Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Sunday 8th November

In this Bulletin …

- Man dies in China while in police custody;
- Taiwan officials demand explanation over disruption of NTDTV signal; and
- US envoy says ties could improve in Myanmar.

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China
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A 38-year-old man in China was dead within two hours of being detained at a local police station.

Eight police officers arrived at Jiang Ming’s home in Qindao City, Shandong Province.  They took him to the Badaguan Police Station to sign documents relating to an incident from 2006 that had never been closed.

According to his wife, Gao Lianqiao, when she saw her husband badly injured at the police station, she urged them to take him to a hospital. Minutes later, he died.

Suspecting he was tortured to death, Jiang’s family have been appealing to various government departments.

For more on this story visit The Epoch Times.

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A two-day international conference is being hosted by China to co-ordinate anti-piracy escorts for cargo vessels in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia.

Representatives from Russia, Japan, India, the EU and Nato are focusing on how best to co-ordinate their navies in the escort missions.

It is an indication of how deeply China is getting involved in the operation.

The Chinese were cautious when they first joined the escort mission in the Gulf of Aden. But their co-operation, according to EU officials, has far exceeded expectations.

Their warships have escorted more than 1,000 merchant ships through the shipping lanes.

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Anti-dumping tariffs of up to 99 per cent on imports of Chinese tubular goods have been imposed by the US Commerce Department.

The department alleged China had been selling its oil well pipes at prices that were much lower than normal.

The announcement is the latest in a series of trade disputes between the US and China, which called the move an abuse of protectionist measures.

The move comes 10 days before President Barack Obama is due to make his first visit to China since taking office.

He will be in China from 15-18 November.

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The broadcast signal from New Tang Dynasty Asia Pacific Television, or NTD APTV, in Taiwan was disrupted for 15 days in the run-up to the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China last month.

Chunghwa Telecom, who operates the satellite NTD APTV broadcasts on, was supposed to present a detailed report about the incident on October 29. But they claimed they were unable to find the source of the disruption.

Later it was found that a signal called CHT, appeared on the broadcast at the same time as the disruption.

Media expert Yang Hsien-hung says it suggests that Chunghwa itself may have caused the disruption.

For more on this report visit NTDTV.

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Days before President Barack Obama visits Tokyo, thousands have rallied against a US military base on Japan’s Okinawa Island.

Local opposition has often flared against the large US military presence on the southern island, strategically located within easy reach of China, Taiwan and North Korea and dubbed the United States’ unsinkable aircraft carrier.

In a new development Japan’s foreign minister has said that Tokyo’s decision on relocating the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Base could be delayed till next year.

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A rare trip to Myanmar by one of two US officials said that the United States was willing to improve relations if that  nation’s ruling military junta takes solid steps towards democracy.

Scot Marciel, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said Washington would maintain economic and political sanctions against Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, but that the purpose of the trip was to explore more positive ways to reform the isolated Southeast Asian nation.

They did not speak, however, with Myanmar’s dictator, Senior General Than Shwe.

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“Asia Cast … Keeping you across the top headlines from Asia and the world.”