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

Coming up on the program this morning...

A top Chinese official clarifying the country's stance on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register....

China restating that its work in the South China Sea is peaceful in nature...

And Israel taking steps aimed at restoring security in Jerusalem following a string of recent attacks...

In Business....China's third quarter GDP looks likely to slow to 6.8 percent...

In Sports....Kei Nishikori through at the Shanghai masters...

And in Entertainment....China's Alibaba Pictures set to invest in a South Korean action film...

Top NewsSenior Chinese official voices discontent over Japan's obstruction of UNESCO listingState Councilor Yang Jiechi has elaborated China's principled stance on issues concerning UNESCO's Memory of the World Register, military security and the East and South China Sea.

Kong Xuanyou with the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Yang reiterated China's stance at the China-Japan high-level political dialogue with Shotaro Yachi, head of Japan's National Security Council.

Yang expressed strong dissatisfaction over Japan's attempt to block the inclusion of Nanjing Massacre documents in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's Memory of the World Register.

He said China hopes Japan could properly handle the historical issues in a spirit of "learning from past and looking forward to the future."Talking about Japan's passage of new security legislation last month which will allow Japan's Self Defense Forces to fight abroad, Yang said Japan should refrain from doing things detrimental to regional peace and stability.

Regarding the East China Sea issue, Yang reiterated China's positions on the Diaoyu Islands.

Speaking of the South China Sea issue, Yang said the overall situation in the sea is stable and China maintains the freedom of navigation and overflight according to international law.

Japanese New Komeito Party President's China Visit Releases Positive Signals: ExpertA Chinese expert has said that the 4-day visit of Japanese government's minor coalition party's president to China releases positive signals and is helpful to improving China-Japan relations.

Deputy Director of the Institute of Japanese Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Gao Hong made the comments after holding talks with visiting President Natsuo Yamaguchi of New Komeito Party.

"As a member of the coalition partner of the ruling Party and the leader of his Party, he hopes to deliver some positive signals through this visit and do his part to push forward bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields. I think this desire of his is very positive. I should say that he comes with good wishes and expects to achieve positive results."Gao says Yamaguchi stressed during the talks the need to introduce Japan's experience in energy and environment to China and work with China to promote cooperation in these fields.

Gao also noted that the New Komeito Party's belief in ideological centrism will help improve China-Japan relations.

Earlier Yamaguchi toured a museum in Beijing dedicated to the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and delivered remarks.

"We must not forget history. Without the Chinese people's tolerance and significant efforts in helping Japan, Japan could not have achieved peaceful development after the war. I hope we will continue to review this history to create a better future and pursue common development between China and Japan."Yamaguchi is also set to meet with senior Party officials and attend a meeting of political parties from different Asian countries connected to the Chinese government's "Belt and Road" initiative.

China Refutes Island Building "Militarizes" South China SeaChina has refuted claims that its island building in the South China Sea will 'militarize' the area.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying made the comments after U.S. and Australian Defense and Foreign Ministers expressed concern during their annual meeting.

Hua urged relevant countries to adhere to an objective and impartial stance over the issue.

"We hope that relevant countries can stop hyping up the South China Sea issue, abide by their commitments of not taking sides on territorial issues, speak and act cautiously, respecting the efforts by China and relevant countries to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and play a constructive role."She added that China's construction work serves mostly civilian purposes, helping deliver on international responsibilities and obligations and providing public good.

Hua says the lighthouses, which went into operation on Huayang and Chigua reefs last Saturday, have significantly improved maritime navigational safety in the South China Sea.

Cross Strait Affairs Chiefs Meet, Urging to Keep Cross-Strait ties in Right DirectionThe chief political liaisons from the mainland and Taiwan have sat down for a meeting in Guangzhou.

Andrew Hsia, head of Taiwan's cross-straits affairs division, has arrived on the mainland for the first time since taking over in his new role.

"Despite some outside opinions and guesses on the prospect of cross-Strait ties, the majority of people in Taiwan entertain a hope for peace and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait. The two sides should continue the cross-Strait institutional consultations and strengthen exchanges to face the challenges and complexity in cross-Strait relations together."Zhang Zhijun, head of the mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office, also says cross-strait ties are at a critical juncture.

"The development of cross-Strait ties has once again come to a key point. We need to follow the will of the people, and use this time to follow down the path toward peaceful development, eliminate interference and overcome difficulties to move forward."The meeting comes as the ruling Kuomintang and the opposition DPP gear-up for the island's leadership election early next year.

