Asia Cast

Asia Cast for Friday 23rd November

In this Bulletin…
- The Commonwealth suspends Pakistan;
- A European Commission reports improvements to toy manufacturing in China; and
- The countdown to Kyoto begins.

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After a meeting in Uganda, the Commonwealth – a 53-nation organization made up of the UK and its former colonies – has suspended Pakistan “pending the restoration of democracy and rule of law in the country”.

Pakistan’s leader General Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule on November 3 – a move which the Commonwealth said represented “a serious violation of the Commonwealth’s fundamental political values”.

The suspension means no further Commonwealth programs will be carried out in Pakistan, and Pakistan cannot participate in any of the organization’s business.

Earlier, Pakistan’s Supreme Court cleared the way for another five-year presidential term for General Pervez Musharraf after he allegedly sacked nearly all of the Supreme Court justices shortly after declaring the state of emergency.

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A European Commission report has found that China has made “considerable progress” in improving the safety of the toys it exports.
Millions of Chinese-made toys were recalled this year, amid concerns about lead levels and loose magnets.

In Guangdong province alone – where most Chinese toys are made – more than 750 toy manufacturers have had their export certificates suspended or revoked.

The report showed that Chinese authorities investigated twice as many dangerous goods in the three months to the end of September than it did in two previous investigations. In nearly half the investigated cases, action was taken to improve safety.

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In only a few weeks, the world will face the much anticipated deadline to implement the Kyoto Protocol targets.

January 1st, 2008, was supposed to be the day by which many developed nations would have reduced their carbon emissions by the target 5-8 percent from 1990 levels.

However, annual global emissions of carbon dioxide are at about 10 billion tonnes, 35 per cent higher than they were in 1990.

Some of the 38 countries, including Britain and most Eastern European nations, as well as New Zealand, are on track to meet their Kyoto commitments. But many countries such as India and China have failed by a long way to reduce emissions levels.

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Despite attempts by the Chinese Communist party to keep the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners private, more and more Chinese people are becoming aware of the unlawful and seemingly unjustified ongoing persecution on Falun Gong practitioners.

Reports have emerged of a confidential instruction issued by the Communist Party ahead of the 17th Party Congress requiring local area authorities to “inspect, follow and control Falun Gong adherents and petitioners or any potential appealers”.

The instruction also advised that whoever goes to Beijing to appeal will be sent to forced labour camps so as to “generate a quiet environment for state leaders”.

Despite efforts by authorities to keep their persecution secret from the general public, increasing media coverage and global outcry has shone the spotlight on the ongoing abuse of these and other human rights abuses in China.

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Forty to fifty retrenched workers in China’s Wuhan province appealed to the municipal government last week and demanded to see the mayor after being refused access to social security.

As they waited outside the venue, dozens of policemen were dispersed to violently disband the appellants, some of whom were blind.

Eye-witnesses revealed that some workers were dragged into the government building, and were brutally beaten.

The petitioners explained that they were made jobless some years ago after a state run local mill went bankrupt and since that time they have been deprived of any reimbursement of social security making it difficult for them to survive.

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The US State Department has reported that after initially refusing China has now given permission for a U.S. aircraft carrier and accompanying vessels to visit Hong Kong for a long-planned Thanksgiving holiday visit.

The USS Kitty Hawk group and its crew of 8,000 airmen and sailors were initially turned away from Hong Kong where they had been expected in on Wednesday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Beijing was allowing the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk and the other ships in its strike group to enter Hong Kong on humanitarian grounds.

China has in the past barred U.S. Navy ships from Hong Kong in fits of pique over disputes in relations. In recent weeks, ties have been strained over disputes on trade and Iran’s nuclear program as well as Congress’s awarding a medal to the Dalai Lama, whom China’s communist government considers an enemy.

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