新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 08:00 2013/07/19

 Paul James with you on this Friday, July 19th, 2013.

Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this morning...
The debt-plagued US city of Detroit has filed for bankruptcy.
Authorities here in Beijing are promising to better regulate the rental market as housing prices continue to raise.
South Africa and the world is celebrating Nelson Mandela's 95th birthday.
In Business, the IMF's leading representative here in China is anticipating a 2nd half economic turn-around for this country's economy.
In sports... a back-and-forth day to start the 2nd test in the Ashes.
In entertainment.... we look back at the influence of Bruce Lee on this, the 40th anniversary of his death.
First, let's check on what's happening on the weather front...
 
 
Weather
 
 
Tropical storm Cimaron lands on SE China coast
 
Tropical storm Cimaron has made landfall in southern China.
The center of the storm hit the southwestern part of Fujian overnight, bringing with it winds over 70-kilometers per hour.
While forecasters expect the storm to begin dying down now that it's made landfall, it's still bringing heavy rains with it.
Local authorities have issued flood warnings.
Southeastern China is still coping with the aftermath of Typhoon Soulik, which crossed through this past weekend.
 
 
Beijing will be overcast today, with a high of 31 degree Celsius in the daytime, and it will be cloudy tonight with a low of 23.
In Shanghai, it will be cloudy today, 36 the high, and it will be cloudy tonight, the low of 28 degrees Celsius.
Lhasa will see showers in the daytime the temperature's at 23, and tonight will have moderate rain with a low of 12 degree Celsius.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny, 36.
Kabul, sunny, with a high of 36.
And in North America
New York, overcast, with a high of 36 degrees.
Washington, overcast, highs of 34
Houston, overcast, 33.
Honolulu, moderate rain, 29.
Toronto, thundershowers, 31.
Finally, on to South America,
Buenos Aires, overcast, 11.
And Rio de Janeiro will be sunny with highs of 31 degrees Celsius.
 
 
Top News
 
 
U.S. city Detroit files for bankruptcy, largest in history
 
The US city Detroit has filed for bankruptcy.
The move is the largest-ever municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
The largest city in the State of Michigan is saddled with more than 18 billion dollars worth of debt.
Local officials say the move is the only reasonable alternative available to them.
If the bankruptcy filing is approved, Detroit's assets could be liquidated to satisfy its creditors.
Once one of the most robust local economies in the United States, Detroit - the hub of US auto manufacturing - has been hammered by the downturn in the US auto industry.
 
 
China home prices continue to rise
 
Anchor
The latest government figures are suggesting the prices of both new and existing homes are continuing to rise in most Chinese cities, adding additional stress on the government in its attempt to try to control the housing market.
CRI's Su Yi has the details.
Reporter
Out of the 70 cities monitored, 63 have seen monthly home price increases in June, though it is down from 65 in May.
On a year-on-year basis, new home prices have risen last month in all the cities monitored except Wenzhou in Zhejiang.
Existing home prices are also increasing in value, with 55 cities reporting month-on-month price gains.
In the first-tier cities, home prices have all witnessed a sharp rise in both a monthly and yearly basis.
In Beijing, new home prices are an average of 1.7-percent higher than last month.
On an annualized basis, the cost of buying a home in Beijing is close to 17-percent higher than it was last year at this time.
Property prices here in China have been on the rise since the second half of last year when the new housing regulations were first brought in.
Runaway housing prices forced the government to bring in a number of measures to try to tighten up the market.
They include higher transaction taxes, restrictions on the purchases of multiple homes, and higher down payments.
Despite this, most industry observers say the moves have so far failed to stop the upsurge of property prices.
A number of real-estate experts say they believe the situation can't be turned around in the short term because of the supply-demand imbalance, particularly in big cities.
For CRI, I'm Su Yi.
 
 
Beijing vows to root out irregularities in house leasing
 
The Beijing municipal government is promising to root out irregularities in apartment rentals.
The city's housing authorities are now requiring the average area for a single tenant be at least 5-square-meters.
The new rules also stipulate that a single room can't be rented to more than 2 people.
This follows reports of an 80-square-meter apartment here in Beijing being rented to 25 people.
All the tenants reportedly slept on bunk beds and shared one bathroom.
The local housing authorities are also banning owners from changing original room structures.
Landlords are also being banned from renting kitchens, bathrooms, balconies and underground storage rooms.
The move comes as rental rates here in Beijing spike amid the new house purchasing regulations.
 