UK economy to benefit from China's fast-growing consumer market: British OfficialsAnchorChina's fast-growing consumer market is said to be presenting itself to the world with huge potential.

British officials are hoping the country's retail industry and bilateral trade with China can enjoy accordingly greater benefits.

CRI's Li Ningjing has more.

ReporterAccording to UK national tourism agency VisitBritain, China has been one of the fastest-growing sources of tourist income for the UK.

Data shows that the number of Chinese tourists grew from 89-percent in 2009 to 185-thousand in 2014, an increase of around 108 percent.

Patricia Yates, director of VisitBritain, says they still want to see more growth.

"For every 22 Chinese visitors that come here, another job is created in tourism. So high-spending Chinese visitors, we absolutely want them to grow. In all, the market is worth about half a billion pounds to Britain at the moment, we want to double that in the next four years. So that's a really ambitious growth target to come."Per capita consumption by Chinese tourists in the UK stands at nearly 2,700 pounds, or 26,200 rmb, only behind visitors from the US.

The tourism agency VisitBritain says the growth in Chinese spending was mainly driven by trips to supermarkets and shopping on London's High Street.

China's booming consumer market is also expected to build a closer bilateral trade relationship with the UK.

UK Minister of State for Trade and Investment Francis Maude says the two sides could cooperate to a larger extent.

"I think there are no limits to the areas. There's a great deal of collaboration and cooperation. The financial services, for example, London being the main offshore location for renminbi trading. But a whole range of areas where we can collaborate, technology, health care, a huge range. So it is a very exciting time, and we look forward to developing the relationship even further."Though the future is promising, challenges still lie ahead.

Yates with VisitBritain says that the UK has disadvantages in tourism development compared with some other countries.

"The route development isn't as good as China as we would like it to be. So I think getting more routes approved, getting those into regional airports, absolutely a focus for us in the next few years."Despite that, the country still saw about 20-percent increase in visitors from China at the beginning of this year.

For CRI, I'm Li Ningjing .

Int'l forum on women opens in Beijing, pushes for gender equalityThe International Forum on Women has been opened in Beijing to discuss the promotion of gender equality.

The forum has drawn some 200 representatives and experts on women issues from over 30 countries, including China, the United States and Russia.

Professor from China Women's University Liu Bohong says gender equality should be taken as a call to action rather than just a slogan.

"We cannot take it as a slogan; it must be an action. The goal of the fourth United Nations' World Conference on Women is to seek equal development and peace through action, a goal that we can achieve only by a full understanding of it and what it requires."Ahead of this forum, China co-hosted a global summit on women's empowerment with the United Nations on September 27.

At the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech, stressing the point that women's rights are basic human rights.

China also announced a donation of 10 million U.S. dollars to the organization of UN Women, a group focused on furthering gender equality.

At a UN Security Council discussion focusing on women, peace and security on Tuesday, China's permanent representative to the United Nations Liu Jieyi says China will fully implement these new commitments.

"China will fully fulfill the commitments made by President Xi Jinping at the Global Summit of Women, and we will work with all parties to achieve the targets for women, for peace and for security."At the discussion, the 15-member body adopted a resolution that highlights the role of women in peace and security.

Illegally Occupying the emergency lanes Common in ChinaAnchorThe massive traffic jams seen in China through this year's National Day holiday has once-again put the spotlight on people's driving habits across the country.

As CRI's Wang Mengzhen reports, the discussion this time is centered around what can be done to keep people from driving on emergency lanes.

ReporterOn the first day of this year's National Day holiday, a person died after being involved in a traffic accident in Zhejiang.

Reports are suggesting the driver of the vehicle may have survived if rescue vehicles could have made it to the scene earlier.

However, they couldn't because the emergency lanes on the highway were blocked by other drivers.

Driving on the medians, which are the emergency lanes in China, is illegal.

However, it’s a common practice, as drivers use the lanes to skirt through traffic.

"I do not usually drive in the emergency lane. But just now, I saw several vehicles move toward the lane, and I was just following their path.""Since I can drive faster in the emergency lane, I will just join in with the other cars."It’s these kind of driving habits which are generating new debate about how to deal with drivers who knowingly break the law.

This week in Shenzhen, traffic authorities slapped a 69-thousand yuan fine on a woman who has been caught driving on the emergency lanes in the city 23 times since March.

