新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2014/07/02

 
The Beijing Hour
 
Evening Edition
 
 
Shane Bigham with you this Wednesday, July 02nd, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening...
South Korea's leader is expressing hope for deeper ties with China...
Runoff election results in Afghanistan have been delayed again...
And France's prime minister says the investigation of the country's former President will be carried out independently of the government...
In business, South Korea's government is set to launch direct trading between that country's currency and the yuan...
In sports, a big upset on the men's side at Wimbledon...
In entertainment, a Chinese superstar declares her engagement...
 
 
Weather
 
 
Beijing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 22 degrees Celsius. It will be cloudy tomorrow with a high of 29 degrees.　
Meanwhile Shanghai will see some rain tonight, with a low of 22, overcast tomorrow, with a high of 29.
Chongqing will be overcast tonight, 23 degrees the low, tomorrow rainy with a high of 24.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, slight rain with a high of 35.
Kabul, sunny, 28.
Over in Australia
Sydney, sunny, high of 17.
Canberra, cloudy,12.
Brisbane, cloudy, 20.
And finally, Perth will have be cloudy with a high of 14.
 
 
Top News
 
 
South Korean President on Bilateral Relations upon Xi's visit
 
Anchor:
South Korean President Park Geun-hye says she expects more pragmatic cooperation between China and South Korea. She made the comment ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to her country.
CRI's Xie Zhao has more.
Reporter:
The Chinese President's state visit to Seoul starts on Thursday.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye says she hopes the visit takes bilateral relations to a new high.
Park also says both countries should work together for the well-being of their respective people.
"President Xi brought up the 'Chinese dream' as a national vision and it has much in common with my idea of the South Korean dream which aims to build a new era of hope and national happiness. I think the two dreams share the same ultimate goal and it's an important reason why the two countries should enhance cooperation."
She says there will be more pragmatic cooperation between the two countries after the trip.
China and South Korea will release a joint paper during President Xi's visit.
Both sides are also set to sign cooperative documents pertaining to the economy and trade, finance, the environment and consular affairs.
South Korean Ambassador to China Kwon Young-se says both sides have made remarkable achievements in nearly every respect, especially the economic ties.
"The development in economic aspect has been rapid as always. The free trade agreement negotiations between China and South Korea have been smooth despite some problems."
Kwon says he hope President Xi's visit will propel negotiations on the China-South Korea free trade agreement, which is set to enter the 12th round of talks later this month.
Official numbers from South Korea show the volume of bilateral trade exceeded 270 billion US dollars last year.
The figure was a mere 6 billion US dollars when the two countries established diplomatic relations 22 years ago.
China has become South Korea's largest trading partner and export market, while South Korea is now the third-largest trade partner and the fifth-largest source of foreign investment for China.
For CRI, I'm Xie Zhao.
 
 
Xi Jinping's State Visit to South Korea helps regional stability
 
Anchor:
Meanwhile, experts from both sides say besides bilateral relations, regional cooperation and security will also be high on the agenda of President Xi's visit, a year after South Korean President Park Geun-hye visited Beijing.
CRI's Alexander Aucott has more details.
Reporter:
Han Sukhee is the Associate Professor of Chinese Studies at Yonsei University in South Korea.
At a time when three-way FTA negotiations among China, South Korea and Japan face much difficulty, Professor Han says a free trade agreement between China and South Korea could serve to break the ice.
"Once we conclude FTA between South Korea and China, there might be major foundation for the potential conclusion of trilateral FTA among Korea, Japan and China."
The security on the Korean Peninsula also remains a concern for all parties involved.
Professor Yang Xiyu is the Senior Research Fellow on Korean Peninsula Affairs at the China Institute of International Studies.
In the eyes of Professor Yang Xiyu, the status quo on the peninsula is of a frayed peace.
"The peace and stability on the peninsula now is based on mutual deterrence and mutual defensive deployment. So that's not real peace. It's a fragile peace. So the two top leaders will discuss measures, on one hand, how to re-launch the course of denuclearization, and on the other hand, how to reduce the tensions and make framework for common security."
Greater security will be good news not only for Korean people on the Peninsula, but also for Chinese students who choose South Korea for higher education.
Stats from Xinhua News Agency tell us the number of Chinese students in South Korea reached a peak of more than 66 thousand in 2010. But over the last three years, the number has been dropping.
According to Professor Han, this is not all bad news.
"Ten years ago, many Chinese students who wanted to come to South Korea would be kind of not competent students. They just failed to get into colleges (in China), so they just get out of country, they came to South Korea. But recently, many Chinese students they are competent in their own country and they have a special interest in South Korea. They came to South Korea and they develop their own language skills, then also their understanding about South Korea."
Professor Han says the same changes are also taking place among South Korean students in China.
For CRI, I'm Alexander Aucott .
 
