AsiaCast

Asia Cast for Thursday 12th November

In this Bulletin…

- China’s oppressive security monitoring draws criticism;
- Beijing berates India over Dalai Lama visit; and
- Australian PM makes Remembrance Day visit to Afghan troops.

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China

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The Chinese regime is using the city of Shenzhen in Guangdong Province as a testing ground for a huge surveillance network, The Epoch Times reports.

Around 800,000 surveillance cameras now watch Shenzhen’s 12 million residents, an average of one camera for every 15 people. The extensive camera network is the latest component of the regime’s Golden Shield Project. A high-tech surveillance and censorship program operating nationwide.

According to a report from the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, the project aims to integrate a gigantic online database with an all-encompassing surveillance network.

Misuse of Shenzhen’s camera system and invasions of privacy have already drawn criticism.

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Community representatives have been quick to respond to the approval for a Disney theme park to be built in Shanghai, reports NTDTV.

China’s National Development and Reform Commission approved the development last week. It will be built on a two square kilometre site in Shanghai’s eastern Pudong District. Residents are worried about compulsory relocations.

The League of Chinese Victims says similar mass relocations were carried out to make way for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. The community group said residents were inadequately compensated and were subjected to violent forced demolitions.

Chairperson of the League, Shen Ting, has urged Disney to oversee the relocation process to ensure residents’ rights are not violated.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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Beijing has criticised India for allowing the Dalia, Lama to visit a town in India’s northeastern Arunachal Pradesh state.

Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader arrived in the remote town of Tawang on Sunday. He is planning to stay in the region for a week.

India’s governance of Arunachal Pradesh has long been under dispute. The two countries fought a border war over the region in 1962. The Chinese regime considers it strategically valuable and part of southern Tibet.

A local resident called Sonam told NTDTV the town’s residents were very, very happy and felt that God had arrived in their town.

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Taiwan has officially complained to Singapore over the exclusion of its delegate from a ministerial breakfast meeting at this year’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

Singapore Foreign Minister George Yong-Boon Yeo invited the foreign ministers from the forum’s member economies to a breakfast meeting Wednesday. But the Taiwan delegate was excluded.

The official, who asked not to named, said that Taiwan immediately lodged a protest with the Singapore government.

Pressure from China has meant Taiwan has never been represented at the informal foreign ministers’ meetings. This situation has not changed despite the improvement in relations between Taipei and Beijing.

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

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US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said yesterday that an American envoy will go ahead with a landmark trip to North Korea despite a naval clash between the reclusive state and South Korea.

Speaking at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Singapore Clinton told reporters that the US was hoping the clash would not escalate.

South Korea Wednesday sent two more warships to guard its disputed Yellow Sea border with North Korea, military sources said, a day after a North Korean patrol boat was set ablaze in an exchange of fire.

She said sending Ambassador Stephen Bosworth to North Korea was an important step that still stood on its own.

Clinton renewed US demands for North Korea to end its nuclear drive.

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Kevin Rudd, Australia’s prime minister, surprised Australian troops in Afghanistan with a Remembrance Day visit.

Australia has about 1,500 soldiers in Afghanistan. The constitute the largest contribution of any country outside NATO.

Details of Mr Rudd’s whereabouts have not been released, but most Australian troops are in southern Uruzgan province training an Afghan army brigade.

An extra 450 troops were sent to Afghanistan in April. Mr Rudd has repeatedly said Canberra must keep troops there until the threat of terrorism is halted.

But opinion polls have consistently shown the war is unpopular among many Australians.

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