The equivalent of over 10-thousand US dollars is the largest traffic fine of its kind ever handed down in China.

Beijing-based legal expert Yue Shenshan suggests this type of fine may be what's needed in China to get people to follow the rules of the road.

"At first blush, you might think the punishment is too harsh. But when you step back and think about it, the fine is based multiple illegal acts. It is in-line with the current traffic laws and Shenzhen's traffic regulations."Over 60-thousand tickets were handed out across China during the 7-day National Day holiday for drivers caught driving caught occupying the emergency lanes.

Yue Shenshan says its this level of blatant rule-breaking by drivers in China that is spurring the call to action.

But he says there are a couple of things which still prompt people to take their chances and break the law.

"Right now the law enforcement just isn't strong enough. Most drivers who break the rules will go unpunished. Authorities need to step up traffic law enforcement. They also need to find a way to encouraging people to be whistle-blowers, and call-in illegal behavior. The other problem is the fines themselves. Right now, drivers caught occupying the emergency lanes will only be hit with fines of a few hundred yuan, which many drivers in China can easily afford."Drivers in China who are caught in the emergency lanes will be hit with 6 points on their license.

Anyone who racks-up 12 points on their license in a year will have their license suspended.

They will also have to go through the driving tests again to get their license back.

For CRI, I am Wang Mengzhen.

Israel Tightens Security Measures in JerusalemAnchorIsrael launched a number of measures in Jerusalem on Wednesday to restore security following a string of attacks.

CRI's Victor Ning has more.

ReporterSeveral Palestinian neighborhoods in east Jerusalem were blocked by concrete barriers and checkpoints were set up at the entrances as Israel launched tightened security measures in an effort to quell the ongoing wave of attacks.

The measures approved by Israel's security cabinet also included the revocation of permanent resident status of east Jerusalem Palestinians involved in attacks.

Meanwhile, soldiers have been sent to city centers and highways throughout the country to aid police forces.

Security cabinet member Yuval Steinitz says drastic measures are needed in drastic times.

"It's our right and duty to defend our citizens, and we have to take any necessary measures, any preventing measures to reduce terrorism and violence, and to detail the terrorists and their surroundings. I'm confident that we will be able to defeat terrorism, to reduce violence, and to bring back calm and security to the streets of Jerusalem and to all our citizens."However, later in the day, two attacks were reported in Jerusalem, with an Israeli woman injured and two Palestinians shot dead by Israeli security forces.

Mustafa Barghouti, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization Central Council, opposes Israel's policy, saying the increasing oppression will only increase resistance.

"These measures will not change anything. In reality, Mr. Netanyahu, by doing so, he is proving again that east Jerusalem is part of the occupied territories, and not part of Israel. Now he is creating checkpoints inside every Palestinian neighborhood in east Jerusalem, this is another proof of the failure of Israeli policy."Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday also accused Israel of stepping up its "aggressive offensive" on Palestinians and their holy sites, saying the Palestinians would bring the case before the International Criminal Court.

Abbas warned that Israel's actions threatened peace and stability and could ignite a "religious conflict" between Israelis and Palestinians.

Tensions have been mounting for weeks in Israel and Palestine. Since the beginning of the month, fierce clashes have brought the Israeli death toll to seven, while Israeli forces have shot dead some 32 Palestinians.

Refuting Israel's blame that Palestinian incitement is the main reason for the attacks, Mustafa Barghouti says the current problem is the Israeli occupation.

"Israelis know very well that if they want peace, they can have it if they stop and end occupation. They know that peace and security can only be achieved by stopping the system of racial discrimination against Palestinian people. The cause is occupation. The people don't need to be incited, because the occupation itself is an incitement, and oppression of people is an incitement."For CRI, I'm Victor Ning.

US considers Jewish assault in Dimona an "act of terrorism"The US State Department is calling the attack on four Arab men by a Jewish assailant in the Israeli city of Dimona last Friday an "act of terrorism".

State Department spokesman John Kirby also said it was concerned about the so-called "credible" reports of excessive use of force by Israeli forces.

"We've certainly seen some reports of security activity that, you know, that could indicate the potential excessive use of force. And, again, we don't want to see that anywhere, we don't want to see that in our own country. So, yeah, so we're concerned about that."It is the first time the Obama administration has applied the "terrorism" label to a Jewish attack on Palestinians since the start of the recent violence.