 
Suicide attack killed five as Afghan polls results delayed
 
A suicide bomber has killed at least five soldiers in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Nine other people have been injured, including four soldiers and five civilians.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the target was an air force bus.
The attack comes as the country is set to announce the results of its runoff presidential election later this month.
The election so far has been marred by allegations of vote-rigging.
The preliminary results were initially due to be out later today, but the election commission has postponed the announcement, saying they have to look into some of the votes.
Abdullah Abdullah, one of the two contenders who could become the country's next president, has accused the election commission of fraud.
"The fact that 7.5 million votes were devoted, the turnout is 7.5 million that itself is questionable. And nobody has answered our concerns to this, explain it to us that what is the base of that claim. And there are other issues as well, including the involvement of election officers and the ballot was stuffed in one day before the election in several places."
Earlier, the country's chief election official resigned over the fraud allegations.
Abdullah led first round results by a margin of nearly 14 points, winning 45 percent of the vote.
His closest rival, ex-World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani, received over 31 percent.
Whoever wins the election will take charge at a crucial time with most foreign troops due to withdraw from the country by the end of this year.
 
 
Investigation on Sarkozy carried out independently: French PM
 
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says the judicial investigation of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is being carried out independently of the Socialist government.
Sarkozy is now facing preliminary charges in an investigation linked to allegations that he took 50 million euros in illegal campaign funds from Libya's Moammar Gadhafi.
"This situation is serious, the facts are serious. As you said the indictment concerns magistrates - high level magistrates - a lawyer, a former President of the Republic. But as head of the government, I'm asking that first we recall the independence of the justice system, which must carry out its work serenely."
The ex-President appeared before a judge in Paris on Tuesday after 15 hours of questioning by police.
He was held over suspicion of using his influence to secure details of an inquiry into alleged irregularities in his 2007 election.
His lawyer and a senior prosecutor were also placed under formal investigation.
Sarkozy has insisted the allegations against him are politically motivated.
 
 
Tensions simmers in the W. Bank as Israel strengthens crackdown to Hamas
 
Tensions are simmering in the West Bank, as clashes erupted in the city of Jenin where Israeli forces launched fresh raids.
Around 40 Palestinians have been arrested across the West Bank, the latest in a campaign by Israel to cripple Hamas there.
The operations come on the heels of the deaths of three Israeli teenagers.
They were abducted and murdered while hitch-hiking in the occupied West Bank last month.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will not rest until it brings those responsible to justice.
"Whoever was involved in the kidnapping and the murder will bear the consequences. We will neither rest nor slacken until we reach the last of them and it does not matter where they will try to hide. We will reach them all, even if it takes time."
Netanyahu made the remarks after attending the funeral for the three teens, which was attended by tens of thousands.
The Israeli government is blaming Hamas for the murders.
Hamas has denied any involvement.
Both China and the United States have condemned such violence against civilians, and urge restraint on all sides.
 
 
Insurgents captured regional interior ministry headquarters in Donesk
 
Fighting has been ongoing in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donesk.
Insurgents have reportedly captured the regional Interior Ministry headquarters.
The upsurge in fighting comes a day after Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko ended a unilateral cease-fire in the country's embattled east.
Four people have reportedly been killed after being shelled in a rebel-held town in Donetsk.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is describing the decision as "unfortunate."
"Unfortunately, President Poroshenko has made a decision to resume a military operation. And we were not able - when I say "we" I mean both myself and my European colleagues - we were not able to convince him that the road to sustainable, solid and lasting peace cannot lead through war."
The end of the ceasefire comes despite attempts by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany to cobble together a lasting peace agreement.
Putin also says Moscow will continue to defend the interests of ethnic Russians abroad.
 
