新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2013/07/09

 Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying says China is committed to resolving territorial disputes through dialogue, but it will never allow other countries to sabotage its integrity.

"We have noticed recently Japan has continued to exaggerate the China threat to artificially create regional tension and confrontation. Taking into consideration of some Japanese political forces and politicians consistently advocating for the strengthening of their military and preparing for war, the international community cannot but be concerned by Japan's real intentions and its future development."
Tensions between China and Japan have been running high since last September over the Diaoyu Island dispute in the East China Sea.
Japan plans to draw up a new defence plan by December, and Shinzo Abe's party submitted recommendations to the government last month acquiring the capability to attack enemy targets.
 
 
China, US Hold Forum on Cyber Security
 
Anchor:
A forum on cyber security is being held in Washington ahead of the fifth US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue.
Experts are suggesting both sides may agree to issue international regulations on cyberspace, in a move to boost cyber security on both sides.
Xie Zhao has the details.
Reporter:
The forum on cyber security which began on Monday is due to last for four days.
An official from the U.S State Department says both sides will state their concerns regarding cyber security issues and clarify how they can cooperate in future.
Cyber security has been making major headlines on both the US and Chinese side recently.
The U.S has long accused China of hacking attacks on its internet.
But last month NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden exposed the U.S government's internet surveillance program dubbed PRISM - found to target China and the E.U.
Shi Yinhong, is director at the Center of American Studies at China Renmin University.
He says the exposure of PRISM has been a catalyst for the cyber security forum:
"Snowden revealed the U.S government had been launching hacking attacks against China for years. Now, I don't see any official in the U.S government accusing China of hacking as openly as they did in the past. The event has created a good condition for both sides to hold the closed-door dialogue over cyber security. I think the atmosphere is better than before."
Yang Xiyu, is a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies.
He says as far as both sides are concerned, the forum will be a win-win outcome.
"Sino-U.S should cooperate to face the cyber challenge. Both sides are not only the two biggest internet user countries, but also the victims suffering most hacking attacks. They should carry out research in order to defend themselves and crack down on cyber crime as well as make cyberspace more secure. This will be beneficial to each other and it's win-win cooperation."
Yang says both sides face two urgent tasks in the cyber security dialogue.
"Firstly, both sides should know how to work together. They can discuss some acceptable principles and rules for setting cyber regulation. Secondly, the dialogue is a good channel for the two sides to eliminate suspicion and enhance mutual trust."
Yang also mentions the establishment of the Sino-US Cyber Security Working Team has released a strong signal.
It indicates that they not only need to tackle the cyber security issue through dialogue and cooperation, but also maintain global cyberspace peace and security.
For CRI. This is Xie Zhao.
 
 
Rainstorm forecasted for the capital
 
Anchor:
The Beijing meteorological center has issued a yellow alert for two days of thunderstorms and rainstorms starting from Tuesday, warning residents to be prepared for the heaviest rain to hit the capital this summer so far.
CRI's Zhang Shuangfeng has more.
Reporter:
The Beijing meteorological bureau says the southern and northern parts of the city will be the most affected by the rain.
It also warns of the increasing risks of geological disasters in the city's mountainous areas.
Meanwhile, the capital's flood control office is calling on the public to be prepared for the adverse weather.
Pan anjun is the spokesperson of the office.
"We advise the public to stay away from mountainous areas, waterways and valleys. Drivers, please be aware of water logged roads and flooded areas. We also recommend companies and organizers postpone outdoor events."
According to the city's meteorological bureau, over 200 millimeters of rainfall will hit the city within 24 hours.
Last year, Beijing was hit by the heaviest rainfall to affect the city in six decades. 77 people were killed in the storm.
Among the dead, a driver was drowned under an overpass in the downtown district, sparking outcries for the city's flood control system.
Wang Rao, from the Beijing Drainage Group, says that his company has installed real-time surveillance camera on 20 overpasses, as part of the government's upgrading program.
"The control center can now find when there is waterlogging via the cameras. In some cases, the center has been able to dispatch personnel and send out rescue teams even before residents called in to report the waterlogging."
Now over 85 monitoring sites have been set up across the city to detect water levels around vulnerable overpasses. Roads will be closed once the water level in an underpass reaches 27 centimeters.
In Southern Beijing's Fangshan district, which was severely damaged in last year's storm, construction workers are busy reinforcing the bridges.
Jiao Haifeng is from the Road Administration department of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport.
"We have rebuilt the 16 bridges that were destroyed in last year's storm. We are now building ancillary facilities for 3 bridges, and other construction work was finished before May. Our order is that no more new bridge should be washed off again when the storm hit the city."
Despite all these efforts, concerns over the city's capacity to cope with heavy rains still linger, as the capital's drainage system can only cope with 30 millimeter rain per hour.
Beijing has had 19 days of rainfall since the beginning of this flood season, with an accumulated rainfall of over 170 millimeters, a 57 percent increase from last year.
Well prepared or not, more rain is on the way.
For CRI, I'm Zhang Shuangfeng.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
Asian Stock
 