The new round of violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories erupted last month following rumours that Israel was plotting to take over the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

The site, which is known as the Temple Mount by Jews, has been maintained as a mosque by Israeli authorities.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has said he will travel to the Middle East to try to calm the violence.

However, an exact date for the trip has not been revealed.

Int'l Commission Awaits Approval for Investigating U.S. bombing of Doctors Without Borders hospital in AfghanistanAn international panel of experts is ready to investigate the U.S. bombing of a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Afghanistan.

The International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission is now awaiting the agreement of the United States and Afghanistan governments to give the approval for the investigation to begin.

The hour-long air raid on Oct. 3 killed 22 people, including 12 Doctors Without Borders staff.

The Kunduz trauma hospital had to be closed, depriving tens of thousands of Afghans of health care.

Executive director of Doctors Without Borders Jason Cone said they need to get to the bottom of things to understand what happened.

"We also saw over the course of really, the first 72 hours after the bombing of our hospital how the story changed from collateral damage to accusations of us that we were harboring combatants, which was completely false."The United States military has taken responsibility for the air strike, calling it a mistake. U.S. President Barack Obama apologized to Doctors wtihout Borders last week.

US Sends 300 Troops to CameroonUS President Barack Obama on Wednesday told Congress in a letter that he is sending up to 300 US troops to Cameroon.

Obama said the troops are going to conduct airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. The deployment of about 90 troops began on Monday.

On Wednesday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the deployment is aimed at combating Boko Haram and other extremist groups in West Africa. He added the troops will not take on a combat role.

Boko Haram is an Islamic militant organization active in several west African countries.

Obama said the troops will stay in Cameroon as long as their support is needed.

Iran to Implement Nuclear DealOn Wednesday, Iran's highest legislative body endorsed the implementation of the country's recent nuclear deal with six world powers.

Iran's official news agency reported that the Guardian Council supported a parliamentary approval of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

On Tuesday, the Iranian parliament motioned to move forward with the implementation of the deal. With the endorsement from the Guardian Council, the legislation turns into a mandatory law. President Hassan Rouhani said implementation of the deal will begin next week.

Iran recently entered a deal with five permanent member states of the UN Security Council and Germany. Under the deal, Iran will improve the transparency of its nuclear program while ceasing some of its nuclear development. In exchange, it will be given international sanctions relief.

China participated in the negotiations of that deal.

Russia slams US over airstrike coordination in SyriaA top Russian official is slamming the US for refusing to better coordinate airstrikes in Syria.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the comments while addressing the lower house of the Russian parliament.

"Apparently our president's public reminder yesterday prompted the Americans to respond at last to our proposals. They replied that they would not be able to send a delegation to Moscow and or receive a delegation to Washington because our American colleagues are only interested in agreeing steps that would help avoid incidents."There have been fears of accidental confrontation between Russian and US jets flying combat missions at the same time in Syria.

Earlier, the US military has called the Russian airstrikes "reckless and indiscriminate."Russia joined the airstrikes two weeks ago, which has helped the Syrian government forces recapture territory close to the government's coastal heartland in the west.

During his speech, Lavrov also dismissed reports that Russia will begin the strikes in Iraq or other countries where an Islamic State presence has been reported.

Lavrov said Russia has not received any official requests from other countries besides Syria.

FSN report on Berlin Refugee BoatAnchorActivists in the German capital, Berlin, have held a unique demonstration to try to highlight the plight of refugees attempting to make it to European shores by making the dangerous crossing over the Mediterranean.

CRI's Ira Spitzer reports from Berlin.

ReporterIt's an unfamiliar sight in a European capital.120 people crammed into a refugee boat, floating by the country's parliament. Ingo Werth works for the volunteer organization Sea Watch, and is the skipper of this boat.

"The idea is to give the people of the government and interested people the chance to try how it feels to be on an unsafe boat like this because the reason that the people come on this boat is that there's no legal way to come into Europe."The vessel is an actual refugee boat that Sea Watch rescued off the coast of Libya three months ago. More than twenty six hundred people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year.

"The boat was so completely overloaded that we had the clearance between the rubber and the water was about 10-15 centimeters."The activists are demanding a stronger response from European leaders, who have focussed on deterring migrants and people smugglers instead of rescue operations or facilitating migration. Of course even if migrants survive the journey, like Nigerian refugee Nasir Khalid did back in 2011, life in Europe is not easy.

