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

Coming up on the program this morning...

China and Vietnam agree to push forward their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership on the occasion of the Chinese President's visit to the country...

Taiwan leader Ma Ying Jeou expressing high hopes for his forthcoming meeting with Xi Jinping...

And the death toll from the factory collapse in Pakistan rises to 29...

In Business....China's banking regulator says bad loan risk is under control...

In Sports..... Venus Willaims downs a Chinese wildcard in Zhuhai...

And in Entertainment....The new Peanuts film set to open soon here in China...

Top NewsChinese President Holds Talks with Vietnam LeadersAnchorChina and Vietnam have agreed to push forward their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

It comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi during President Xi's state visit to Vietnam.

CRI's Xie Cheng has more.

ReporterXi Jinping, who is also General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, urges the two sides to inherit and maintain the "comradely and brotherly" traditional friendship.

"General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and I agreed that we will exchange visits with one year's time. During my visit, I hope to conduct open and sincere communications with Vietnamese leaders in a comradely way, so as to plan a bright future for the development of bilateral relations."President Xi stressed that China and Vietnam constitute a community of common destiny with strategic significance.

He suggested that the two sides maintain the tradition of high-level exchanges and enhance mutual trust.

He also called on the two sides to further deepen party-to-party exchanges.

"China attaches great importance to its relationship with Vietnam. We would like to work with the Vietnamese side to promote the sustained and healthy development of the comprehensive partnership based on the spirit of good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners."The two countries have reached consensus on expanding cooperation within the framework of China's Belt and Road Initiative and Vietnam's 'Two Corridors and One Economic Circle' plan.

The two sides have also agreed to push forward the joint construction of two Industrial Parks in Vietnam.

President Xi urged the two sides to properly deal with their differences on maritime cooperation and strive to achieve the common goal of joint exploitation.

For his part, Nguyen Phu Trong said Vietnam and China are both tasked with reform and development, and that strengthening bilateral communication and cooperation is not only in the interests of the two sides but also conducive to regional peace and development.

After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a number of cooperation documents covering transportation, tourism, railway, energy and finance.

The Chinese President has also met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

President Xi arrived in Hanoi on Thursday, kicking off his first visit to Vietnam as head of state and CPC chief.

On Friday, he is scheduled to meet with Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang. He will also address the Vietnamese parliament on China-Vietnam relations.

Vietnam is the first leg of President Xi's two-nation Asia tour, which will also take him to Singapore.

For CRI, I'm Xie Cheng.

Famous HK businessman Promote Chinese language in VietnamAnchorFor over 40 years, a well-known Hong Kong businessman has been dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Vietnam.

CRI's Wang Mengzhen has the story.

ReporterDr. Jonathan Koon-shum Choi is the chairman of the Hong Kong-based Sunwah Group which was established in 1957.

Every year, the group invests one million U.S. dollars in a number of public welfare programs in Vietnam.

This includes Chinese language teaching projects to help educational development in the southeast Asian country.

Operating businesses in Vietnam for 45 years, Choi says promoting the Chinese language is a much more important task.

"You can see the Chinese language in many places such as the temples in Hanoi. But many elite Vietnamese students don't understand Chinese. The language is used to record history -- the Vietnamese history written in the Chinese language. So I think it's not good if the students don't understand the Chinese language."Now the Jonathan KS Choi Cultural Center has been set up in the Vietnam National University based in the capital city Hanoi.

The center has been hosting various public events including free lectures to help school drop-outs learn Chinese.

In addition, a three-year training program has been set up for workers in the local community.

Professor Yuen-Tsang Woon Ki is a main lecturer with the program.

"The training will last for three years. This is just a start. We will have more teachers joining in the program to help promote the development of social work in Vietnam. And this also reflects Hong Kong's support to Vietnam's social work development."Knowing that Chinese President Xi Jinping is paying a two-day visit in Vietnam, Dr. Choi is looking forward to deeper cultural ties between the two neighbors.

"I sincerely hope that our country can strengthen exchange with Vietnam in various fields of the economy, culture to education to reach a goal of mutual understanding, mutual respect and mutual trust."Over the decades, Dr. Choi has been promoting educational development through China and ASEAN countries.

He was also the founder of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Honorary Academician Foundation, the Zhongshan Sun Wah Science and Technology Institute and various other educational institutions.

