Asia Cast

Asia Cast for Tuesday 24th November

In this Bulletin…

- Worries after Chinese expert speaks out over H1N1;
- South Korean scientists in bio-plastic breakthrough; and
- Reporters Without Borders condemns Philippines murders.

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China
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The announcement by a medical expert that Chinese authorities are deliberately underplaying the number of H1N1 related deaths has got many worried.

Zhong Nanshan also spoke out against the official party line during the SARS epidemic. His actions helped expose the severity of the crisis.

Zong has predicted 10 to 20 per cent of China’s population will become infected with the H1N1 virus.

Andrew Cheng, who also investigated SARS, said it was common for the regime to conceal negative information. He appealed to the World Health Organisation to take responsibility in monitoring the epidemic in China.

A member of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council said Zhong’s statement was concerning. They added that if the situation were not that serious, Zhong would not have spoken out in the way he has.

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There have been scuffles between police and relatives of coal miners killed by an underground explosion in northern China.

Over 100 miners are now known to have died in Sunday’s gas blast. Hopes that any more survivors would be found alive have faded.

It has emerged that the operators of the Xinxing pit in Hegang City, Heilongjiang Province failed to evacuate workers fast enough after dangerously high gas levels were detected in the mine.

A dozen women, relatives of the dead, went to demand answers from the mine’s owners on Monday. They argued and scuffled with police and security personnel outside the entrance to the mine.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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China and North Korea have reaffirmed their their long-standing military alliance.

The Chinese Defence Minister, Liang Guanglie, is visiting North Korea two weeks before the US North Korea envoy, Stephen Bosworth, is due to visit.

North Korea’s neighbours and the US are trying to re-start talks on the ending of Pyongyang’s nuclear programmes.

China has been a firm ally of the North since the Korean War. But, Beijing does seem willing to press Pyongyang on the issue of the six-party talks. In part, because of safety fears should the North Korean state collapse.

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Scientists in South Korea have developed a way of bioengineering the polymers used for everyday plastics without using chemicals derived from fossil fuels.

It is believed that the technique may now allow for the production of environmentally-friendly plastic that is biodegradable and low in toxicity.

The team developed a much more efficient way of producing polylactic acid using a specially engineered strain of the E. coli bacterium. Professor Sang Yup Lee said the a bio-based polymer was a good alternative to petroleum-based plastics, as it is both biodegradable and has a low toxicity to humans.

The research team from KAIST University in Seoul and the Korean chemical company LG Chem published their findings in the journal Biotechnology and Bioengineering.

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

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Reporters Without Borders have condemned a massive act of violence in the Philippines resulting in the murder of more than 30 people. At least 12 of the dead are journalists.

The press freedom organisation said the victims were massacred on the southern island of Mindanao. Some of them had been beheaded.

The organisation said mostly unidentified armed men, including two policemen, appeared to be responsible. Some of them have been linked to the province’s governor, a supporter of Philippine President Gloria Arroyo.

The Epoch Times has more on this story.

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Hundreds of people have been rescued from the sea after a heavily-loaded ferry sank off the coast of Indonesia in bad weather and high waves.

Officials said over 240 people survived the accident. At least 29 people died and 17 others are missing.

The numbers suggest the ferry was carrying more than its capacity of 273 people.

A navy spokesman said it was not clear whether anyone was still inside the ferry, which was now completely submerged.

Ferry accidents linked to over-crowding and poor vessel maintenance kill hundreds of passengers in Indonesia each year.

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