 
Kurdish forces fortify frontlines as ISIL calls Muslims to move to Islamic State
 
Kurdish forces are rushing to fortify their frontlines against fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant as the group calls all Muslims to immigrate to the newly-declared Islamic State.
Concrete blocks have been piled up on the bridge near Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, which is now held by insurgents.
Rebwar Talabani is the Deputy Head of the Kirkuk Provincial Council.
"If the Shiite forces and the Sunni forces don't abide by this pact between the sides, to draw the borders of Iraq, to draw the borders of the province of Kurdistan, then it is the right of the Kurdish province to take the areas that had been taken away from it, before 2003."
As the ISIL is planning to bear down on Baghdad, Sunnis and Kurds walked out of the first session of Iraq's new parliament after Shi'ites failed to name a prime minister.
The U.S and Iraq's own Shi'ite clergy have pushed hard for politicians to come up with an inclusive government.
The Shi'ite-led government has already called for international help as it struggles to contain the ISIL.
Russia has sent five fighter jets to Baghdad and the US is to send a further 300 troops to help secure the embassy.
 
 
U.S., Chinese Navies Mark Opening of RIMPAC 2014 in Hawaii
 
Anchor:
Officers of the United States and Chinese navies have gathered at a joint news conference at Hawaii's Pearl Harbor to mark the start of the Rim of the Pacific naval drill.
CRI's Mike Fox has more.
Reporter:
The Rim of the Pacific has been the world's largest multinational maritime exercise since 1971. This year, for the first time, it includes a Chinese contingent.
Zhao Xiaogang, drill director for the Chinese naval fleet, says the major objectives of the Chinese Navy's participation to RIMPAC are threefold.
"The first thing is to promote the healthy and stable development of the Sino-U.S. military relationship. The second is to strengthen technical interaction and deepen cooperation in all fields among the navies of the countries involved. The third is to show the Chinese navy's positive attitude in maintaining world peace and promoting regional safety and stability."
In helping kick off the event in Hawaii, Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, Admiral Harry Harris, has also met with the media.
"Mutual trust and penalized communication are critical but very challenging to build. That's why multilateral exercises like RIMPAC are so important. It helps us work together effectively in real war events like the recent search for the Malaysian airliner or in responding to the devastating typhoon that hit our allies in the Philippines last November. Friends help friends. And often the fastest response to crises comes from the sea. Capable maritime forces matter to all nations."
This year's drill, themed "Capable, Adaptive, Partners", has gathered the navies of 22 different countries.
It will run until August 1.
For CRI, this is Mike Fox.
 
 
Over 30-million people say goodbye to iron bowl
 
Anchor:
China's government-sponsored institutions have given up the permanent employment scheme and are embracing contract-based employees.
That means over 30-million people will have to say goodbye to their "Iron Bowls."
Reporter:
CRI’s Cao Yuwei is reporting.
A new regulation on the employment policy of China's public institutions is taking effect on July 1.
Over 30-million people in some 1-million government-sponsored institutions are no longer secured with permanent job offers.
Yin Weimin is the Minister of Human Resources and Social Security. He says this is so far the most significant move in the reform of labor force management in China.
"To define the relation between public institutions and their employees as a 'contractual' or terminable is a major step forward. The new regulation helps to establish an employment scheme based on terminable contracts, encourage fair competition, bring both incentives and restraints, and better protect employees' rights."
Yin adds that the new scheme aims to optimize the recruitment and promotion procedure in public institutions, which means those permanent workers could also get laid off.
Previously, permanent employees in public institutions were not included in the social welfare system, but their wage and benefits are considered as much more favorable than those in ordinary enterprises.
Analysts say this reform should be based on a fair and inclusive social welfare system, so that the once permanent staff members need not worry if they get laid off.
According to the new regulation, employees in public institutions will be covered by the social welfare system.
But Wu Jiang, Director of the Chinese Academy of Personnel Science, says the paper did not lay out how it is going to proceed.
"Welfare scheme for the public institution is in parallel with the national social welfare system. The new regulation has just pointed out a general direction for the next move. But it did not have specific explanation on how the two schemes will be merged."
In fact, many cities in China have started their trial programs since 2002. So far, over 90-percent of those once permanent employees in public institutions across the country have signed terminable contracts with their employers.
For CRI, I'm Cao Yuwei.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
First off, let's take a look at the closing numbers across Asia.
Joining me in the studio, CRI's Ding Lulu.
Reporter:
Asian stocks scored a three-year peak on Wednesday in the wake of upbeat global economic data that helped Wall Street taste all-time highs.
Dealers said fund managers were rotating money out of bonds and into equities for the start of the second half of the year, nudging up U.S. Treasury yields.
At the same time, the outlook for super-low rates in the major economies encouraged investors to take on leveraged bets in search of higher returns.
Chinese shares closed higher on Wednesday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 0.4 percent.
The Shenzhen Component Index gained 0.2 percent.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng surged 1.6 percent.
Japan's Nikkei added 0.3 percent.
South Korea's KOSPI added 0.8 percent ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the country.
Singapore's Straits Times Index rose 0.7 percent.
And Australia's ASX all ordinaries Index jumped 1.4 percent.
 