 
Housing maintenance fund scrutinized in China
 
Anchor
A growing number of complaints are being raised here in China about the application process to access the housing maintenance fund, which is known as the pension fund for apartments.
CRI's Li Dong explains.
Reporter
Water leakages, aging equipment, malfunctioning elevators and other common problems like these have been causing headaches for property owners in recent years.
Repair and maintenance work within a community need to be covered by a compulsory fund which property owners contribute towards.
The housing maintenance fund is made up of deposits from property owners with a community.
Owners can only gain access to such funds after submitting an application which then needs to be approved by relevant authorities.
The procedure starts with lodging an application to the municipal housing fund management center.
Then the repair work is assessed by professional organizations.
After that, the housing fund management center will file the approved assessment report to the local real estate bureau.
The bureau then informs the bank where the maintenance fund is located to transfer the money to the property owner committee.
Zhang Daxian is the director of the property owner's committee of a residential area in Beijing.
He says getting access to the money is even more difficult because his community changed its name three times.
"Our community has used three names. Some of the property owners put money in the account which was established under the previous name of the community. So the money in the account under the previous community name can't be used because the community now has a new account, even though the money was deposited by the property owners in our community. I asked the authorities. They said the current policies don't support our application to use the money."
Zhao Yanling, is a member of a property owner's committee for a community in south Beijing, it began lodging an application in 2010.
"They refused our application. One of the excuses they gave is that many property owners didn't pay their share of the fund. The authorities want us to collect the money. But we are the property owner committee; we don't have the authority and capability to collect unpaid fees. That's why we can't use the fund."
According to a report by the China Youth Daily, housing maintenance funds nationwide amount to hundreds of billions of yuan.
Gaining access to the money is already a complicated procedure.
And the way such a huge amount of money is managed still remains unclear.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
 
 
Experts concerned about London real estate bubble
 
New stats show the average home price in London has broken the 500-thosuand pound mark for the first time.
Foreign investment into the local real estate market is being cited as the main reason for the price increases.
A recent report shows over 37-percent of the property owners in the most expensive district in London's downtown core are not planning to live there long-term.
The influx of foreign investments in the London housing market is creating concerns about a bubble.
Paul Hackett is the director of the Smith Institute.
"Of course, many of these properties are very expensive and would be out of the reach of most people. Our big concern is that the investment becomes more extensive and creates a mini-housing bubble in London, and therefore, many people start investing in the next layer down of properties, which starts to price Londoners out of their homes."
Research by the Smith Institute has found foreign investment in London's real estate market doubled from 2009 to 2011.
Chinese citizens are among the biggest investors in London's high-end housing market.
 
 
UK parliament publishes first safety report on Chinese community
 
A new parliamentary report is suggesting the Chinese business community in the UK has an inherent lack of trust with the local authorities.
The report has been put together by the All Party Parliamentary group for the Chinese community in Britian.
It's found that only 2-percent of the Chinese community with limited conversational ability are satisfied with police services in the UK.
MP Barry Gardiner heads the Parliamentary Committee.
"This is the first time that parliament is seriously looked at the relationship between the Chinese community and the UK and the police force. And I think we have come up with some very profound results to this investigation. First of all, we see the problem arise through the lack of confidence towards police."
The report has also found that nearly 44-percent of the Chinese community surveyed say they believe there is no point in calling the police when an emergency occurs.
There are more than 500-thousand Chinese people living in the UK.
 
 
12,000 evacuated as rain lashes SW China
 
Fresh rains in Sichuan have forced over 12-thousand additional people from their homes.
Incessant rains over the past 2-days in the city of Guangyuan have triggered landslides and sent local rivers above their warning levels.
"When the rain was heaviest, the water was over two meters deep. The water reached the second step of the second floor."
The heavy rains in Sichuan over the course of this week have officially left 58-people dead.
175 others are listed as missing.
Massive rains have also been affecting neighboring Yunnan.
Around 13-hundred people have been forced from their homes in the city of Zhaotong because of flooding.
The flooding in Yunnan has also claimed 3 lives.
Authorities are warning the rains aren't expected to let up in Sichuan and parts of Yunnan until at least Sunday.
 
