Asia Cast

Asia Cast for Wednesday 2nd December

In this Bulletin…

- China to allow limited business partnerships for foreigners;
- 25 million in India have mobile phones blocked; and
- New Zealand spam king faces $15 million dollar fine.

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China
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Beginning in March of 2010, foreign firms and individuals will be allowed to set up limited partnership businesses in China.

Although it is considered a move that could make it easier for some overseas investors to tap the domestic market, it remains unclear how far-reaching the rule change will be.

The Chinese regime has stated that this would not apply fully to investment oriented partnerships in China allegedly because China lacks the knowledge regarding the amount of risk involved for foreigners.

At present, only Chinese investors in onshore Yuan funds can opt for the limited partnership structure, which offers tax advantages and caps liability.

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NTDTV reports that satellite interference, which blocked broadcast of Taiwan partner NTD APTV’s satellite signal, was identified as Chinese Home Theatre, APTV technicians found.

From mid-September to October, NTDTV’s ST-1 satellite signal over Taiwan and southern China was blocked; first for a few hours and then for an entire day on China’s national day, October 1.

Chunghwa Telecom Company, owners of the ST-1 satellite have yet to explain the Chinese Home Theatre channel signal block.

Although, Taiwan’s regulatory National Communications Committee has held two meetings seeking answers, they will be calling a third meeting to compare data provided by Chunghwa Telecom and NTDTV.

For more on this, visit NTDTV.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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In a huge effort to tighten mobile phone security, India telecom ministry officials have blocked 25 million Chinese-made cell phones that lack an identification number which allows calls to be traced.

All services were banned to low-end Chinese phones without a 15-digit International Mobile Equipment Identification number.

The Indian government also launched an investigation into the use of the low-end Chinese phones in border areas because of fears that national security may be jeopardised.

The untraceable phone users have a two week deadline to switch to a valid handset or they can purchase an ID number for 4 US dollars.

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United States President Barack Obama has ordered the deployment of 30,000 more US troops to be sent to Afghanistan in the next six months, which will bring the amount of US troops in Afghanistan to over 100,000.

Mr Obama said that world security was at stake and urged America’s allies in NATO to also send more troops.

He claimed that the aim behind the 30 billion US dollar surge was to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Mr Obama also projected that after 18 months US troops will begin to go home.

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

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It is the second time that Australia’s senate has rejected their Prime Minister’s bill on the government’s flagship climate change policy, not securing passage of the Emissions Trading Scheme to reduce greenhouse gases.

The vote came a day after the opposition Liberal Party ousted leader Malcolm Turnbull, who had promised to back the bill.

The bill is expected to be resubmitted next year.

The Emissions Trading Scheme is part of a package aimed at reducing Australia’s carbon emissions by up to 25 per cent below 2000 levels by 2020.

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New Zealander Lance Atkinson has been fined 15million US dollars by a US court for sending billions of illegal e-mails which marketed prescription drugs and weight loss pills.

Atkinson and his gang known as Herbal King deceptively marketed unsafe and unapproved drugs on the internet which they claimed were generic versions of licensed medications.

Active since 2005, the Herbal King gang were named the number one worst spam gang on the internet, and may account for one third of the world’s junk e-mail.

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