"There is no dignity here really. They don't care where you come from, who you are, you're a human being or animal, they don't care."Khalid was granted refugee status in Italy, then came to Germany to improve his situation. But he remains in limbo, unable to work legally. Still, this country is the most popular destination for migrants because of its relatively friendly asylum policies. Indeed, Germany has been one of the most welcoming countries in Europe since this latest refugee crisis began. But with public opinion here starting to shift, will German lawmakers continue to have that same attitude?

For CRI, I'm Ira Spitzer in BerlinWeatherBeijing will be sunny with a high of 25 degrees Celsius.

Overnight temperatures should drop down to 10.

Shanghai will be sunny with a high of 26 and a low of 17.

In Chongqing, it will be cloudy with a high of 28 and lows of 17.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Islamabad will have slight rain with a high of 31.

Kabul will be rainy with a high of 23.

Over to North America,New York will be sunny with a high of 16 degrees.

Washington, sunny with a high of 19 degrees.

Honolulu, slight rain, 28.

Toronto will see slight rain with a high of 15 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires will be overcast with a high of 22.

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

Headline NewsXi's speech on the arts unveiled in fullA speech delivered by Chinese President Xi Jinping on the arts a year ago has been made public in full for the first time.

President Xi made the speech while attending a symposium with authors, actors, script writers and dancers in Beijing last year.

The President asked the artists not to pursue commercial success at the expense of producing works with artistic and moral value.

During his speech, the President urged artists to create works that advocate integrity, merit and compassion to provide the public the best "food for thought."China to donate 5 mln USD for UN Ebola fightChina has pledged to donate 5 million US dollars to support the global fight against Ebola virus disease.

The Ministry of Commerce said an agreement has been signed with the United Nations in China.

The donation will go to the UN Ebola Response Multi-Partner Trust Fund to support the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response.

Earlier, China has donated six million U.S. dollars to this fund in December.

The outbreak in West Africa since last spring has caused more than 11-thousand deaths in the region.

Chinese delegation to attend 3rd Arctic Circle ConferenceA Chinese delegation is set to attend the 3rd Arctic Circle Assembly in Iceland starting tomorrow.

The delegation will be led by vice Chinese Foreign Minister Zhang Ming, who will give a keynote speech at a meeting to outline China's stance on the Arctic region.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is also going to send a video message to explain China's policy on Arctic affairs.

There will be presentations on China's scientific research, shipping, oil and gas exploitation, and research into climate change.

The meeting runs until Sunday.

Iraq's Largest Oil Refinery Liberated from ISIraqi security forces on Wednesday recaptured the country's largest oil refinery from Islamic State militants in northern central Iraq.

The troops and some allied paramilitary units drove out the militants after day-long battles.

The battles began early Wednesday after overnight bombardment of IS positions near the town of Baiji. The troops also managed to cut off IS supply routes in the region and secure a small airbase.

The battles are part of a major offensive announced by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Monday. The offensive is aimed at freeing local towns seized by IS since June 2014.

Biz ReportsMarket PreviewAnchorTurning onto business news. First, a quick look at the closing numbers across North America and Europe as well as a recap on the Chinese market.

U.S. stocks ended lower on Thursday, as Wall Street digested the Federal Reserve's Beige Book amid lackluster economic reports.

Reports from the 12 Federal Reserve Districts point to continued modest expansion in economic activity during the reporting period from mid-August through early October.

At the same time, the U.S. Producer Price Index dropped 0.5 percent in September, exceeding expectations for a 0.1-percent decline.

The Commerce Department also announced on Wednesday that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for September increased 0.1 percent from the previous month, in line with market expectations.

At close,Dow Jones fell 0.9 percent.

S&P 500 was off 0.5 percent.

And The Nasdaq was off some 0.3 percent.

Meanwhile in Europe, the equities also dropped on Wednesday.

At close,Both UK's FTSE 100 and Germany's DAX lost 1.2 percent.

France's CAC 40 was down 0.7 percent.

Finally here in China,The shares closed lower on Wednesday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 0.9 percent.

Meanwhile, the smaller Shenzhen Component Index lost 1.3 percent.

China third-quarter growth seen dipping to 6.8 percent, weakest since 2009: Reuters PollA poll of 50 economists conducted by Reuters is suggesting that China's third quarter GDP is likely to slow to 6.8 percent, down from 7 percent in the second quarter.