 
China, Switzerland pledge closer cooperation
 
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang have met with visiting Swiss President Ueli Maurer.
The meetings here in Beijing come on the heels of China and Switzerland signing a free trade agreement earlier this month.
Bilateral trade between the two countries has hit 22-billion U.S. dollars so far this year.
This represents a 114-percent rise compared to the same period last year.
Maurer is in China to attend a global ecological forum in Guizhou's provincial capital, Guiyang.
 
 
Curfew imposed in Indian-controlled Kashmir following civilian killings
 
A curfew is now in effect in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
This follows clashes between authorities and Muslim protesters.
Six people have been killed in the unrest in the village of Dadam, which is about 150-kilometers south of the regional capital, Srinagar.
The Muslim majority launched a massive demonstration following the alleged desecration of the Quran by Indian Border Guards.
The protesters also say the border guards assaulted a local Imam.
On top of the 6 dead, more than 2-dozen others have been hurt in the unrest.
"We are protesting against the indiscriminate firing at protesters by the Border Security Force at Gool Ramban, in which many young men and youths were martyred."
The only road linking Srinagar and the city of Jammu has been blocked by the swelling demonstrations.
Local police say the security personell opened fire after the protesters began hurling rocks at them.
India's Home Minister has ordered an inquiry into the shooting.
The lead separatist leader in the region is calling for a 3-day shutdown of the region in protest.
 
 
Indian to review free meal for schoolchildren after massive poisoning
 
An intial probe into the poisoning deaths of over 2-dozen school children in India is suggesting the head of the school ignored warnings from the school's cook.
The tainted school meal has left 27 children dead and over 50 others seriously ill.
It's believed the cooking oil was being stored in an old chemical insecticide container.
In the fallout from the poisoning, the Indian government is now reviewing its free midday school meal program.
The program, the largest in the world, helps feed 120-million across India.
 
 
China wishes Mandela happy birthday, speedy recovery
 
The Chinese government is paying tribute to Nelson Mandela for his 95th birthday, wishing the former South African president a speedy recovery.
The Chinese government has issued a statement, saying it hopes he wil "conquer disease and recover at an early date".
The Chinese government also says Mandela has made an historic contribution to the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and South Africa.
China and South Africa marked the 15th anniversary of official diplomatic ties in January.
 
 
UN pays tribute as Nelson Mandela turns 95
 
The United Nations has taken time to officially mark Nelson Mandela International Day.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon, addressing a special assembly of the UN General Assembly, has described Mandela as a "towering figure in the world-wide fight for equality and justice."
"The United Nations stood side by side with Nelson Mandela and all those who fought the inhumane system of apartheid. Now in the twilight of an extraordinary life, we send our prayers his way and give thanks that we have had the privilege of sharing some of his 95 years with him. Let us all continued to be inspired by Nelson Mandela."
At the same time, Ban Ki-moon says the United Nations is "united in concern" about Mandela's health.
Mandela is spending his 95th birthday in hospital, trying to recover from a near-fatal lung infection.
While he's been hospitalized for nearly a month, Mandela's daughter says her father is making remarkable progress, and may be able to return home "soon."
 