Chinese shares closed mixed on Tuesday, as a string of tepid CPI and PPI data made investors less confident.
While other Asian markets picked up a bit following rise in Wall Street.
When the market closed, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.4 percent.
The Shenzhen Component Index was down 0.5 percent.
In Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng increased 1 percent.
Elsewhere in Asia,
Japan's Nikkei picked up 0.2 percent.
And South Korea's KOSPI up 0.7 percent.
In Singapore, the benchmark Straits Times index also finished up 0.7 percent.
Finally, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 jumped 1.5 percent.
 
 
China's inflation grows 2.7% in June
 
China's consumer price index or CPI, a main gauge of inflation, grew 2.7 percent year on year in June.
National Bureau of Statistics, NBS has said the rate represents a 0.6-percent growth from 2.1-percent in May, but was still below the government's full-year target of 3.5 percent.
Meanwhile the NBS also announced that China's producer price index (PPI), which measures wholesale inflation, fell 2.7 percent year on year in June.
That marks the 16th straight month of decline and points to a continued weak market demand.
For more on these two key economic indexes of the last month, we are joined online by Mark Hughes, Executive business editor of the China Daily.
…
back anchor: Mark Hughes, Executive business editor of China Daily.
 
 
Fortune list sees 95 Chinese companies
 
A total of 95 Chinese companies have made it onto the list of Fortune 500 companies compiled by Fortune magazine.
The 95 firms with a combined gross revenue amounting to 5.2 trillion USD take up 17-percent of the Fortune 500's total revenue.
Among the 95 companies, three Chinese firms are in the top ten with Sinopec fourth, and China National Petroleum, CNPC close behind in fifth.
However Fortune has suggested there are some worrying aspects in the Chinese listings.
Besides the dominant share of State Owned Enterprise, SOE's and the underdeveloped service sector, there are claims that profits are unequally distributed among all listed Chinese companies.
Currently the nine top commercial banks account for 55.2-percent of all Chinese mainland company profits.
 
 
Danone, Biostime cut China infant milk prices
 
Two more international food giants have announced they will cut the price of their baby milk formula in China.
On Monday Nestle-owned Wyeth Nutrition cut the price of its baby milk formula products on the mainland by 11-percent.
French food giant Danone says it has cut prices of its baby milk formula products in China by up to 20-percent from today.
Biostime International, says it will offer a series of consumer rewards amounting to an effective discount of "around 11 percent" off suggested retail prices.
China's National Development and Reform Commission recently launched probes into five leading foreign infant milk companies and one domestic brand over possible price-fixing.
Despite the price cuts, the probe is continuing, with analysts saying the investigation could result in fines and tougher import rules.
 