That would be the weakest pace of expansion since the first quarter of 2009, when it tumbled to 6.2 percent.

Wednesday's official data shows that China's consumer inflation cooled more than expected in September while producer prices extended their slide to a 43rd straight month.

Earlier trade data shows China's exports fell less than expected in September, with monthly figures showing recovery.

However, a sharper fall in imports left economists divided over whether China's trade sector is showing signs of turning around.

The official third quarter GDP will be released next week with a series of indicators including factory output, fixed-asset investment and retail sales.

Analysts will be looking for signs as to whether momentum is still fading or if the economy may be slowly stabilizing.

For more on the prediction and China's economy, we are now joined on the line by CRI's financial commentator Cao Can.

Questions:

Q1: Some analysts are predicting that third quarter GDP will be below 7%. What is your take on this?

Q2: The weak trade numbers and CPI and PPI have prompted speculations that the government is going to roll out more support measures. What sort of measures do you expect the government to release in the short term?

Q3: Other reports are suggesting that China may cut its GDP growth target to 6.5 per cent in the next five years. As China is entering the 13th five-year plan, how do you see the prospects for economic stabilization in the medium to long term?

Back anchorCao Can, CRI's financial commentator.

23 new intercity rail lines planned in Beijing-Tianjin-HebeiMore than 20 new intercity rail lines are expected to be built by the end of 2030 to boost development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

The planned lines will link big cities, major towns and important industrial zones in the region.

Travel time between major cities in the region will be one to two hours.

The central government expects further development in the region to help readjust regional economic structure.

A medium-term target is to control the permanent population of Beijing under 23 million by 2020, and to relieve the air pollution and road congestion in Beijing.

In the long term, the aim is an integrated region with better economic structure, a cleaner environment and improved public services.

New line to complete Hainan's high-speed railway loopSouth China's Hainan Province is set to have the world's first high-speed train circling an island.

The Western Ring Railway will have been connected with Hainan's existing Eastern Ring Railway by the end of this year after a trial run.

Technicians began testing the second half of the loop starting from Tuesday.

Head of Hainan High-speed Railway Company Zhou Yong attended the testing event.

"The results of the test run meet all required standards. Next, we will gradually raise the train speed to up to 220 kilometers per hour. Then, after completing the system commissioning, we will start trial operation."With an investment of nearly 30 billion yuan or 5 billion U.S. dollars, the Western Ring has been under construction for two years.

Trains will run at 200 km per hour, with 16 stops in six cities on the island.

As a popular destination for beach lovers, Hainan is expected to attract more tourists to visit after the whole railway loop is finished.

Copyright transfer a major step forward for China's music industryChina's network music platform QQMusic has inked an agreement with Netease Cloud Music to sublicense the copyright of 1.5 million songs.

The deal marks China's first copyright transfer case and creates a significant opening up of the whole music market.

The two sides have been confirmed to establish a new platform for legalization of China's music market.

The Chinese government earlier ordered internet music service providers to stop distributing music without copyright transfer.

First Chinese cruiser to launch in 2017The first ship made for the Chinese market by Norwegian Cruise Line is expected to debut in 2017.

The new craft is the second Breakaway Plus level vessel of NCL.

The ship has been designed to meet demands of Chinese tourists in terms of accommodation, food and onboard experience.

NCL has already established offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

NCL is an internationally operating cruise line headquartered in Miami.

The company plans to launch more ships in China before 2020.

Canton fair suggests tough trade prospects for ChinaThe new round at the Canton Fair is set to be opened today in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province.

Fair organizers have invited more overseas countries, especially those along the Belt and Road initiative routes, to attend the session.

However, due to tough trade prospects, a spokesperson for the fair says they might see fewer international buyers this time.

He says rail ticket bookings from foreign countries had declined compared with previous sessions.

The previous session, held in April and May, was attended by over 180-thousand buyers.

The transaction volume was almost 180 billion yuan or 30 billion U.S. dollars.

Bogged down by a sluggish global economy, China's foreign trade continued to decline last month.

Foreign trade in September dropped 8.8 percent year on year, at a lesser rate than the 9.7-percent contraction in August.

Exports dropped 1.1 percent year on year and imports decreased 17.7 percent.

SportsShanghai Masters ReportAnchorWednesday at the Shanghai Rolex Masters was named 'Super Wednesday' as the biggest names of the tournament battled it out on Center Court.