 
Mandela, most known SA name in China
 
Anchor
Here in China, Mandela is undoubtedly the most famous South African figure among Chinese people.
CRI's Zhang Wan has more.
Reporter
A song named Glorious Years was written for former South African president Nelson Mandela by a popular Hong Kong band called Beyond in the 1980s. As one of the band's trademark songs, Glorious Years became popular very quickly after being released among Chinese youth, especially those born in the 1970s and 1980s.
Many Chinese say it's hard to tell exactly why they like the song so much, however, it always reminds them of the great man in South Africa- Nelson Mandela as well as his inspiring spirit. Here is a young Chinese Wang Tonghua, who regards Mandela as an icon.
"I first heard of the former South African president during my childhood. For me he is the person who has both won the Nobel Peace Price, and been in prison. However, nothing could every change his faith. I admire men like him, who are able to stick to their faith for many, many years. I regard him as the incarnation of peace. He has been fighting for anti-apartheid and improved living conditions in South Africa."
The name Mandela is believed the most well-known South African name in China. He is known to have made a great contribution to the establishment of relations between China and South Africa in 1998, and also one who cherished friendship with China.
Lu Miaogeng, former deputy director of Chinese research center in South Africa still remembers clearly the situation when he met Mandela on August 1993, at Mandela's office.
"When Mandela was speaking, he sounded strong and powerful. He said China has been supporting the South African people in their fight against apartheid since the 1950s, you have provided us all the aid that you can. Such friendship between South Africa and China is what we will continue to cherish."
Many young people in China say they have been greatly influenced by Mandela's personality and spirit. He is more than a politician, he is a great man.
For CRI, I am Zhang Wan.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Anchor
First off, a check on the stock market of North America and Europe.
Join me on the desk, CRI's Su Yi.
Reporter
The U.S. stocks continued to move higher on Thursday, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 to new all-time highs.
Market sentiment was boosted by positive economic data and corporate earnings.
Positive earnings results from some notable corporations also added momentum to the stocks' rally.
The Dow Jones rose 0.5 percent.
The S&P 500 also advanced 0.5 percent.
The Nasdaq was almost flat.
Meanwhile, Canada's S&P/TSX gained 0.5 percent.
In Europe, European shares scaled six-week highs on Thursday, with banks rallying after the European Central Bank eased collateral rules, and with strong sales boosting the media and luxury sectors.
Germany's DAX rose 1 percent.
France's CAC 40 was up 1.4 percent and Britain's FTSE 100 also up 1 percent.
 
 
Live call-in with Doug Young on corporate news of the week
 
Anchor
Let's check in with some of the key events on the corporate front in China this week.
Doug Young joins me on the line, associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.
So, what are yours picks of the week?
1. Qihoo 360 In Final Talks To acquires Sogou For $1.4 Bln
Qihoo has reportedly reached a deal to fully acquire Sohu's Sogou search engine for an estimated US$1.4 billion.
The two companies are expected to make the announcement soon.
Qihoo said earlier this year it was aiming to grab 20 percent of China's online search market share by the end of this year, 30 percent in 2014, and 40 percent by 2015.
Suggested talking points:
(1)Sohu had just purchased Sogou from Alibaba in July last year. Why did the company want to sell this new addition to another firm? May it signal that Sohu is considering quitting search engine business?
(2)How and how much would the deal help Qihoo to realize its recent plan for market expansion in the search engine business?
2. NEC To Quit Smartphones After Lenovo Talks Break Down
Japanese electronics company NEC Corp's talks with Lenovo Group Ltd over a mobile phone venture have stalled.
A source said this is due to disagreements over majority ownership and patents.
NEC reportedly planned to exit its loss-making smartphone business after a mobile phone deal with Lenovo, already a partner in the personal computer business, failed to materialize.
The company was still considering several options, including talks with a potential partner other than Lenovo, or halting the development of new smartphones and focusing on its existing lines of feature phones.
NEC and Lenovo declined to comment.
China's Lenovo Group, the world's No.2 PC maker, has been examining partnerships and acquisitions to expand in high-growth markets such as smartphones, tablets and enterprise computing, spurred by a decline in PC shipments.
Suggested talking points:
(1)It was reported talks between NEC and Lenovo started early this year. Why didn't it come through? What are the possible obstacles?
(2)Do you think that NEC would actually exit the smartphone business after the talk stalled? Why this can be an option for this one of the major smartphone makers in the world?
(3)What do you expect Lenovo to do next? Would the company considering talks with some other firm in an attempt to expand in smartphones markets?
Back Anchor:
Doug Young, associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.
 
 
China imposes provisional anti-dumping duties on polysilicon from U.S., ROK
 
Chinese authorities are imposing provisional anti-dumping duties on imported solar-grade polysilicon from the United States and South Korea.
The duties for US imports will range between 53 to 57-percent.
South Korean imports will be taxed from as low as nearly 2.5-percent to close to 49-percent.
The Chinese Commerce Ministry says US and South Korean exporters are causing material harm to the Chinese polysilicon industry.
The move comes after the US began imposing anti-dumping duties on Chinese solar cells last year.
 