 
S.Korea aims to launch yuan/won trading this year
 
A senior South Korean government official says the country aims to launch direct trading of Chinese yuan and Korean won this year.
The move is expected to boost trade between the two countries while helping Seoul prepare for the yuan's emergence as a major international currency.
Choi Hee-nam, head of South Korea's finance ministry's international finance bureau, said South Korea is "making preparations with the aim of beginning direct trading this year."
China is South Korea's biggest trading partner.
Trade between the neighboring countries soared to 229 billion dollars in 2013.
But more than 99 percent of the deals closed using U.S. dollars.
 
 
Home prices moderate in June, surveys show
 
Two private surveys show that China's home prices eased further in June, adding to signs of a cooling housing market.
A poll by real estate services firm E-House China shows that prices of new homes in 288 cities fell 0.06 percent in June from May, the third month-on-month drop in a row.
Compared to the same period a year ago, home prices rose 5.3 percent in June, easing from a rise of 5.8 percent in May.
A separate survey by China Real Estate Index System shows average prices in the 100 biggest cities fell 0.5 percent in June from May, the second consecutive monthly drop.
Meanwhile, home prices still rose 6.5 percent in June from a year ago, moderating from a 7.8 percent gain in May.
Accounting for about 15 percent of China's economy, the real estate sector is the country's biggest wild card this year in terms of growth.
 
 
China to add R&D spending in GDP
 
China's National Bureau of Statistics plans to include research and development spending in its calculation of gross domestic product.
The bureau has completed a draft plan and will submit it to the State Council for approval before the end of the year.
The change will lead to a rise of the aggregate economy and economic growth rate.
China spent 1.2 trillion yuan or 191 billion dollars on research and development in 2013, an increase of 15.6 percent over the previous year.
 
 
Q&A on China-Switzerland FTA takes effect
 
Anchor:
A new free-trade agreement between China and Switzerland has taken effect.
The agreement, which applies a zero-tariff policy to a wide range of merchandise, covers areas including government procurement, employment and intellectual property.
Under the agreement, 99.7 percent of imports from China to Switzerland will be exempted from customs duties, while 84 percent of Switzerland's exports will enjoy the same policy.
Trade between Switzerland and China increased over 125-percent year on year to just under 60-billion U.S. dollars in 2013.
Switzerland is China's fifth-largest trading partner in Europe.
For more on China's first FTA with a European country, CRI's Paul James spoke with Benjamin Cavender, Principal at China Market Research in Shanghai.
Back anchor:
Benjamin Cavender, Principal at China Market Research in Shanghai.
 
 
Qilu Bank denies suing local govt financing vehicle
 
The Qilu Bank in East China's Jinan City is denying media reports that it is suing a local government financing vehicle, or LGFV, over bad loans.
Previous reports had indicated the bank had accused the local Urban Construction and Comprehensive Development Company of not paying interest on a deal worth seven million dollars.
But it says the debt is not part of the LGFV.
LGFVs are often used by local governments to fund projects in real estate and subsidized industries.
Such moves often result in overcapacity and real estate price bubbles, but previously the debts were rolled over with new loans.
 