For CRI, I am Wang Mengzhen.

Vietnam's Agricultural Exports to China See Steady GrowthAnchorNeighboring Vietnam has become China's 10th largest supplier of agricultural produce, as an increasing number of Vietnamese goods become available for Chinese consumers.

CRI's Niu Honglin has the details.

ReporterPingxiang City in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region borders with Vietnam and is home to many companies trading Vietnamese agricultural products.

Chen Kangli manages a company in Pingxiang that mainly engages in trade of Vietnamese fruits.

She says Vietnamese fruits can supplement China's domestic supplies, thanks to seasonal variations.

"For example, watermelons in China hit the market in June and July. Now is not the season for watermelons. But Vietnamese watermelons have just come in. And also Pitaya can be found all the year around. Moreover, Vietnamese fruits are relatively larger and taste great."In addition to companies capitalizing on their geographical advantages, many Chinese supermarkets have also recognized the value of Vietnamese agricultural products.

Many of these stores directly purchase products from Vietnam.

For example, Shou Hang Supermarket, which has 43 stores in Beijing, began directly purchasing agricultural products from Vietnam three years ago.

Liu Zhengping, purchasing manager at Shou Hang Supermarket, says direct procurement from Vietnam has brought them huge economic returns:

"We import fruits directly from Vietnam. The fruits mainly include pitaya, longan, litchi and mango. Their sales are very impressive. Around 5,000 kilograms of Pitaya are sold every day in our stores."Liu Zhengping and his team are now in Vietnam, trying to introduce more types of local fruits to his market.

China and Vietnam signed a cooperative memorandum for agricultural trade in 2013, and bilateral trade in the sector has seen rapid growth.

Besides friuts, produce from Vietnam such as rice, cassava and coffee are also common on the market in China.

Do Tien Sam, former head of China Studies Institute at Vietnam's Academy of Social Sciences, says the variety of Vietnamese agricultural products can meet the huge demand from the Chinese market.

He also indicates that there're much more cooperative potentials to tap into.

"Chinese leaders have said for many times that favorable conditions will be created for Vietnamese agricultural products to expand in China. We need to further study Chinese consumers' taste so as to plant products that can meet their needs and then introduce those products to China."Latest stats show that China imported 2.11 billion US dollars worth of agricultural products from Vietnam between this January and September, up 23 percent year-on-year.

During the same period, China's exports of agricultural products to Vietnam have increased 15 percent, topping 2.4 billion US dollars.

For CRI, I'm Niu Honglin.

China, Singapore see fast development in educational cooperationA new deal for more cooperation in education is expected to be signed as part of Chinese President Xi Jinping's trip to Singapore.

It's expected the move will allow for the creation of more education opportunities for people from both sides.

Yu Yunfeng is the education counselor with the Chinese embassy in Singapore.

He says cooperation in education between the two sides has already been on the rise.

"As an example, Shanghai Jiaotong University recently initiated a program called 'the CEOs of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.' It's been established mainly for Singaporean entrepreneurs who want to study and invest the Chinese market. The program allows them to better understand Chinese society and get prepared for their time in China quickly."At the same time, more than 140 primary and secondary schools in both countries have established sister-school ties.

Chinese students currently form the largest group of overseas students studying at universities in Singapore.

Ma Ying-jeou: Ma-Xi Meeting to Help Promote Cross-Straits TiesTaiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou has gone on-record saying his forthcoming meeting with Xi Jinping this weekend marks the first step toward the normalization of further meetings between the leaders from the mainland and Taiwan sides.

Ma Ying-jeou says their scheduled meeting this coming Saturday in Singapore is important for a number of reasons.

"First, it's the first meeting between leaders across the Taiwan Strait in 66 years. As such, it's a historic milestone. It will help further improve cross-Strait ties. Secondly, it's also the first time in history the leaders from the two sides have chosen to meet in a location not on the mainland or Taiwan. This reflects an increasingly mature relationship between the two sides. Thirdly, the leaders will, for the first time meet, as the leader of Taiwan and the leader of the mainland, rather than using their official political titles on either side."To keep with the protocols of the "One-China Policy," the two leaders plan to call one-another 'Mister' when they meet.

The meetings will include one which will be an open session for the media.

Another will take place behind closed-doors.