 
IMF official in China suggests healthy economy
 
A senior official with the International Monetary Fund is suggesting China's economy is going to rebound in the coming months.
Murtaza Syed is the IMF's main representative here in China.
"We're expecting pick-up activity basically because of two factors: The first factor is the global economy, and particularly China's major trading partners (such as) the US and Europe, according to our forecast, (they) should begin to do it better in the second half of this year. The second factor is that we have seen very rapid credit growth in the first quarter of this year. And that, with some lag, will begin to affect activity."
The comments come on the heels of a new IMF report suggesting China's economy is going to grow by nearly 7.8-pecent this year.
So far growth here in China is averaging 7.6-percent through the first two quarters.
The IMF is warning of 3 major risks factors which could impede the potential rebound.
They include a slowdown of exports, an overestimation of the impact of credit growth and a lack of economic reforms.
The IMF's new report on China is suggesting this country's economy relies too heavily on investment and credit.
As such, the IMF is recommending the Chinese government speed up its transition toward a more consumer-based growth model.
 
 
U.S. initial jobless claims fall to two-month low
 
New data shows the number of Americans applying for unemployment has fallen to a two-month low this past week.
The advance figures for this past week saw 334-thousand people applying for unemployment benefits.
This is down 24-thousand from the previous week.
It is also the lowest level since early May.
Meanwhile, the four-week moving average, which helps smooth out week-to-week volatility, fell by 52-hundred-50 to 346-thousand.
The number is well below the benchmark set by the US government of 375-thousand.
The U.S. unemployment rate remained unchanged at 7.6-percent in June.
The US economy did add 195-thousand jobs last month.
This is slightly more than the average monthly gain of 182-thousand over the previous 12 months.
 
 
Moody's affirms top Aaa rating for United States
 
Moody's has raised its outlook for the US economy to stable from negative.
The ratings agency is also maintaining the US credit rating at AAA.
Moody's says the US federal government's debt trajectory is on track with the criteria it previously laid out.
The White House has slashed its estimate of the current year's fiscal deficit to 759-billion, or 4.7 percent of GDP.
This is down significantly from its April forecast of 973-billion.
Fitch is also holding the US soverign credit rating at AAA.
S&P is the only major credit rating agency not giving the US its top rating.
Standard and Poors cut its US credit rating a notch during in the aftermath of the debt ceiling debate this past year, citing politcal uncertianty as the main reason.
 
 
Brazil to keep raising interest rate in 2013
 
Brazil's Central Bank says it will continue raising its basic interest rate this year.
The current rate was increased this past week from 8 percent to 8.5 percent.
The decision by the Brazilian Central Bank comes amid the continued concerns about inflation.
The inflation rate in Brazil is currently sitting at 6.7-percent.
This is the highest it's been since October of 2011.
However, most analysts expect inflation in Brazil to ease through the 2nd half.
 
 
Global policies, economies and market returns are increasingly diverging: BlackRock
 
The BlackRock Investment Institute is suggesting global policies, economies and market returns are increasingly diverging.
The research agency notes that while the U.S. Federal Reserve is winding down its massive stimulus program, the Bank of Japan is doing the opposite.
BII's mid-year outlook report also notes the European Central Bank is standing pat for now, given that its balance sheet is beginning to even out as solvent banks in Europe are now starting to pay back their refinancing.
The BII report also suggests global economic growth is on an upward trend.
BlackRock is one of the biggest institutional investors in the world.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
U.S. city Detroit files for bankruptcy, largest in history
 
The US city Detroit has filed for bankruptcy.
The move is the largest-ever municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
The largest city in the State of Michigan is saddled with more than 18 billion dollars worth of debt.
Local officials say the move is the only reasonable alternative available to them.
If the bankruptcy filing is approved, Detroit's assets could be liquidated to satisfy its creditors.
Once one of the most robust local economies in the United States, Detroit - the hub of US auto manufacutring - has been hammered by the downturn in the US auto industry.
 
 
China home prices continue to rise
 
The latest government figures are suggesting the prices of both new and existing homes are continuing to rise in most Chinese cities, adding additional stress on the government in its attempt to try to control the housing market.
Out of the 70 cities monitored, 63 have seen monthly home price increases in June, though it is down from 65 in May.
On a year-on-year basis, new home prices have risen last month in all the cities monitored except Wenzhou in Zhejiang.
Existing home prices are also increasing in value, with 55 cities reporting month-on-month price gains.
 