 
China Eastern Airlines turns Beijing unit into budget carrier
 
China Eastern Airlines has officially transformed its Beijing-based full-service subsidiary, China United Airlines, into a budget carrier.
The carrier also says it will increase the number of planes in China United's fleet from 26 to 80 by 2019.
China Eastern Chairman Liu Shaoyong says China United hopes to bring on board a strategic investor.
China's airline market, which is dominated by state-owned carriers China Eastern, China Southern Airlines, and Air China, is believed to be on the cusp of a low-cost travel boom.
 
 
Users of Yu'ebao Breaks 100 mln in Q2
 
The number of users of China's internet financing product Yu'ebao has surpassed 100 million.
The product, jointly provided by Alibaba and Tianhong Asset Management, has ammassed funding of over 57.4 billion yuan or 9.2 billion U.S. dollars in the second quarter of 2014.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
South Korean President on Bilateral Relations upon Xi's visit
 
South Korean President Park Geun-hye says she expects more pragmatic cooperation between China and South Korea.
She made the comment ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to her country.
Park also says both countries should work together for the well-being of their respective people.
China and South Korea will release a joint paper during President Xi's visit.
Both sides are also set to sign some 12 cooperative documents pertaining to the economy and trade, finance, the environment and consular affairs.
China has become South Korea's largest trading partner and export market, while South Korea is now the third-largest trade partner and the fifth-largest source of foreign investment for China.
 
 
China urges peace, stability on Korean Peninsula
 
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman is urging joint efforts to safeguard peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula after Seoul said Pyongyang fired two short-range projectiles.
Hong Lei said at a daily press briefing that China hopes the sides will do more to ease tensions on the peninsula.
South Korea's Defense Ministry reports North Korea fired two short-range missles into eastern waters on Wednesday, a day after South Korea refused the North's proposal to stop all military hostilities.
 
 
Investigation on Sarkozy carried out independently: French PM
 
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says the judicial investigation of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is being carried out independently of the Socialist government.
Sarkozy is now facing preliminary charges in an investigation linked to allegations that he took 50 million euros in illegal campaign funds from Libya's Moammar Gadhafi.
The ex-President appeared before a judge in Paris on Tuesday after 15 hours of questioning by police.
He was held over suspicion of using his influence to secure details of an inquiry into alleged irregularities in his 2007 election.
Sarkozy has insisted the allegations against him are politically motivated.
 
 
Tensions simmers in the W. Bank as Israel strengthens crackdown to Hamas
 
Tensions are simmering in the West Bank, as clashes erupted in the city of Jenin where Israeli forces launched fresh raids.
Around 40 Palestinians have been arrested across the West Bank, the latest in a campaign by Israel to cripple Hamas there.
Four people were wounded by bullets in an early morning Israeli operation in Jenin.
The operations come on the heels of the deaths of three Israeli teenagers.
The Israeli government is blaming Hamas for the murders.
Hamas has denied any involvement.
Both China and the United States have condemned such violence against civilians, and urge restraint on all sides.
 