 
China launches national benchmark price for nuclear power
 
China has announced it's new nuclear power pricing system that features a national benchmark price.
National Development and Reform Commission says the price, which applies to any plant that begins operation this year, is 0.43 yuan or 7-US-cents per kilowatt-hour.
Previously, nuclear power prices varied according to individual plant costs and local thermal power prices.
However that system hindered competition and innovation.
Analysts say the change will help guarantee profitability for new nuclear projects.
 
 
Ping An Insurance to buy the Lloyds Building in London
 
China's Ping An Insurance Group is to purchase the Lloyds Building in London for 260- million pounds or 388 million U.S dollars.
The transaction represents the first purchase by a Chinese insurance company in Britain.
The Lloyds Building is home to the world's leading insurance market and was owned by German asset management fund Commerz Real.
Chinese enterprises have announced two huge investments in London real estate market this year.
ABP Chinese signed an agreement worth 1-billion pounds or 1.5-billion-dollars to transform the Royal Albert Dock in east London into a business port.
Dalian Wanda Group also announced last month their 700-million pound or 1.2-billion-US-dollar investment to build a luxury hotel in London.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
South Korean President offers condolences over Asiana plane crash victims
 
South Korean President Park Geun-hye is offering her condolences to the Chinese teen victims in the Asiana Airlines plane crash in San Francisco over the weekend.
The role of the pilots in Saturday's crash has come under increasing scrutiny.
U.S investigators have begun to interview them and have released new details about the jet's dangerously slow air speed before it slammed into the ground.
The plane crash killed two Chinese students on a summer camp trip to the US and injured over 180 others.
13 Chinese are being treated in hospitals across San Francisco.
 
 
Severe rainstorms batter SW China quake-hit regions
 
Nearly 17-thousand people in the city of Ya'an, Sichuan province have been affected by rainstorm-triggered floods.
Heavy rain started to batter Ya'an early Monday morning.
Direct economic losses in the region are now estimated at 768-million yuan.
Over 5-thousand have been relocated.
4-thousand passengers are reported to be stranded at the Shuangliu International Airport in the provincial capital Chengdu, as more than 23-flights were disrupted by the weather.
Sichuan Provincial Meteorological Center has upgraded its orange alert for rainstorms to red.
 
 
China's inflation grows 2.7 pct in June
 
China's consumer price index, a main gauge of inflation, grew 2.7 percent year on year in June, up from 2.1 percent in May.
The National Bureau of Statistics made the announcement on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, China's producer price index, which measures inflation at the wholesale level, fell 2.7 percent year on year in June.
This is compared with a decline of 2.9 percent registered in May.
 
 
18 killed in car bomb attack in Beirut's Hezbollah area
 
At least 18 people have been killed in a car bomb attack in in southern Beirut
The blast occurred at a parking lot in an area controlled by the Lebanese Shiite militant party of Hezbollah.
Firefighters have reached the site to quell the blaze that has damaged some vehicles.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
This comes amid increasing anti-Hezbollah sentiment in Lebanon since the militant party acknowledged its involvement in the insurgency in neighboring Syria.
 