FM spokesperson: Freedom of navigation 'no excuse for provocations'

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has once again voiced opposition to any activity that harms and threatens China's sovereignty and security in the name of navigation and over-flight freedom.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying made the remarks on Thursday in response to reports that U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter would visit the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the South China Sea.

Hua said that China respects and safeguards the freedom of navigation enjoyed by all countries according to international law.

"What we oppose is any activity that pushes for the militarization of the South China Sea and even provocative activities that threaten the sovereignty and security interests of other countries in the name of navigation and over-flight freedom."She also urged the United States to be more open and above board and more transparent in their behaviors and intentions.

China provides humanitarian aid for Pakistan's quake-hit peopleChina on Thursday provided humanitarian supplies worth 10 million yuan, or 1.6 million U.S. dollars, to Pakistan for the relief from the recent earthquake.

A cargo plane reached Islamabad from Shanghai early Thursday morning with 300 tents, 20-thousand blankets and 60 electricity generators.

The Red Cross Society of China donated 100-thousand dollars to Pakistan Red Crescent Society on on Oct. 28.

The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad has also sent blankets, food items and bottled water to the affected people in the country's northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

An 8.1-magnitude earthquake struck Pakistan on Oct. 26, killing at least 279 people, and damaging nearly 100-thousand houses.

Death toll from Pakistan's Lahore factory collapse rises to 29The death toll from the collapse of a factory in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore has been risen to 29 on Thursday.

Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Usman said that rescue teams have pulled out over 100 injured people from the rubble, including two workers who had been trapped for 17 hours inside the collapsed building.

"Rescued this first person after 17 hours and this is the success of our rescue teams in their proficiency in handling the rescue work and we are really grateful to them. They have achieved a lot of success in doing this. We have, in total, rescued about 102 people since yesterday."Over 150 workers were inside the Rajput Polyester Factory when it collapsed on Monday.

Some construction work was going on at the fourth floor of the building which collapsed, razing the other three floors to the ground.

The reason behind the accident remains unknown at this time.

An injured factory worker said the owner was not allowed by the officials to construct a fourth storey, but despite all warnings he went ahead with the construction.

The owner of the factory is reportedly also among the people who are still trapped under the rubble.

Brazil dam collapses, killing 15Fifteen people were killed after a dam in southeastern Brazil's Minas Gerais collapsed Thursday.

People were buried under the fallen rubble, as many as 45 people were missing in the accident.

A source from Brazil's union of iron and base metal industry workers feared more collapses would happen.

Sniffer dogs were used to help with locating victims.

The cause of the collapse remains unknown.

Mexico to Remove Oil and Fuel from Trapped ShipMexico will begin removing the content from a cargo ship that ran aground in the western state of Jalisco. The ship was carrying oil, fuel and dangerous materials, and was trapped during Hurricane Patricia in October.

Authorities plan to siphon over 425-thousand liters of fuel and 11-thousand liters of oil from the ship to avoid spillage.

A tanker from Panama will be used to store the fuel and oil.

No spillage has been reported so far, and preventative measures have been put into place.

France Adds Aircraft Carrier in IS Fight, Unveils New Defense BuildingFrance will deploy an aircraft carrier to fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

French President Francois Hollande announced his decision on Thursday.

"In Syria, I have authorized overflights since September in order to improve our knowledge on terrorism and to airstrike training camps and all the locations from which terrorism threatens our territory. This morning, I decided to deploy the aero naval group - the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle - to this zone so that it can assist in our operations under way there."The Charles de Gaulle is France's only aircraft carrier. It will boost the air power of the international coalition conducting airstrikes in Iraq and Syria. France also has 12 jet fighters involved in the operations.

Hollande did not provide a timeline for the deployment.

The president was unveiling France's new defense ministry building in Paris on Thursday. The 4.6-billion-dollar facility will house over 9-thousand staff, and has been dubbed the "French Pentagon."NASA Documents Large Solar Storm on MarsNASA has documented a masolar storm blasting away Mars' atmosphere. The event provides an important clue as to how water disappeared from the planet.

NASA said on Thursday its Mars-orbiting MAVEN spacecraft caught such a storm on March 8.

MAVEN lead researcher Bruce Jakosky says the loss of atmosphere on Mars was mainly caused by solar winds.