 
Four people killed in cargo plane crash in Nairobi
 
Four people have been killed after a cargo plane crashed in Nairobi.
The plane hit a commercial building shortly after taking off from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport early on Wednesday.
Preliminary investigations show the plane might have hit an electrical pole during takeoff.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
China News Service
Doctors warn nothing smart about cellphone addiction
A survey found that there are more than 24 million digital addicts whose average age is progressively falling here in China.
According to the survey, the Asia-Pacific region has some of the world's highest smartphone penetration rates, which are blamed for causing physical and mental harm to users' health.
As the world's largest smartphone market, China is experiencing digital addiction on an epidemic scale.
In China there are an estimated 300 centers to treat the problem.
Experts say violence is one reason why few parents dare confiscate their children's smartphones or restrict their Internet access.
And it is estimated around three-fifths of children attack parents who enforce such measures.
Recently, a team of psychiatrists from Singapore called on medical authorities to recognize digital addiction, characterized by excessive use of smartphones and the Internet, as a mental disorder.
--
China Daily
Shanghai hospital aims to create healthy workplace
A Shanghai hospital has launched a program to improve the health of its medical staff and boost their career enthusiasm amid the stressful job atmosphere.
Shanghai Children's Medical Center announced that it has introduced an international health standard, aiming to establish a healthy workplace for the well-being of its staff.
Based on the standard, the program will focus on a series of improvements in people's health, including nutrition, physical activity, prevention and early detection of disease, and avoidance of tobacco.
The hospital conducted a survey of its medical staff last year, and found that nearly 60 percent of staff members said they faced high stress.
According to a recent report, more than 66 percent of medical workers nationwide are in poor health.
--
Asia One
Cut back on salt in your instant noodles
The World Health Organization recommends that adults limit their daily sodium intake to 2-thousand milligrams a day, which equals about a teaspoon of table salt.
2010 statistics show that an average Korean eats about 5-thousand milligrams of sodium a day.
A bowl of ramen contains 1700 to 2-thousand milligrams of sodium, let alone people adding 100 grams of Kimchi which is about 1-thousnad milligrams.
Actually, many countries around the world are waging a war against salt, the most common source of sodium, proclaiming it a major public health issue.
In fact, excess salt is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and increases the risk of stomach cancer, the most common cancer in Korea, killing about 10-thousand people here every year.
Recognizing the socio-economic costs of Koreans' high-sodium diet, the government here launched in 2012 a national campaign against salt.
--
Mail Online
Could stress be as contagious as a cold?
A team of psychologists from Saint Louis University claims that stress can be 'caught' from strangers.
Their groundbreaking study shows that in some situations stress is contagious.
However, they say it can also lead to heroic behavior in some people.
The team wanted to know how susceptible strangers were to 'secondhand stress'.
To test the theory, they took a group of participants and asked some to perform a public speaking or mental arithmetic challenge while the others observed.
They found that the stress response in the witnesses was 'proportional to that of their paired speakers and not influenced by gender'.
The team says stress can be passed on through things like tone of voice, facial expressions, posture and even odour.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
Kid Band in Beijing
 
Anchor:
While most of their classmates watch TV, play computer games, or attend extra lessons in their spare time, a bunch of primary school kids from Beijing jam to Jimmy Hendrix. And they have dreams of becoming big... even though they're so small.
Li Dong has the details.
Reporter:
Zhiyu is not a typical boy. While most children his age watch TV, play video games and do homework after school, Zhiyu has a different hobby. He plays guitar.
Zhiyu's English name is 'Rain' and he wants to be a musician when he's older. And so does eleven year old Li Zixuan, a drummer...
Lead singer Li Yiyi is eight. Eleven year-old Jin Haoyu is the keyboard player. And eleven year old Zhang Zhenlong plays bass guitar.
All of the children showed musical talent at an early age - and were then encouraged to develop their skills by their parents.
They're trained by Zhiyu's father, Cai Zhendong, who's a professional musician.
"Regarding the band in general, we want them to learn how to better communicate with the audience, so they need to learn more styles. For example, Queen's 'We Will Rock You'. That song can be sung by many people at the same time."
So far the band has been on TV a few times and performed several concerts. While major success has yet to come, that's not for the want of trying as the band practices together at least once a week.
But are the children being pushed too hard?
Lead singer Li Yiyi's mother, Li Chunyan who is an entertainment agent, says the opposite is true.
"I just let Yiyi develop as she likes. All children are different. She has her hobby, and I try to help develop her talents and let her do what she likes to do."
So how much say do the children have in all this?
For his part, lead guitarist Cai Zhiyu says he chooses his own clothes.
"I think I dress like Slash, the guitar player from Gun N' Roses. I think it's cool to dress like him."
Bandmate Li Zixuan says each of them made their own decision about what instrument to learn.
"I saw some other kids playing drums in kindergarten. It looked interesting, so I told my dad that I wanted to learn too."
While the main repertoire may consist of classic rock, like Queen and the occasional Jimmy Hendrix number, Cai Zhendong hopes for more originality in the future.
"Just as a foreigner has to learn Chinese before studying Chinese poetry, we have to learn classic rock if we want to make our own music, because rock music was not born in China. Then we can create our own music."
That may take time. But that's one thing this band has on its side.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
 