CRI's Sophie Williams reports from the courts in Shanghai.

ReporterSuper Wednesday started off with an eventful match on Center Court between Japan's Kei Nishikori and Australia's Nick Kyrgios. Kyrgios started strong taking the first set but Nishikori regained control, downing the Aussie 1-6,6-4,6-4.

Kyrgios didn't go down without controversy though, being handed a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Kei Nishikori says his first match was a good start to the tournament.

"My serve wasn't good especially in the beginning. I had three double faults in the first game. The serve was one of the reasons I wasn't doing well so I tried to be a little more aggressive and he was hitting big serves but I was returning well at the same time so I think it was a good match for the first match."In other action, Britain's Andy Murray beat American Steve Johnson in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 to progress to the next round.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic took on Slovakia's Martin Klizan defeating him 6-2, 6-1.

The current world number one said he played exactly the way he wanted.

"The first four games went quickly and then I had a little bit of a drop in concentration for two or three games but managed to hold my serve and play the rest of the match the way I wanted"His Serbian compatriot Viktor Troicki was beaten by Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka 7-6, 6-3.

And it was a close match between Spain's Rafael Nadal and Croatia's Ivo Karlovic. Nadal won 7-5, 6-7, 7-6.

In action later on today, Andy Murray takes on John Isner, Novak Djokovic will play Feliciano Lopez and Rafael Nadal faces Milos Raonic. The Bryan brothers will also make their first appearance at this year's tournament.

For CRI, I'm Sophie Williams in Shanghai.

Hornets beat Clippers 113-71 in NBA China gameStaying in Shanghai, switching to basketball,The Charlotte Hornets crushed the Los Angeles Clippers 113-71 in their second pre-season NBA game.

Local favorite Jeremy Lin hit a three-pointer to open up a 3-0 lead for Charlotte.

He went on to score 13 points with five rebounds and one assist.

Lin said he had fun during the whole trip and was excited to be back on home soil.

"Very thankful, and it was such a fun trip. I got to show my teammates China, my culture, and different things, so I am thankful to God for the two fun games as well, and very excited to go home and get some rest."The Hornets wrapped their NBA China games with two wins in both games.

Former Lakers player Odom on life supportNow some off-court NBA news,Former Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom is put on life support after he was found unconscious at a Nevada brothel.

The 35-year-old reportedly took herbal Viagra and some cognac but no other drugs.

Odom's ex-wife Khloe Kardashian and his former Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant have visited him at the hospital.

Doctors say Odom's condition is improving.

Track for Mexico Grand Prix "92 percent complete"In formula one,Organizers of the upcoming Mexico Grand Prix are putting the finishing touches on the revamped track as they get ready for next month's race.

The International Automobile Federation's circuit director Julian Abed says the track is "92 percent complete."They will review a few more things regarding the netting to provide security for the spectators and drivers.

Abed also says the layout is reconfigured and it is now a new track.

"This has meant getting to know the track again. It's a new track in spite of the fact it was used between 1986 and 1992. It's a new track. The escape routes are different, the officer posts, it's been a challenge but we have worked and have succeeded."The track in Mexico City last hosted a formula one race back in 1992.

Formula one welcomes back its first Mexico Grand Prix in 23 years on November 1st.

Rio, Tokyo Olympic preparationsOrganizers for next year's Rio Olympic Games have rolled out officially licensed merchandises, hoping they will generate more than 26 million US dollars in sales.

Rio 2016 have teamed up with well known brands such as toymaker LEGO and local flip-flop brand Havaianas.

They hope the products will create a splash when the city hosts both domestic and international tourists next summer.

Four official stores and an online shop have already opened.

Elsewhere,The International Olympic Committee says it has seen positive stride in Tokyo's preparation for the 2020 games despite a string of embarrassments.

IOC vice president John Coates says after their fourth review of Tokyo's progress that "all is going well".

The IOC was worried that the new stadium would not be completed in time after the original plan was scrapped over the ballooning costs.

Coates says they are now convinced that it will be completed by early 2020.

The official logo was withdrawn after a Belgian designer said it copied from his design and threatened a lawsuit.

A new logo will be chosen in open competition.

EntertainmentAlibaba Pictures Group Invest in Kim Soo Hyun's 'Real'

Alibaba Pictures Group Ltd will invest in a South Korean action movie 'Real', marking a strategic step forward in the global market.