"Up until about 3.7 billion years ago, water seemed to be very abundant and active. So the stripping of the solar wind, the stripping by the solar wind, of the atmosphere, would have occurred in that same timeframe. That's when the extreme ultraviolet photons from the sun, when the solar wind were most intense."The researcher adds the loss of atmosphere on Mars likely began hundreds of millions of years ago.

Unlike Earth, Mars does not have a geo-magnetic field to protect its atmosphere.

MAVEN, or the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission, has studied Mars since arriving there in September last year.

US Makes no Official conclusion of cause of Russian airplane downingThe United States has yet to conclude its investigation into what caused the downing of a Russian airplane in Egypt.

White House Spokesman Josh Earnest said at a daily briefing that U.S. officials have not eliminated possible "terrorist involvement" in the crash that killed 224 people.

"Obviously, the details of this incident are difficult to assess given the, you know, far flung nature of the--, of the wreckage and given the other questions that have been raised. So, I think it is too early to assess, at this point, the effectiveness of the investigation but I just would observe, as I did before."British Prime Minister David Cameron had said earlier it was increasingly likely that a bomb brought down the plane.

A Sinai-based group affiliated with the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the crash.

But the claim has not been verified by Egyptian or Russian officials.

The Airbus A321 operated by Russia's airline Kogalymavia crashed early Saturday in the Sinai Peninsula shortly after taking off from Egypt's Red Sea resort Sharm el-Sheikh.

Germany to Set Up Special Asylum Processing CentersGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday that Germany will set up centers to quickly process migrants with little chance of obtaining asylum.

"We will have special centers that will be in charge of the application process for asylum seekers, and will also be in charge of the legal appealing process and the return of refugees with little realistic chance of winning asylum. We are looking to set up three to five such centers."Merkel said applicants from countries deemed safe will have their applications processed within two weeks.

Policy makers had argued for weeks over a call from conservatives to weed out migrants with little chance of staying in Germany.

China adopts revised Seed LawChina's top legislature has adopted revisions to the country's Seed Law.

This is the first change made to the law since it was enacted in 2000.

The revised law stipulates that breeding, testing and promotion of GM seeds must be assessed and controlled.

China's agricultural and forestry authorities are asked to strengthen their management of GM seeds.

Zhang Yanqiu is the director of the Seed Administration with China's Ministry of Agriculture:

"The seventh article of the revised law stipulates that GM seeds must be tracked and supervised and information concerning them must be disclosed to the public. It requires law enforcement departments to resolutely crack down on illegal activities like the production and management of unapproved GM seeds."The draft law has also cut the types of seeds that require regulatory approval before hitting the market from 28 to five, namely rice, corn, wheat, soybean and cotton.

China's seed market, at more than 100 billion yuan or some 16 billion U.S. dollars, is the second largest after the United States.

Two-child policy expected to bring 3 million extra births each yearChina's family planning authorities are predicting that up to three million extra births will take place each year due to China's decision to allow all couples to have two children.

Yang Wenzhuang with China's National Health and Family Planning Commission says the two-child policy will keep China's population on an upward trajectory.

"It's estimated that over 90 million families qualify for the new two-child policy. The policy will keep China's population rising in the coming years and the maximum yearly growth could reach 20 million. It's expected to bring over three million extra births annually."After the full implementation of the new two-child policy, Chinese population is expected to reach 1.45 billion in 2030.

Yang adds that the policy is also likely to balance the country's population development.

The family planning authorities admit that the policy is set to bring some pressure on health care, childcare and education with increasing demands for public services.

However, authorities say the country is capable of coping with the challenges via more investment and better allocation of resources.

Most complete Western Han Dynasty cemetery discoveredChinese archeologists have announced the discovery of the most complete cemetery from the Western Han Dynasty, a period dating back some 2,000 years.

The cemetery is located a kilometer from the nearest village in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province.

It covers some 40,000 square meters with eight tombs and a chariot burial site with walls that stretch for almost 900 meters.

Xu Changqing, director of Jiangxi provincial cultural relics research institute, says that the cemetery is the most complete and best preserved Han Dynasty tomb cluster ever discovered.

"The marquis cemetery unearthed is the most well-preserved one with the most complete structure discovered in China so far. After years of excavation, we have ascertained this cemetery mainly served the marquis and his wife."Archeologists suspect that the main tomb is that of Liu He, grandson of Emperor Wu, the greatest ruler of the Han Dynasty, which was one of the most prosperous periods in China's history.