 
Beijing vows to root out irregularities in house leasing
 
The Beijing municipal government is promising to root out irregularities in apartment rentals.
The city's housing authorities are now requiring the average area for a single tenant be at least 5-square-meters.
The new rules also stipulate that a single room can't be rented to more than 2 people.
This follows reports of an 80-square-meter apartment here in Beijing being rented to 25 people.
All the tenants reportedly slept on bunk beds and shared one bathroom..
 
 
China, Switzerland pledge closer cooperation
 
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang have met with visiting Swiss President Ueli Maurer.
The meetings here in Beijing come on the heels of China and Switzerland signing a free trade agreement earlier this month.
Bilateral trade between the two countries has hit 22-billion U.S. dollars so far this year.
This represents a 114-percent rise compared to the same period last year.
Maurer is in China to attend a global ecological forum in Guizhou's provincial capital, Guiyang.
 
 
Curfew imposed in Indian-controlled Kashmir following civilian killings
 
A curfew is now in effect in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
This follows clashes between authorities and Muslim protesters.
Six people have been killed in the unrest in the village of Dadam, which is about 150-kilometers south of the regional capital, Srinagar.
The Muslim majority launched a massive demonstration following the alleged desecration of the Quran by Indian Border Guards.
The protesters also say the border guards assaulted a local Imam.
On top of the 6 dead, more than 2-dozen others have been hurt in the unrest.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
CHINA DAILY
Headline
China's government spends less last year
Summary
The finalized accounting by central government departments has confirmed less money was spent on official expenses last year.
Spending on overseas trips, vehicles and receptions came in at 7.43-billion yuan last year, representing a decrease of 559-million yuan.
GLOBAL TIMES
Headline
Summary
Barbecue pollution
Summary
The location of outdoor barbecue stalls in Beijing has been mapped out.
The map shows most of the stalls are located between the Third and Fourth Ring Roads.
The report also suggests that while city management officers routinely shut down the stalls, the owners tend to resurface the following day.
One environmentalist contends outdoor barbecues are a major source of PM2.5 here in the capital.
SHANGHAI DAILY
Headline
Deoderant warning
Summary
Medical officials are issuing a warning about underarm deoderant being sold online.
They're warning that some of the products being sold contain chemicals which can be potentially harmful to your skin.
BEIJING TIMES
Headline
China's wealth gap still severe: survey
Summary
A survey by Peking University is suggesting the wealth gap in China is still severe.
The survey shows that the Gini coefficient, which is a key measure of income and wealth distribution, fell to 0.49 from 0.51 in 2010.
However, this is still well above the world average of 0.44.
BEIJING MORNING POST
Headline
Sansha issues ID cards & resident permits
Summary
The newly-created city off Sansha in the South China Sea has issued its first identity cards and residence permits.
10 people have been given ID cards.
Another 68 have received residentcy permits.
The city of Sansha was set up last year.
SOUTH CHINA METROPOLITAN DAILY
Headline
Fired for grand wedding
Summary
The party head of a poverty-stricken township in Hebei has been sacked in the wake of his daughter's extravagant wedding.
Local authorities say he spent 200-thousand yuan on the wedding, and received a million yuan in gifts.
The official has been ordered to repay the money.
YANZHAO METROPOLITAN DAILY
Headline
Pregnant H7N9 victim gives birth
Summary
A pregnant woman infected with H7N9 bird flu has given birth to a heathy girl in a hospital in the city of Zhenjiang in Jiangsu.
The 25 year old was five months pregnant when she was diagnosed with H7N9 on April 8th.
She eventually recovered a month later.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
China movies outperform exported movies in the first half of this year
 
