AsiaCast

Asia Cast for Saturday 27th September

In this Bulletin…

- Toxic Chinese shoes confiscated by Italian authorities
- Philippines hit by twin quakes; and
- North Korea propose talks with South

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China

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Recent coverage by Chinese state controlled media reported that to reduce costs and pass quality checks, milk processors have been adding various chemical additives to milk.

For sterilization, they have added hydrogen peroxide and antibiotics to liquid milk and whey powder. Milk is diluted to 1/50th, with one ton of collected milk producing 50 tons of processed milk.

The chemical at center of the current health scare, melamine, is only slightly soluble, and for it to be added it is necessary to use additives such as sodium citrate, fat and oil substances…etc.

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This year’s 14th strong typhoon, named Hagupit , has landed at the shorefront of Chencun township of Dianbai county at 6:45am on September 24, directly hitting Maoming city.

The local meteorological department recorded maximum wind gusts of 234 kph. Hagupit raged through Maoming with strong winds uprooting and breaking trees everywhere. Residents of high-rise buildings felt them to be on the verge of collapse.

Hagupit is most likely the strongest typhoon to make landfall in Guangdong province since 1996. On the evening of September 23, a typhoon warning was issued to 62 counties in Guangdong province.

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The earthquake affected mountainous region of Sichuan has been struck by flash flooding as a result of torrential rains, killing 16 people with 48 others missing. The rains began Monday night over Mianyang city and surrounding regions, continuing without abating.

Chinese state news reports that over 18,000 people were moved away from affected areas and 2,000 more are waiting to be relocated. The rain and resulting landslides have destroyed 16,000 homes and damaged over 40,000 more.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast
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An anonymous South Korean Defense Ministry official has said that North Korea sent a message late on Thursday proposing talks with the new South Korean government. Government officials in South Korea are currently in discussions on whether or not to sit down for talks.

The proposal comes as a surprise as the North suspended all political ties with the South after a new government was elected with a get-tough on the North policy.

This is the first proposal for talks since the new South Korean government came to power and if they go ahead they will be the first official contact between the North and the South since nuclear disarmament talks last year.

North Korea recently pulled out of a nuclear disarmament agreement that would have seen greater donations of foreign aid. The North has begun reconstruction efforts at the Yongbyon nuclear plant and expelled UN monitors for the site.

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Luzon, the main island of the Philippines has been hit by earthquakes measuring magnitude 5.3 and 6.5, but there have been no reports of casualties or major damage. Both quakes struck around 11am local time and could be felt in the capital Manila.

Dr Renato Solidum, director of the Philippine Institute of Vulcanology and Seismology said that the quakes originated deep in underground and by the time it reached the surface its strength was reduced.

The quake’s epicenter was off the island of Mindoro, south of Luzon. While the quake was coastal, no tsunami warning was issued.

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Italian police have confiscated up to 1.7 million shoes made in China from leather that contains illegal toxic compounds. As a result, 21 Chinese nationals and 7 Italians are being prosecuted for selling counterfeit products and threatening public health.

The leather of the shoes contains illegal hexavalent chromium compounds, which are highly toxic and potentially carcinogenic. The seized shoes were labeled “made in Italy”, even though they were made in China.

The police investigation, named Operation Toxic Shoes, began in May targeting the Tuscany region and has resulted in the seizure of $35 million of counterfeit products.

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“Asia Cast… keeping you across the top headlines from Asia and the World.”