The digging of the cemetery has lasted for nearly five years and four of the nine graves have been excavated.

The identity of the cemetery owner is yet to be confirmed as further digging is needed in the main grave site.

China raises broadband speed, reduces rateChina's industry regulator says telecom operators in the country have reduced the Internet price for both fixed broadband and mobile data.

Zhang Feng, spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, says the reduction has come after months of efforts.

"Rates for 50 and 100 megabytes bandwidths were reduced by 30 percent and 20 percent respectively. For the remaining bandwidths, speed has been raised, without raising price. For the mobile internet rate, three operators have released various combo packages ranging from 49 to 60 yuan per month. By using the combo packages, users can enjoy two gigabytes of internet data each month."State Council released a document in May this year, requiring state-owned telecom operators to reduce the rate and increase broadband speed.

The telecom operators have also taken measures to reduce the international roaming and data rates by at least 80 percent on average.

Also at the press conference, Zhang clarified that the industry regulator has not taken any action toward the reported consolidation of telecom companies.

According to proposals of the 13th five-year plan for national economic and social development, China will promote reforms in the telecom sector and further open it to private investors in the next five years.

WeatherBeijing will see sleet with a high of 3 degrees Celsius.

Overnight temperatures should drop down to 2.

Shanghai will see slight rain with a high of 24 and a low of 20.

In Chongqing, it will have showers with during the daytime with a high of 18 and lows of 15.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Islamabad will be overcast with a high of 23.

Kabul will be overcast with a high of 13.

Over to North America,New York will be overcast with a high of 23 degrees.

Washington, overcast with a high of 26 degrees.

Honolulu, cloudy, 28.

Toronto will see slight rain with a high of 19 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires will be cloudy with a high of 25.

And Rio de Janeiro will see slight rain with a high of 26 degrees Celsius.

Headline newsChinese President Holds Talks with Vietnam LeadersChina and Vietnam have agreed to push forward their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

It comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi during President Xi's state visit to Vietnam.

Xi Jinping, who is also General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, urges the two sides to inherit and maintain the "comradely and brotherly" traditional friendship.

President Xi urged the two sides to properly deal with their differences on maritime cooperation and strive to achieve the common goal of joint exploitation.

For his part, Nguyen Phu Trong said that strengthening bilateral communication and cooperation is not only in the interests of the two sides but also conducive to regional peace and development.

President Xi arrived in Hanoi on Thursday, kicking off his first visit to Vietnam as head of state and CPC chief.

On Friday, he is scheduled to meet with Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang and address the Vietnamese parliament.

Guangdong seizes 30 tonnes of drugsPolice in south China's Guangdong Province have seized over 30 tonnes of narcotics and arrested over 20-thousand people with links to over 1,000 drug rings in the first ten months of the year.

Police authorities said 98 drugs production workshops in Lufeng and Huilai have been closed this year.

However, some gangs had been tipped off and had moved production to other regions.

The province has seen 75,000 people register as new drug users this year, making the total 565-thousand one sixth of the country's total drug users.

62-thousand drug users were covered by the mandatory drug rehabilitation program in Guangdong this year.

1300-year-old ancient tree found in central ChinaAuthorities have discovered a 1,300-year-old taxus chinensis tree in China's Hunan Province.

The tree, also known as a Chinese Yew, is located in the Shunhuangshan National Forest Park. It is 35 meters tall and has a diameter of 2.2 meters.

The tree is an endangered plant which has existed for over 2 million years. It produces an extract that can treat cancer. The species is under China's first-grade national protection for endangered plants.

New Species Found in Central ChinaScientists have identified new species of insects and plants in central China's Shennongjia National Nature Reserve.

Seven kinds of flies and three types of dragonflies have been discovered in Shennongjia over the past five years. A new genus and species of the nettle family Zhengyia shennongensis was also discovered.

The discoveries are part of research project on Shennongjia natural resources by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Biz ReportsTurning 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 closed mildly lower Thursday, as investors awaited Friday's key jobs report that could shed light on the timing of a rate hike.

The Dow edged down with slight changes.

The S&P 500 was off 0.1 percent.

While the Nasdaq finished off 0.3 percentAhead of Friday's report on October nonfarm payrolls, weekly jobless claims came in at 276-thousand above expectations.