 
Sports
 
 
Nadal knocked out at Wimbledon
 
Tennis at Wimbledon
World Number-1 Rafael Nadal has been dispatched from the tournament by Australian teenager Nick Kyrgios.
Nadal has been defeated in 4-sets, 7-6, 5-7, 7-6, 6-3.
I think that I didn't play really bad. But that's the game in this surface. I think in the second and the third set I was better than him, but I was not able to convert that opportunities. And for the rest, I think he play better than me. So, in general, talking about what you need to win in this surface, he did the things better than me."
It is the first time since 1992 a man ranked outside the top 100 has beaten a world number one.
The young Australian says he took motivation from his mother after reading that she didn't expect him to win.
"Last night, I was reading a comment that she thought Rafa was too good for me, and she made me a bit angry, honestly, made me a bit angry but obviously, you think that he's on a whole other level compared to me, but I knew if I just played my game and believed in myself, I would create some opportunities."
Kyrgios next plays Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic for a place in the semi-finals.
On women's side,
Five-time major champion Maria Sharapova is out after losing a 3-set battle against 9th seeded Angelique Kerber.
The German will now be up against fast-rising Canadian star Eugenie Bouchard in the quarters.
In the women's doubles competition,
The Chinese duo of Peng Shuai and Su-Wei Hsieh have advanced to the third round after cruising past a pair from Ukraine and Poland in straight-sets.
Diagnosed with a viral illness, Serena Williams has pulled out of her Wimbledon doubles match with sister Venus after only three games.
 
 
France face German in the first match of World Cup quarterfinals
 
With the two matches concluded this morning, all quarterfinals berths at the World Cup have been booked.
France is set to take on Germany. The match between former World Cup winners begins at midnight on Saturday Beijing time.
French coach Didier Deschamps has urged French media and fans not to get carried away by the team's win over Nigeria.
He says the only thing that matters is the upcoming game against Germany.
During the last World Cup four years ago, the 1998 World Cup winners crashed out of the group stage.　
Deschamps says he remains confident and is very proud of his team's performance to this point.
"In any case we did not miss our World Cup, that's for sure. We are here now and I am very proud that this French team is at this stage, and the players sincerely deserve it".
Germany's speed and quick passing game may be a threat but it will also stretch the play, giving Karim Benzema and company the space to run their own fast breaks instead of slamming into a crowded defense as they often did against Nigeria.
Also on Saturday Beijing time,
Brazil is to face Colombia at 4 am.
The other two matches,
Argentina will take on Belgium and the Netherlands will play Costa Rica on Sunday Beijing time.
 
 
Belgium and Argentina fight off extra-time challenge to reach World Cup quarterfinals
 
Earlier this morning
Both Belgium and Argentina fought off hard challenges in extra time to squeeze into the World Cup quarterfinals.
Belgium pulled out to win 2-1 over the United States by scoring two goals in extra time.
Argentina ousted Switzerland 1-0. Di Maria's solo goal came in the 117th minute.
Lionel Messi dribbled past his defender and fed the ball to the Real Madrid winger in the right of the box.
Di Maria's one-touch low shot went into the bottom corner of the net.
Belgium and Argentina will meet each other to fight for a semifinal berth on Saturday.
 
 
FIFA admits match-fixing concerns
 
FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke has admitted concern at match fixing in international football.
Valcke says there is no way of knowing if games played during the World Cup have been manipulated.
Valcke notes it exists and it's something that they are not going to eliminate 100%.
Valcke's comments come after German magazine Spiegel has claimed the Group A match between Cameroon and Croatia was fixed.
FIFA has revealed the clash between Cameroon and Brazil was possibly rigged as well.
 
 
New Orlando City signing Kaka
 
Brazilian soccer star Kaka has ended his contract with AC Milan, leaving the star midfielder free to sign with Orlando City Soccer Club.
The reason that I chose Orlando is that I'm a very close friend with Flavio (Augusto da Silva). I have been speaking with other teams. I'm happy because for me it's a very nice project. We can build a lot of nice things here in Orlando. And also because Flavio is Brazilian, and the Brazilian people will have this focus on American football. So this is more or less the reason I chose to come to Orlando and the American league."
The 32-year-old midfielder will join the MLS club when it begins playing in January 2015.
Kaka scored 104 goals in 307 appearances during his two spells at Milan interrupted by a four-year stint at Real Madrid.
Kaka, the World Player of the Year in 2007, helped Milan to the Champions League title and Serie A success before joining Real Madrid in 2009.
He also helped Brazil win the World Cup in 2002.
In other action,
Chelsea has completed the purchase of Diego Costa from Atletico Madrid.
The English Premier League club has paid a 52-million dollar buyout clause for Costa.
The 25-year old joined Atletico in 2007.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Chinese Actress Tang Wei Declares Engagement to Kim Tae Yong
 