Popular Korean actor Kim Soon Hyun, who shot to fame for his roles in hit television dramas 'Dream High' and 'My Love from the Star', will star in this action thriller movie, as an ambitious and ruthless businessman who is hungry for success.

Under the deal reached at the recent Busan International Film Festival, Alibaba Pictures were given sole distribution rights for the movie in China.

Meanwhile, Alibaba Group will help market the film through advertising and brand licensing on its e-commerce platforms.

Chief executive officer of Alibaba Pictures Zhang Qiang indicates that the company aims to establish a "world-class integrated entertainment platform for the movie industry", and bring the the customers with best entertainment experience.

'Real' is the company's second overseas foray following investing in the Hollywood blockbuster, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation.

The movie hit theaters in China last month, by pulling in 867 million yuan, or some 137 million US dollars at the box office.

'Real' is said to start shooting by the end of this year.

Oscar Buzz 'Carol' Screened at BFI London Film FestivalOscar-winner Cate Blanchett's new movie 'Carol' was screened at the ongoing BFI London Film Festival on Wednesday.

Directed by Todd Haynes, this British-American romantic drama tells the tale of an illicit love between two women in a conservative part of New York during the 1950s.

Blanchett elaborates on her collaboration with Rooney Mara, as the two leading roles in this film.

"We'd only met once before, actually, but I've long watched and eaten alive what she's done on film and I think her choices have been really interesting and she's worked with directors that I've worked with and, obviously, had fruitful, creative relationships with them. So, it sort of felt like a homecoming in a way. It was easy, we didn't over talk it, we just got on with it."'Carol' is based on the novel 'The Price of Salt' by Patricia Highsmith.

It debuted at this year's Cannes Film Festival, where Blanchett and Mara were jointly awarded the Best Actress prize.

Blanchett gives her opinion on the potential competition, as there's been Oscar buzz surrounding the pair since the film made a premiere.

"I think it's a bit hubristic of me to even think about that. I'm here tonight and it's a very different audience to the audience in New York and I'm very proud of the film and it's been a labor of love, so, we'll see what the London audience makes of it."'Carol' is set to hit theaters in the UK on November 27th, and the US on December 18th.

'The Last Witch Hunter' Premiered in New YorkAmerican supernatural action film 'The Last Witch Hunter' premiered in New York, with its leading cast Vin Diesel walked the red carpet.

Speaking at the premiere, the 48 year-old actor says he plans to take a break from acting, following the death of his friend and "Fast and Furious" co-star Paul Walker.

"I have always been a huge fan of Michael Caine. For me, in some ways, after Furious 7 I was prepared to take a year off from filming for obvious reasons, and then once the studio secured Michael Caine, I jumped in and never looked back."'The Last Witch Hunter' depicts humanity and combined forces of the most horrifying witches in history.

British actress Rose Leslie, who also starred in this film, gives more details on the movie set.

"It's pretty epic. It's pretty epic, particularly on this movie. I mean, I was blown away by the art design and the set, and within the kind of like the witch's nest, so the rather demonic evil witch. She has this incredible, like these leaves and these dead rotting trees interweaved with one another. I mean it was a colossal stage, it was huge. It was the size of a football pitch."'The Last Witch Hunter' is scheduled to be released on October 23rd in US.

Chinese Artist Han Meilin Awarded as Artist for Peace by UNESCOChinese artist Han Meilin has been given the "Artist for Peace" award by UNESCO for his promotion of the arts in China.

UNESCO chief Irina Bokova presented the award at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

"He pays much attention to wars and to development, particularly sustainable development and environmental protection, which are often talked about among us. His works tell me that he will always find the beauty of life, the beauty of the environment and humanity. The messages conveyed by his paintings are precious to UNESCO."Han Meilin is the first Chinese artist to receive the honor.

The 79-year-old is a renowned writer, painter and sculptor.

He's been an active artist in China over the past 60-years, but is probably best known as the designer of the mascots, the 'Fuwa,' for 2008 Beijing Olympics.

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

Recapping our top stories this morning...

A top Chinese official clarifying the country's stance on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register....

China restating that its work in the South China Sea is peaceful in nature...

And Israel taking steps aimed at restoring security in Jerusalem following a string of recent attacks...

In Business....China's third quarter GDP looks likely to slow to 6.8 percent...

On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, Spencer Musick in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together.