Third-quarter productivity increased at a 1.6 percent annual rate, while labor costs rose 1.4 percent.

Meanwhile in Europe, London's FTSE 100 decreased by 0.8 percent. The Bank of England on Thursday maintained the benchmark interest rate at the record low of 0.5 percent, with it on hold for six-and-a-half years.

French CAC 40, advanced by 0.6 percent.

Germany's DAX outperformed with the index added 0.4 percent.

Finally recap on the Chinese market; shares extend rallies on Thursday thanks to strong performance of brokerages and banks.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index added 1.8 percent, while the smaller Shenzhen index gained half a percent.

China banking regulator says bad loan risk under controlChina Banking Regulatory Commission on Thursday says that the trend of rising bad loans, or non-performing loans, is within expectations, and overall risk is under control.

Official data showed non-performing loan ratio at China's commercial banks rose to some 1.6 percent at the end of September, while loan-loss provision coverage ratio, the ratio of provisions held to gross non-performing loans, stood at some 168 percent.

Currently, the regulator is continuously monitoring banking system's bad loans on a ten day basis.

The regulator also said that it would guide banks to step up efforts to write off bad loans and keep them alert for new ones.

China's exports to remain flat, imports to fall this year: Ministry of CommerceChina Commerce Ministry forecasts that exports this year are expected to remain generally flat, while imports may fall substantially.

According to a report released on Thursday, foreign-trade growth fared well with a smaller drop than the global average and most major economies.

For the first three quarters, foreign trade dropped 7.9 percent year on year to some 18 trillion yuan, or 2.8 trillion U.S. dollars.

The report said the drops were due to the sluggish global economy, high costs and slumping commodity prices.

It also points out China will face complex global conditions, subdued international market demands and increasing trade frictions in 2016.

However, China is likely to post faster growth than the global average and hold a bigger share of the international market thanks to opening-up policies such as the Belt and Road Initiative and overall economic restructuring.

China to soon issue production permits to new makers of e-carsChina will soon grant production licenses to new manufacturers of electric cars as the country seeks expertise to help it achieve its new energy strategy.

Over 10 firms have submitted their applications for the exclusive permit to make new-energy cars.

A policy drafted in November last year paved the way for the first time for companies without a carmaking background to apply for car production licenses that had been tightly controlled since 2009.

An exception is now being made for the electric-car industry.

Letv, a company known for video streaming services, unveiled an ambitious plan to build an electric-car last year.

It has completed a prototype car that will debut at the Beijing auto show in April.

Corporate news of the weekAnchorTime to check in with some of the stories making headlines from the corporate world this week.

Chongqing-based cruise ships and travel agency operator New Century Cruise recently announced plans to acquire 100% of equity shares of online game developer and operator Giant Interactive Group.

The 13 billion yuan acquisition will see Century Cruises' main business line shift from inland luxury cruise ship operations and tourism services catering, to foreign tourism, and to a comprehensive Internet enterprise focused on online gaming.

This merger will accomplish an A-share market listing for Giant Interactive.

For more on this topic, we are joined on the line by Doug Young, Associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief with Reuters.

[Talking point]

1, The shift seems unexpected and had surprised many. What are the reasons behind the move and what do you make of it?

2, The gaming sector in China surged 22 percent last year. How do you see the future growth prospects for the gaming industry in the country?

**********It is being reported that medical device maker Mindray has just entered into a formal buyout deal, at a price slightly higher than an earlier offer.

Mindray, E-House, Ming Yang and other US-listed Chinese companies that announce revised buyout offers by the end of this month reportedly stand a better than 70 percent chance of completing their privatizations.

[Talking point]

1, How do you see Mindray's buyout move, what do you think the firm is trying to do?

2, Some Chinese companies believe that they could get much better valuations by leaving New York and re-listing in the Chinese market. What is your take on that?

Back AnchorDoug Young, Associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief with Reuters.

Alibaba's Tmall introduces insurance to guarantee real goodsTmall, Alibaba's international retail platform, has introduced insurance to guarantee the authenticity and quality of its products on Thursday.

The move is in the run-up to the yearly Singles' Day shopping spree on Nov. 11.

Consumers who receive fake products will receive unconditional returns and refunds and compensation four times the paid price.

According to Alibaba, several thousand brands including Louis Vuitton, Samsung, and Xiaomi have joined an initiative to crack down on fake goods.

