Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Tuesday 21st April

In this bulletin…

- Chinese regime covering-up disastrous economy;
- North and South Korea sit down for brief talks; and
- Researchers hoping to find vaccine for dengue fever.

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China

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Sound of Hope recently interviewed Cheng Xiaonong, an expert on the Chinese economy and chief editor of Modern China Studies.

Cheng discussed the attempts of Chinese Communist Party officials to boost international confidence in the Chinese economy while at the same time actually being on guard against possible large-scale protests being triggered by the economic crisis inside China.

Cheng told SOH, “The National Bureau of Statistics is an economic mouthpiece of the government. Any data that the Bureau releases is only for the purpose of propaganda.”

He indicated that the Chinese economy is already on the verge of collapse, but that the Chinese regime’s deception combined with economists’ lack of courage to speak up has led the outside world to be deceived about the true economic situation in China.

A full wrote-up of the interview is available from The Epoch Times.

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The wife of a prominent activist from Shandong Province is herself being targeted by the authorities following the jailing of her husband, says NTDTV.

Rights activist Chen Guangcheng is behind bars in a Chinese prison for opposing the Chinese regime’s policy of forced abortion. Soon after he was jailed police began showing up at his home, keeping a close eye on his wife, Yuan Weijing, and restricting her. movements.

On Saturday Yuan was prevented from leaving her house to mourn for a relative that had been killed in an accident. She said, “I think the most inhumane thing is that I told them about my family situation, but they still stopped me, and then they laughed loudly, laughed so hard. I could not bear that.”

When Yuan tried to reason with them they turned violent.

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Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan has had to try and dodge a barrage of criticism after apparently suggesting to a business forum in southern China that the Chinese “need to be controlled”.

Chan’s spokesman said the comments were taken out of context and implied the actor was talking about freedom in the entertainment industry, not Chinese society at large.

Chan said on Saturday: “I’m not sure if it’s good to have freedom or not. I’m gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled.”

He also said freedoms enjoyed in Hong Kong and Taiwan made those societies “chaotic”.

Hong Kong’s tourism board said it had received complaints that Chan had tarnished the island’s image. Pro-democracy legislator Leung Kwok-hung told reporters that Chan had “insulted the Chinese people”.

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You’re listening to Asia Cast on the SOH Radio Network

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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Discussions over a joint factory park briefly brought the two Koreas together today for face to face talks. But instead of reaching any agreement over the future of the Kaesong park, friction between the North and South only increased.

The Kaesong park, where South Korean firms use cheap North Korean labour and land to make goods, is the last remaining major area of cooperation between the states technically still at war.

Despite ongoing disagreements and threats about the North restarting its nuclear programme neither state would benefit from seeing the still growing park close.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is due to visit Pyongyang this week. Interfax news agency said he will try to persuade the North to return to the faltering six-party nuclear talks.

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The 32 strong Filipino crew of a Japanese tanker have been freed with their ship after being held by Somali pirates for five months.

The owner of the ship said securing the release was “difficult and protracted”. It is not known if a ransom was paid.

The Philippines is the world’s largest supplier of maritime labour, and about 100 of the 300 sailors currently held hostage by Somali pirates are Filipino.

Somalia has had no stable government since 1991, which has fuelled lawlessness.

The Manila government is banning its sailors working on ships passing through the Gulf of Aden, but many families depend on the money they send home.

Philippine seamen’s groups called the ban ridiculous, saying it is empty rhetoric from a government unable to provide livelihoods at home.

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Scientists are possibly one step closer to developing a vaccine for dengue fever.

The disease is a serious public health issue the the Asia-Pacific region where almost two billion people are at risk. With no specific treatment available against dengue fever, it is regarded as the most widespread tropical disease after malaria.

But if the latest global clinical trials conducted by pharmaceutical company Sanofis Pasteur do produce some results, a vaccine capable of preventing dengue fever might just be available soon.

Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore are all involved in the global dengue vaccine clinical trial conducted by the French drugs company.

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And now for our Shen Yun Performing Arts quote of the day

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The Parade Theatre in Sydney, Australia, was packed for the opening show of the New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts show on Sunday, April 19.

Ms Crowe, a ballet teacher, was in the audience. She said that Shen Yun was something she hadn’t seen before.

Regarding the classical Chinese dance presented in the performances, Ms Crowe thought that it was “very intricate”, and noted that classical Chinese dance had unique moves.

Mr Widerberg, a friend of Ms Crowe who saw the show with her said, “What I liked was the various styles of dancing and the obvious … physicality of the people and their technique – really good.”

SOH is a proud sponsor of the Shen Yun Performing Arts 2009 World Tour. For more information please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

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