 
Thousands stranded as Sri Lanka's railways go on strike
 
Thousands of commuters are stranded in Sri Lanka as railway operators continue their strike.
All trains have been suspended after railway workers launched a 48-hour strike to pressure the government into giving better pay.
The Sri Lankan government has called on the Unions to end their strike and meet for talks but their request has been rejected, as protestors demand a condition-free discussion.
A Protest is also expected in the transport sector as the government has prevented private buses from raising fares.
Currently around 6-percent of commuters use the railway while 65-percent use bus services every day in Sri Lanka.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
Global Times
"Nanjing limits divorce applications in reaction to property, school rule evaders"
Nanjing government in East China's Jiangsu Province has introduced a policy restricting the number of divorces that can be registered every day.
The move comes as couples have rushed to file for divorce to circumvent regulations limiting the number of properties couples can buy and forbidding children from attending schools outside their own residential district.
An official from Nanjing Bureau of Civil Affairs claims over 18-thousand couples had filed for divorce in the first 6 months this year, 1.7 times the number from the same time last year.
China launched new rules in March this year forbidding families to purchase multiple properties.
China Daily
 "Experts call for legislation on latchkey children"
Legal and safety experts are saying China needs legislation to stop parents leaving children home alone, a requirement made evident by the number of accidental deaths every year.
At least 9 incidents of children falling from buildings have been reported since June 20th, with 4 lives lost. 8 of these incidents occurred while the child was left alone.
According to Safe Kids Worldwide, a global nonprofit organization, nearly 50-thousand children in China die in accidents every year.
In the United States, most states ban parents from leaving children aged under 12 home alone.
India Express
 "World's first solar-powered 'family car' developed"
The world's first solar-powered car that can tote around the whole family and produce electricity as well has been developed.
So solar-powered cars manufactured have usually been built for only one person.
Students from the Netherlands' Eindhoven University of Technology unveiled 'Stella,' the world's first solar-powered family 'energy-positive car' with room for four people, a trunk, intuitive steering and a range of 600 kilometers.
The solar cells of the car generate more electricity on average than the car uses meaning the surplus electricity can be returned to the power grid, thereby making the car 'energy-positive'.
The Solar Team Eindhoven set itself the goal of developing the car of the future by combining aerodynamic design with lightweight materials like carbon and aluminum.
AFP
 "Corruption seen on the rise, global study finds"
More than half of respondents in a global corruption survey think corruption has worsened over the past 2 years.
The survey by Berlin-based non-profit group Transparency International also found people have the least trust in institutions meant to help or protect them, including police, the courts and political parties.
Respondents also believed official anti-corruption efforts have deteriorated since the 2008 start of the world financial and economic crisis.
The group's Global Corruption Barometer 2013 is the world's largest public opinion survey on corruption. It surveyed 114-thousand people in 107 countries.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
China music industry's move toward paid service model
 
Anchor:
Music insiders have been talking for some time about massive changes heading towards China's music industry.
So far, the industry has not seen any policies officially implemented.
However the industry is bracing itself for what many consider an inevitable shift towards a paid service model.
CRI's Jordan Lee reports.
Reporter:
A collaboration between government, content providers, and record companies will attempt to move China's online music market into a new era of copyright protection and fair compensation for artists.
But will the millions of Chinese netizens who are accustomed to free music resist the change?
Thomas Reemer, Founder and CEO of web-based content provider 88tc88, says that piracy will not become obsolete until people have a better alternative:
Reemer launched Paishouba in Beijing, a mobile download platform that provides Western music, games, aps, and ebooks to Chinese consumers.
Paishouba is drawing a diverse group of western artists to the Chinese market by providing them with a safe sales platform:
We support the artists with us content providers, artists get paid, and we enable a better ecosystem. Now more and more companies are following suit, that has to do with government initiative as well as people understanding that they are losing, not getting, a lot of revenue if they don't enable this market to earn money.
Statistics published by China Audio & Video Association showed that China's 2012 copyright market was valued at 40 billion yuan, but only generated 800 million yuan in actual revenues.
A survey by Beijing-based research group Music 2.0 found that one third of Chinese music consumers are actually willing to pay for downloads if it gives them access to better content.
Associate Professor Jin Haijun, a specialist in intellectual property at Renmin University Law School, says China's music industry is ripe for reform.
Jin compares the current state of the music industry to that of the film industry in the early 2000's when illegal downloading was rife:
"Several years ago, that's also the same problem, illegal downloading for movies or television episodes. What the lessons can be learned is that the government and the industry put together, joined together, to make things better. They cracked down on the illegal ones. At the same time paid the royalties to the movie producers. "
After the government cracked down on illegal movie downloads, the domestic film industry experienced a renaissance, boasting over 30% annual growth rates between 2004 and 2009.
Many factors contributed to that growth, but the motions to fight piracy certainly played a role.
For CRI, I'm Jordan Lee.
 