In addition, quality insurance will help consumers seek compensation if received products do not match their online descriptions.

Last year, Alibaba raked in 9.3 billion U.S. dollars on Singles' Day sales.

China launches national e-commerce platform to support agriculture sectorChina launched a national e-commerce platform on Thursday to serve rural areas through supply and sales of agricultural products.

The platform aims to match supply and demand of daily consumer products and agricultural production materials.

Users can trade online and use services ranging from online payment to logistics and quality certification.

Specific zones for specialty produce and direct-sale can be found on the e-commerce platform.

SportsTennis results from Zhuhai, ParisBeginning with the latest action from the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai,Venus Williams repeated what she did in the opening round and bounced Chinese wildcard Zheng Saisai from a set down.

Williams reached the semi-finals 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.

Third seed Karolina Pliskova eased past Sara Errani 6-0, 6-3.

Caroline Wozniacki retired from action to sent Svetlana Kuznetsova into the last four.

In men's action, from the ATP 1000 Masters in Paris,Andy Murray put down a warning for the Davis Cup final as he dismantled David Goffin 6-1, 6-0.

Murray sees it as a prep-match three weeks before their Davis Cup clash.

"It was good for me to get the chance to play him before the Davis Cup, see his game and the speed of his shots, where he makes mistakes from and things that he likes to do. Obviously that's a result that's a positive, mentally for me it's a positive win. "Representing Britain and Belgium, Murray and Goffin will face off in the Davis Cup final on clay in Ghent.

In more action from the Paris Masters,Roger Federer was stopped before the quarter-finals by John Isner in three sets.

Isner goes on to meet Daivd Ferrer who also had a three-sets victory.

Sixth seed Kei Nishikori retired with an abdominal injury to hand Richard Gasquet a place in the last eight.

Novak Jokovic, Stan Wawrinka, and Tomas Berdych are all through.

The last quarter-final berth is reserved for the winner between Rafael Nadal and Kevin Anderson who are scheduled to play later this morning.

Grace leading HSBC Golf ChampionshipIn golf,South Africa's Branden Grace hit a first round of 9-under 63 to lead by one shot at the HSBC World Golf Championship in Shanghai.

Grace says he is enjoying the conditions and having fun on the course.

"Yeah, today (Thursday) was just phenomenal out there. You know, we barely had a breath of wind out there, the golf course was playing probably as easy as it could be playing.I mean there's some low scores out there. The guys are playing some great golf and when you're playing on greens like these as well it helps. You know, you just have to get the ball on the right line and it goes in. But it was fun, I had the company of Martin (Kaymer) and Paul (Casey) today which was great and we had a laugh around the track and all three played well so it was a big positive."Chinese golfer Li Haotong opened with a bogey but made up for it with four birdies to finish the round at 6-under 66.

Zhang Xinjun also fired four birdies and carded a round of 5-under 67.

Defending champion Bubba Watson is five shots off the pace at 68. He is tied with Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and former winner Dustin Johnson.

Benzema charged in sex tape caseSome off-pitch football news,Real Madrid striker and French international Karim Benzema has returned to Spain after having been placed under investigation.

Benzema is charged with conspiracy to blackmail and participating in a criminal group.

The charges are part of an investigation over a sex tape video featuring Benzema's teammate Mathieu Valbuena whom he tried to blackmail.

They carry a prison sentence of at least five years.

Benzema is reported to have recognized his involvement in the affair but his lawyer Sylvain Cormier insists on his client's innocence.

"Karim Benzema has not admitted to anything at all. It 's alarming to read such things in the press. He maintains his innocence, he wholeheartedly supports his friend Mathieu Valbuena, and has actually also been through similar [blackmail] attempts. He played no part, and I mean no part, in the blackmail or attempted blackmail."Both Benzema and Valbuena have been left out of the French squad for their upcoming friendlies against Germany and England.

Europa League resultsNow some quick results from the Europa League,Group C leaders Dortmund have secured a place in the next stage with a solid 4-0 victory over Qabala.

The game between Group A heavyweights Ajax and Fenerbahce ended in a goalless draw.

A Jordon Ibe winner gave Liverpool their first win at the tournament, edging Rubin Kazan 1-0 in Group B.

Napoli completed a clean 5-0 sweep of Midtjylland in Group D.