The Superstar Chinese actress Tang Wei , has announced her engagement to Kim Tae Yong, the South Korean director of the film "Late Autumn", in which Tang starred.
Through her agents Tang said she got to know Kim during the shooting of "Late Autumn", and they became lovers last October.
Now they have gained the blessings of both sets of parents, and they'll hold a wedding ceremony in the near future.
The 35-year-old actress achieved nine acting awards and became hugely popular in Korea because of the film.
The news soon started trending on Sina weibo.
Around 100,000 people have posted comments on the engagement.
Some have sent their best wishes while many fans of Tang Wei say they have a broken heart.
 
 
Chinese horror film fined 500,000 yuan for misrepresentation
 
(Bunshinsaba)
The producers of Chinese horror film "Bunshinsaba 3", or BiXian , have won a law suit against those behind another horror series "Death is here 3", or Bi Xian Jing Hun
A Beijing court ruled that "Death is here 3" must pay 500,000 yuan in compensation, that is about some 80 thousand US dolalrs.
The court also ruled that "Death is here 3" must apologise to "Bunshinsaba 3" for "malfeasant competition."
Basically each time a Bi Xian film was released a Bi Xian Jung Hun film was released around the same time to piggy-back off the publicity and good name of the former and even mislead the audience into believing it is also part of the successful franchise.
The "Bunshinsaba" series is directed by South Korean Ahn Byeong-ki.
It is his first foray into the Chinese market and has proved highly successful.
"Death is here 3" has earned 32 million yuan at the box office, while "Bunshinsaba 3" is to be released on Friday (July 4).
 
 
Wulong Karst National Park to sue Transformers
 
(Transformers 4)
Representatives from Wulong Karst National Park have said they are considering suing "Transformers: Age of Extinction".
The fourth installment of the series used many Chinese actors and elements but the UNESCO World Heritage site in Chongqing was the only natural scenery spot in the film.
The representatives are unhappy because they say it was agreed that the name of the park would be used in the film and also it was misrepresented as Transformers seems to indicate that it is located close to Hong Kong, when it is in fact more than 1200 km away.
Wulong Karst National Park paid money to the film to be used as a location but Paramount Pictures and m1905.com, the joint production companies, say the payment arrived late and as such they could decide for themselves how to represent the park.
The film was released in China on June 25th. It broke box office records both domestically and internationally, nabbing over 90 million U.S. dollars in China during its opening weekend, the biggest debut in the county's movie history.
 
 
Mandela film released in China
 
The Oscar nominated film "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" is scheduled to be released in Chinese cinemas on July 18th.
(Mandela)
Directed by Justin Chadwick, the 2013 British-South African film tells the story Nelson Mandela, from his upbringing, his 27 year incarceration to the end of Apartheid and his eventual presidency.
The film shows many personal details such as his love for his wife Winnie with whom he instantly falls in love.
Although the film came out just weeks after his death, the biopic has performed poorly at the box office worldwide since it was released back in January. However the film could prove more successful here in China in two weeks’ time.
 
 
Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan has been honored with the top French civilian award
 
Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan has been honoured with the top French civilian award, the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour), by the French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius.
The prestigious award was presented to the 48-year-old actor at a function in Mumbai for his outstanding contribution to cultural diversity across the world.
As Khan received his award, he said it wouldn't be right to take all the credit.
Shah Rukh Khan is the second Bollywood personality, after Amitabh Bachchan, to receive the award.
Bachchan was awarded Padma Shri, a civilian honour, in 2005 by the Indian government and the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the government of France in 2007 for his contribution to cinema.
 
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour - a quick recap of headlines before we go:
South Korea's leader is expressing hope for deeper ties with China...
runoff election results in Afghanistan have been delayed again...
And France's prime minister says the investigation of the country's former President will be carried out independently of the government...
In business, South Korea's government is set to launch direct trading between that country's currency and the yuan...
On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Shane Bigham in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together.