 
Sports
 
 
England gears up for another sporting success at the Ashes
 
It has been a glorious week for British sports.
There was Andy Murray's historic win at Wimbledon, and then the British and Irish Lions big Test series victory against Australia.
Now England's cricket team is hoping to keep the streak alive with success at the Ashes.
England will be facing a young Australian team that was recently shaken by a major coaching change, after former head coach Mickey Arthur was abruptly replaced with Darren Lehmann.
Although no.4 ranked Australia will go into the series as the indisputable underdogs, the Ashes is an old rivalry that can inspire brilliant play.
The test has also been known to draw out old aggressions, but English spin bowler Graeme Swann says his side is just focused on the win.
"Any altercations that may of happened in the past are firmly in the past and the eleven who go on the field on Wednesday, you don't go on the field thinking about picking a fight or causing a ruckus. You go out there desperately hoping to do well yourself. I think any tetchiness, anything like that, might come about because of hot weather and frustrated bowlers. Hopefully that will be on the Australian side come tea-time on day one if we're 300 for none."
England has won three of the last four series, including the last series 3-1 in Australia. Ａ series win this year would be the team's first hat trick since 1956.
The opening Test takes place tomorrow at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
 
 
Djokovic hosts charity event for Serbian children
 
Losing the Wimbledon tile to Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic appeared in good spirit when hosting a charity event in London.
Djokovic talked about his Wimbledon finals with Murray.
"Me, I tried my best. I didn't play as well as I wanted but it's the way it is; it's sport. You cannot win all the matches, it cannot always be your day and I just have positive memories from yesterday's final."
The Novak Djokovic Foundation event was to raise money for underprivileged children in Serbia.
Chairs of the foundation such as British model Naomi Campbell, American actress Goldie Hawn and former German tennis player Boris Becker were also at the event.
 
 
Updates on CONCACAF Gold Cup
 
In football,
Honduras have beaten Haiti 2-0 in the ongoing 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Honduras gained a 1-0 lead thanks to Rony Martinez's powerful high shot in the fourth minute.
Marvin Chavez scored in the 78th to seal the victory 2-0.
In another match in Group B,
Trinidad & Tobago drew 2-2 with El Salvador.
In Friday, Trinidad and Tobago will play Haiti and Honduras will face El Salvador.
Honduras now tops Group B with three points.
Meanwhile the U.S national team is training at Jeld Wen Field in Portland, Oregon, preparing to host the country's first match in Group C in the venue.
Midfielder Kyle Beckerman said he hopes the team can keep its momentum after defeating Guatemala 6-0 in a friendly last week.
"Yeah, just really take that confidence we gained during that game and really try to apply in this first game. I think, first game in any tournament is most important, so we will be really looking to get after it early and often on Tuesday."
The United States will face against Belize tomorrow.
 
 
Brazilian police arrest a suspect of a soccer referee's decapitation
 
Brazilian police have arrested one man and are still looking for 2 other suspects, after a soccer referee was decapitated by spectators in the football field during a match.
Slain referee Octavio da Silva became target of spectators after he fatally stabbed an amateur player Josenir dos Santos on June 30th.
Dos Santos was reportedly having an argument with da Silva, and refused to heed his order to leave the field.
The referee then allegedly produced a knife and stabbed the player, who died on his way to the hospital.
Outraged spectators then ran onto the field and made the matching place into a double murder scene.
Relatives of slain referee da Silva said the incident had appalled them.
"Everyone here is sad, revolted. But we can't do anything. No one was there, no one from the family, not his father, his mother, or his uncles."　　
"We feel revolted to have something like this so terrible happen here."
According to local police, the 27-year old Luis Moraes de Sousa was arrested on July 2, and police are continuing to investigate the incident.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Guillermo del Toro Teams Up with Charlie Kaufman for Slaughterhouse 5 Film
 