Anchor
New stats are suggesting Chinese films are garnering more than 60-percent of the roughly 10-billion yuan generated through the first half of this year.
CRI's Xie Zhao has more.
Reporter
Of the five highest-grossing films in the first half of this year, there are four domestic movies whose revenues each surpassed 500 million yuan.
"Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons" took the top slot, earning 1.25 billion yuan.
Yin Hong, director at the Centre for Film and Television Studies at Tsinghua University, says local Chinese movies have outperformed imported films because of three key factors.
"Firstly, imported movies in the first half of this year are not competitive. Secondly, in recent a new batch of young directors and filmmakers have become main force for Chinese movies. Their movies are close to reality, grass-root life and down-to-earth. Thirdly, the pattern of the movie market has changed."
Yin says a rising number of multiplexes have been expanded in the second and third-tierd cities.
He believes this has led to an increasing number of viewers going to the cinema.
Zhao Yuning, professor at the Communication University of China, says China's movie market has doubled with screens totaling about 15 thousand.
Meanwhile, China's movies have capitalised amid the weakening influence of Hollywood movies.
"The influence of the Hollywood movies is becoming weaker. They are afraid of taking risks but merely repetition. In China's market, Hollywood takes up defensive facing the fast development of China's movie. Therefore, China's movie should seize the moment, consolidate the current market share and continue to boost the quality. "　　
Yin Hong adds only innovation can make domestic movies go further.
"China's movie should explore more subject matters and styles. At the same time, the overall movie technology and movie sector need further development. Generally speaking, Chinese movie can only compete with Hollywood movie with a more integrated industry and product chain."
China is now the world's second-largest movie market behind the U.S.
Many forecasts say it will nab the No. 1 spot within the next five years or so.
For CRI, I'm Xie Zhao.
 
 
Sports
 
 
Christophe Riblon becomes first Frenchman to claim a stage at this year's tour de france
 
Christophe Riblon became the first Frenchman to win a stage at this year's Tour de France yesterday.
Riblon was cheered on by the French crowd as he beat out Tejay Van Garderen in the final stretch. The young American had led for much of the race, including for much of the twin climbs of l'Alpe d'Huez.
Race leader Chris Froome extended his lead despite incurring a 20 second penalty for an illegal late feeding.
The team sky rider had a late attack of hypoglycaemia, and had teammate Richie Porte get him a gel pack from the team car.
Alberto Contador, the closest contender for the yellow jersey, dropped a minute more behind Froome after an ill-executed attack on a descent.
The Dutch supporters, many of whom were dressed as orange carrots, were disappointed by Bauke Mollema's finish. He's dropped from second to sixth.
 
 
England finished 289-7 after first day at Lords
 
In cricket, the Ashes continue.
England finished 289 for 7 after the first day of the second test at Lords.
The glory belonged to England batsman Ian Bell after he recorded his 19th career century in front of a packed house.
But again, I think we take where we are….when you do well, it's really special"
But Australia's Steve Smith took the edge off Bell's hundred, by taking three late wickets in the last hour.
Both sides slightly altered their lineups after the first Test.
Usman Khawaja and Ryan Harris joined Australia in place of Ed Cowan and Mitchell Starc. And for England, Bresnan replaced Steve Finn.
Day two at Lords begins later today.
 
 
Zach Johnson leads at Open Championship after day one
 
Former Masters champion Zach Johnson leads the Open Championship at Muirfield after day one.
The American's shot an opening 66 for 5 under par to be one clear of Spain's Rafa Cabrera-bello .
"Truly it's my favorite tournament to play in. Really I mean that seriously, just because we don't have it over in the states. I just appreciate it so much. You have to have every shot, you have to hit it low, which everybody knows. But you got to hit it high. You have to put spin on it too. So I think that it requires all aspects. It's just one day, so hopefully I can continue good form until the end of the week.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods are part of a six-man tie for ninth at two under par.
China's sole representative, Wu Ashun, sits at five over par.
Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy both struggled in the first round. McIlroy shot an opening 79 for 8-over. And Donald was one stroke back at nine-over.
And in the LPGA,
Alison Walshe leads at 6 under par after the first round of the Marathon Classic.
 
 
North Korean womens team among those preparing ahead of East Asian Cup
 
East Asia's national football teams are in South Korea ahead of the East Asian Cup which starts tomorrow.
One of the tournament's top storylines so far is that North Korea sent its national womens team to compete this year.
The 36-member delegation, which includes players and officials, arrived in Seoul yesterday. Their first game will be against hosts South Korea on Sunday.
This is the first sports exchange between the two countries since April 2009, when the mens football team traveled to Seoul for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
Tournament play gets underway tomorrow and will run through the 28th.
 
 
The Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics unveil trade
 
Over in the NBA,
The Brooklyn Nets unveiled their latest acquisitions Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry yesterday.
The former Celtics teammates were part of a big trade between the Nets and the Celtics, which sent Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, and Keith Bogans to Boston.
The three newest Nets expressed regret at leaving Boston, but Garnett said the move is all about winning a championship.
"What's up Brooklyn?　Yeah! It's unfortunate, that had to obviously move from Boston.　I think, for me, one of the major reasons I decided to come here is because the bones of this. I felt like, what Paul says, it gives us the best option to win again, and to win it all.　I'm embracing this opportunity, my family's embracing this opportunity.　 I'm looking forward to it."
The rebuilding Celtics also get the first round draft picks in 2014, 2016, and 2018.
 
