Asia Cast

Asia Cast for Saturday 21st February 2009

In this bulletin…

- Human rights not a priority on US Secretary of State’s Beijing visit;
- Chinese regime attempts to boycott Divine Performing Arts in Germany; and,
- Australian author returns home after being deported from Thailand.

But first here’s our SOH focus on China
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A growing number of migrant workers are resorting to begging for food after being unable to find work in Shanghai.

Local resident Mr Du said China’s reform and opening up to the outside world is false. He says due to graft practices in the local government many issues go unresolved and it’s migrant workers, among others, that suffer.

He said the issue of migrant workers begging for food would not mean anything to local Party officials as it doesn’t affect them making money.

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After last year’s slogans, “getting some soy sauce” and “doing push-ups,” Web users in China have found a new catchphrase for 2009: “playing hidden cat,” or what the English-speaking world calls “hide and seek.”

The phrase came about after a young man died of brain trauma four days after being admitted to hospital. He was allegedly killed by another patient while playing ‘hidden cat.

The phrase has since spread all over China’s internet.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast
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China’s third and fifth largest steel makers are shopping for iron ore mining stakes in Australia and Brazil, executives said in interviews.

China plans to spend more foreign exchange on imports and acquisitions. The State Administration for Foreign Exchange said today it will make it easier for companies to purchase foreign-exchange for their overseas investments.

Australia already has signalled concern that China is buying strategic assets on the cheap.

Treasurer Wayne Swan last week tightened takeover laws when Chinalco announced its investment in London-based Rio Tinto, the world’s third-largest mining company.

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Hilary Clinton shocked human rights watchdog Amnesty International when she told Korean press human rights would not be a priority on her visit to Beijing, reports the Epoch Times.

The US Secretary of State said that her top priorities will be addressing the global economic crisis, climate change and security challenges such as the North Korean nuclear program.

“The United States is one of the only countries that can meaningfully stand up to China on human rights issues”, said the Amnesty International advocacy director for Asia and the Pacific, T. Kumar.

“But by commenting that human rights will not interfere with other priorities, Secretary Clinton damages future U.S. initiatives to protect those rights in China.”

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The Chinese communist regime has once again attempted to pressure local governments to deny the Divine Performing Arts, this time in Frankfurt, Germany, reports the Epoch Times.

The International Association for Human Rights (IGFM) said that Chinese consulate representatives contacted the State of Hessen’s Chancellery and the consular corps on January 6, urging them to boycott the show.

The two Frankfurt shows are this Saturday and Sunday and are the first performances of the Divine Performing Arts’ European tour.

Falun Dafa Association chairman in Germany Man Yan Ng said he was not surprised about the consulate’s action, and said the event helped people to see the Chinese Communist Party’s manipulative nature.

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Melbourne author Harry Nicolaides is back on Australian soil, and thankful for it.

Mr Nicolaides had a tearful reunion with family on Saturday afternoon. He had been deported from Thailand overnight after being released late Friday from jail where he had been sentenced to six years behind bars for insulting the Thai monarchy.

Speaking to reporters at Melbourne airport after touching down around 1:30pm (AEDT), he thanked the Australian people for their support and the media for helping to get him released.

His father said he was delighted to have his son back. “It was a living death but now I feel I have come alive again,” he said.

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And now for our Divine Performing Arts quote of the day.
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Mr. Shigihara, a professor and well-known theatre and music critic attended the DPA show at Umeda Arts Theatre in Osaka on February 18, 2009.

Mr. Shigihara enjoyed the show, finding it a “unique and profound” experience.

“This theme is conveyed very clearly. The show revitalises the Tang Dynasty as an ideal period in history. The visual effect was very powerful, and the dances were also extremely clear,” he said.

To find out when the Divine Performing Arts is coming to your country, visit www.divineshows.com.

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