Pan's Labyrinth director Guillermo del Toro is teaming up with exceptional and eccentric screenwriter Charlie Kaufman to make a film adaptation of Slaughterhouse 5.
Slaughterhouse 5 is of course the famous Kurt Vonnegut novel which combines the bombing of Dresden in World War 2 and alien abduction in a startlingly poetic and beautifully tragic way.
Writer Charlie Kaufman is known for weird films such as Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunhsine of the Spotless Mind, and Adaptation.
Del Toro has admitted he and Kaufman spent an hour in discussion before they struck upon what they believe will be the perfect way to tell the complicated story.
Del Toro is also reportedly working on a film adaptation to horror master HP Lovecraft's story The Mountains of Madness.
The director's new blockbuster Pacific Rim slams into theaters this weekend.
 
 
MIA Director Quits Documentary
 
The director of the upcoming documentary of musician and performer MIA has said he would rather die than continue working on the project.
The director Steve Loveridge leaked a 5-minute trailer to the film online along with a letter from MIA's record company Interscope demanding he take the video down.
Kanye West and Julian Assange appear in the trailer for the film which will tell the story of MIA's tumultuous life and political beliefs.
However, like MIA's next album the film has been a mire of financial and legal problems which has held it up long after it should have been completed.
An Interscope employee wrote to Loveridge apologizing for the internal problems the label was facing and promised things would smooth out so the film could be completed.
However, Loveridge responded he would rather die than complete the film.
MIA is now considering crowdsourcing as a means to fund the project by turning to kickstarter.
MIA's album was scheduled for a late 2012 release date but claims Interscope rejected it saying it was too positive.
 
 
Liam Gallagher Refuses Advice
 
In another story of 'would-you-rather' Beady Eye frontman and ex-Oasis member Liam Gallagher claims he would rather shoot himself in the balls than take music advice from Angels singer Robbie Williams.
The blunt response stems from Williams' critique of Beady Eye's latest album BE in which he said the album would have benefitted from some actual choruses.
Gallagher responded by saying his band did not make the album to fulfill some requirements before saying what he'd rather do than follow his advice.
A feud between Williams and the Gallagher brothers stems back to the 1990s when Liam's brother Noel called Williams 'the fat dancer from Take That' and Williams responded by offering to fight Liam on live TV.
More bad blood came recently when Liam slammed the general public for buying enough tickets to sell-out 3 nights worth of Williams shows at Etihad Stadium.
 
 
Musician Mos Def to be Force Fed for Protest
 
US rapper and actor Mos Def has undergone force-feeding in protest of the cruel procedure used at Guantanamo Bay.
Human Right charity Reprieve teamed up with Mos Def, now known as Yasiin Bay, who will be force-fed through a tube in the same methods employed by the prison.
Some 100-prisoners have been hunger-striking since earlier this year to protest their ongoing detention, though many have not had a fair trial.
In a leaked document it has been revealed Guantanamo guards have taken to force-feeding in response to the protest.
Many experts have compared the force-feeding at Guantanamo to torture as the procedure is painful and quite dangerous.
The month long fast of Ramadan began yesterday and many Islamic leaders have urged US President Obama to end the forced-feeding practice.
 
 
Disney May Lose $150-Million
 
Disney studios may stand to lose up to 150-million US dollars on their recent Johnny Depp blockbuster flop The Lone Ranger.
The Lone Ranger failed to reach a box office gross of 50-million dollars over the July 4th weekend with moviegoers instead opting to see the animated Despicable Me 2 which currently stands at 143-million dollars.
The Lone Ranger has been plagued with problems since its inception and ended up with an inflated budget of 250-million dollars.
If Disney does not find an international audience the studio will lose a massive sum of money.
The film has received terrible reviews and even Johnny Depp's star power hasn't proven to be enough to entice audiences into theaters.
Depp teamed up with Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski for the new film.