More results from the group games,Marseille downed Sporting Braga 1-0,Lazio finished off Rosenborg 2-0,And it is an 1-all draw for Sparta Prague and Schalke.

Rossi to start from back of grid as decision standsTurning over to motor racing,Valentino Rossi's appeal has been rejected and he will start the MotoGP season finale from last place on the grid in Valencia.

Championship leader Rossi received the penalty for appearing to kick holder Marc Marquez off the bike on track during last month's Malaysia Grand Prix.

Current leader Rossi will battle it out with his Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo for the title.

Only seven points separate the two riders and Rossi knows the penalty could be the undoing of him.

"Yes, unfortunately starting from the back of the grid makes everything very difficult. Already it was difficult anyway but starting from last make the things in the race a lot more hard under a lot of points of view. But, you know, I am here and we have to try the maximum and stay concentrate to try and make a good work during the weekend and arrive competitive and as fast as possible for Sunday for the race. After start, we see what happens."The race winner gets 25 points which means Rossi has to pass almost the entire field for a top-two finish to ensure the title.

EntertainmentThe Peanuts movie opens in theatres today in ChinaThe Peanuts Movie is opening in theatres today in China.

This movie is a 3D computer animated film.

It marks the first time Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang have been in theatres since 1980, when they garnered two million US dollars.

The story remains close to treasured source material in the familiar neighborhood.

Charlie Brown woos the Little Red-Haired Girl, Snoopy takes his doghouse on imaginary World War I plane flight, only now spinning through 3D blue skies.

The director of the movie, Craig Schulz, is the son of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz.

E.T. screenwriter Melissa Mathison dies at 65Melissa Mathison, the screenwriter who has crafted E.T. and the Extra Terrestrial, has died.

She passed away on November 4th at the age of 65.

She has been battling with neuroendocrine cancer.

The LA native's first credited work was in a supporting role on The Godfather: Part II and Apocalypse Now.

She then broke out with her scrip for The Black Sallion.

She often collaborated with producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall.

She has also worked with directors like Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Frank Oz.

Her last credited work is on Spielberg's adaptation of Roald Dahl's The BFG, which comes out next year.

Disney releases trailer of Alice Through the Looking Glass TrailerAlice is back to the wonderland.

Disney has finally released the trailer of Alice Through the Looking Glass yesterday.

Following the box office success of 2010 adaptation of the novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Tim Burton and Disney are teaming up again to continue the adventure.

Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman and Mia Wasikowska are all back to reprise their original roles.

Sacha Baron Cohen is joining the cast of the new film as the villainous Time.

The movie is adapted from Lewis Carroll's sequel to the Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There.

The movie follows Alice's second venture into the fantastical world.

This time, Alice transports herself using a special mirror that allows her to see much more of the land than before.

The movie is due to hit theaters in late May next year.

Lost Disney Film RediscoveredThe first-ever character animated by Disney, "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit" is set to be a star again.

This comes after one of the films he appears in has been rediscovered some 87 years after it was produced.

Sleigh Bells, a 6 minute animation has been discovered by a researcher browsing an online database of the British Film Institute's Archive.

The BFI says the find is believed to be the only surviving print of the 1928 film.

Walt Disney Animation Studios has since used the print to make a new master and digital copies.

A fully-restored version of Sleigh Bells is set to be shown next months as part of a collection of Disney shorts made from the 1930s to present day.

Will Smith Confirms he will go on tour with DJ Jazzy JeffSitting down with Ellen DeGeneres, Will Smill has confirmed he is planning to go on a tour with DJ Dazzy Jeff.

Smith has returned to rap for the first time in ten years. He's made it through his appearance on the remix of Bomba Estereo's "Fiesta".

For those who only know Will Smith as an film actor, this 47-year-old-father-of-three star is also a rapper, songwriter and four time winner of Grammy Awards.

He released five studio albums before he turned an actor.

This time, Smith said he really wanted to get out there and do it for real.

He's been working on the new track 'Fire'. But he told DeGeneres he will keep a stash with it.

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

Recapping our top stories this morning...

China and Vietnam agree to push forward their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership on the occasion of the Chinese President's visit to the country...

Taiwan leader Ma Ying Jeou expressing high hopes for his forthcoming meeting with Xi Jinping...

And the death toll from the factory collapse in Pakistan rises to 29...

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.