win over Newcastle.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
David Beckham, Ricky Martin attend the 18th annual China Music Awards
 
The 18th annual China Music Awards was held in Macau on Wednesday (23 APRIL).
A total of 37 awards were handed out.
Former professional footballer David Beckham presented the "Most Popular International Chinese Singer" award to Chinese pop diva, Coco Lee.
Ricky Martin was named "Asia's Most Influential International Artist."
Backstage, he said he felt a great sense of responsibility with this award.
"To be invited and to be recognized this way, in China, not only represents a lot for me, but I would say, it represents a lot for the Caribbean, for the people of my island. I come here with love and passion from Puerto Rico, where I am from."
Taiwan-born singer David Tao was another big winner on Wednesday night.
He walked away with the "Best Male Singer" (Hong Kong/Taiwan) and "Most Talented Singer" awards.
Chinese singer Li Yuchun took home the "Best Female Singer" award and the honor as "Asia's Most Influential Chinese Singer."
Li was excited about her win and took the opportunity to discuss her new project.
"For the last year or two, I ventured out to do other types of work. In the meantime, I've been writing a lot of songs and working on my new album. I came here today with my latest work. I was very excited to walk away with two major awards and also perform something new for everyone."
 
 
Guns N Roses guitarist promises new album 'soon' at Golden Gods Awards
 
Axl Rose -- the only remaining original member of the band Guns N Roses-- was honored with a lifetime achievement award on Wednesday (Apr. 23) at the Revolver Golden Gods awards.
The hard rock band's guitarist Richard Fortus revealed at the awards that the group was going to release a new album soon.
"We are working on stuff. And hopefully, hopefully very soon we're going to have new stuff out. Well, in the next year."
Guns N' Roses released "Chinese Democracy" in 2008 after a re-shuffling of the group and countless delays.
This time, band members say they're circulating ideas for songs remotely and over the course of their recent South American tour.
 
 
ASCAP honors Tom Petty
 
American rock legend Tom Petty received the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers'(ASCAP)Founders Award on Wednesday (23 April) in Hollywood.
He is the writer behind such hits as "American Girl" ,"Mary Jane's Last Dance" and "I Need to Know".
Petty was very surprised when he got the call about the award.
"It's nice to get the notice like that from ASCAP, such a monolithic thing to me. This award it just kind of blows my mind. I didn't think anyone knew. But, songwriting, it's a songwriting award so it's very special."
Petty and his band, The Heartbreakers, just finished their latest album, "Hypnotic Eye" which is set for release this summer.
ASCAP is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
With over 500-thousand members representing more than nine-million copyrighted works, ASCAP is the worldwide leader in performance royalties, service and advocacy for songwriters and composers.
 
 
Doctor convicted in Michael Jackson death denied latest appeal
 
The California Supreme Court refused Wednesday to hear an appeal by Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, who was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the pop star's death.
Murray's attorney Valerie Wass said Murray will likely attempt to overturn his conviction in federal court.
The federal appeal Wass plans to file will focus on media coverage of the trial and exposure of the unsequestered jury to the Internet.
Authorities said Murray gave Jackson a lethal dose of the surgical anesthetic, propofol, in 2009, while the singer prepared for his comeback concert tour.
Murray was convicted in 2011 and has served two years in jail.
He was released last October.
 
 
Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o named People magazine's most beautiful woman
 
People Magazine has named Oscar winning actress Lupita Nyong'o as the "World's Most Beautiful Woman" for 2014.
Nyong'o took home this year's Academy Award for best supporting actress for her role as the slave Patsey in director Steven McQueen's acclaimed film, "12 Years A Slave".
In addition to her acting talent, Nyong'o has also won praise for her distinctive style on the red carpet.
This year's most beautiful people list also includes actresses Keri Russell, Mindy Kailing and Amber Heard.
 
 
Meg Ryan to voice 'How I Met Your Mother' spin-off
 
American actress Meg Ryan has been cast as the narrator for CBS's "How I Met Your Mother" spin-off, "How I Met Your Dad".
She will supply the voice of the older version of the leading character Sally, in a parallel role to the one Bob Saget filled on "How I Met Your Mother".
"How I Met Your Dad" is Ryan's first regular role on a major prime-time TV series.
"How I Met Your Dad" tells a new story about new characters from a different point of view.
The pilot is being executive produced by "How I Met Your Mother" co-creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, along with Emily Spivey.
The cast also includes Tiya Sircar, "Mixology" actor Andrew Santino and Nick D'Agosto.
 
 
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
The Chinese government is rebuffing comments from US President Barack Obama connected to the Diaoyu Islands.
A new political reconciliation deal between Paletinian factions is being both applauded and panned in the region.
Denmark's Queen has arrived here in China for a state visit.
In business, a very busy day on the earnings front around the world.
On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Paul James in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together.