 
Formula One teams test out new drivers at Young Drivers Test
 
Formula One teams have one final day of testing at the 2013 Young Drivers Test at Silverstone.
The test is an opportunity for teams to scout emerging talent field.
Some young bloods making their debuts this year include GP2 pilot James Calado who was the early pacemaker in the Force India.
Daniel Juncadella, winner of the 2011 Macau GP, drove for Williams. And Daniel Ricciardo, who is looking to replace Mark Webber, drove for Red Bull yesterday.
Part of the fallout from last month's British Grand Prix where several drivers suffered tyre blow-outs, was a rule change for this year's test.
Race drivers can now only take part if the purpose is to conduct tyre development.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Overview of Bruce Lee's influence and life
 
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the death of Kung Fu legend Bruce Lee.
Born in 27 November 1940 in San Francisco, Lee was the son of Catonese opera star Lee Hoi Chuen and his wife Grace Ho.
As a 3 months old, Lee traveled with his family to Hong Kong, where he stayed until his teenage years.
Lee later returned to America to study at University of Washington, after which he dedicated himself to martial arts, teaching and taking part in various championships.
It was at 1964's Long Beach International Karate Championships that Lee caught the attention of Hollywood.
This led to the roles in TV series Green Hornet and Batman in the late 60s, followed by big screen success a couple of years later in films such as Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon.
(Bruce)
Lee passed away from a swelling of the brain on this day in 1973 whilst working on his uncompleted fim Game of Death.
Whilst Lee only finished five feature films, he transformed the representation of Asians in Hollywood.
Lee's film roles made him a symbol of youthful rebellion against repression, giving him lasting influence in a plethora of cultures and subcultures.
Hong Kong is commemorating the late-star with an exhibition at the Heritage Musuem.
The anniversary renewed talks converting Lee's former Kowloon Tong home into a museum.
Over in the US, the star's influence on hip hop culture will be celebrated with an exhibition called "Kung Fu Wildstyle" at the Lincoln Centre in Manhattan.
 
 
Vanessa Hudgens talks about latest film "The Frozen Ground"
 
Former Disney star Vanessa Hudgens is well and truly shedding her child star image in her latest role.
The 24 year old stars in "The Frozen Ground", as a teenage prostitute, alongside John Cusack and Nicholas Cage.
The film is based on the true story of Alaskan serial killer Robert Hansen whose only surviving victim was Hudgens' character Cindy Paulsen.
The actress describes her feelings of meeting with the real Cindy Paulsen before filming.
"I was just really overwhelmed. I was looking forward to it, I was very excited, I was nervous. I was trying to be very organized and put together a big list of things I wanted to ask her, and I sat down with her and Scott my director, and she really just took over. She just pulled me into her life, and took me from the very beginning, her earliest memories to where's she at now. So I got a full glimpse of her life."
The star says that she found the gritty role a suitable challenge.
"The fact that I was able to play this character and bring light to this story, to the victims who don't have a say in this, who aren't around I could be their voice. So I felt powerful within that. But it was fun. As an actor I love pushing myself, and really sinking my teeth into something heavy and this did it."
The feature is written and directed by New Zealand filmmaker Scott Walker and produced by rapper 50 cent, who also plays a pimp.
The project has so far been praised by critics for the solid performances from its cast.
"The Frozen Ground" arrives in UK theatres this weekend.
 
 
Bjork dedicates song to Trayvon Martin
 
Icelandic singer Bjork is the latest celebrity to pay tribute to Trayvon Martin.
This follows the recent acquittal of George Zimmerman, who's claim that the killing occurred in self defence was accepted by the jury.
Bjork halted her performance in Toronto to dedicate her song "Declare Independence" to Martin.
(Bjork)
Bjork is the latest in a string of celebrities who have spoken out over the Zimmerman case.
Beyonce and Bruce Springsteen have both used their concerts as a platform to draw attention to the case.
The controversial trial has intensified debate in the US over the issues of racial profiling and gun control.