Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Monday 25th January

In this Bulletin…

- Beijing’s response on human rights lawyer’s whereabouts;
- Shen Yun Performing Arts speak on cancelled Hong Kong shows; and
- Burma could release Aung San Suu Kyi in November.

But first we have our Shen Yun quote of the day

[audio]

For more information please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

Our SOH focus on China is next

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First it was internet users who came under pressure from Beijing’s censors, now it’s mobile phone users in China who are feeling the pinch.

China’s largest mobile phone company recently said it is censoring text messages based on a list of keys words provided by public security agencies.

Officially, a mobile user’s text message account may be disabled if the content of a message is deemed indecent or sexually explicit.

But human rights advocates and lawyers in China say the practice is illegal. Many think reason for the censorship is to prevent the public from spreading political messages via their mobile phones.

The Epoch Times has more of the details on this.

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Beijing has issued its first public response on the whereabouts of renowned lawyer Gao Zhisheng. On January 21 the regime said that Gao, China’s most famous human rights lawyer, was where he should be.

Gao’s whereabouts has been the subject of intense inquiry since a Beijing police officer recently claimed Gao went missing in September 2009 while in police custody.

But on January 20 the Sydney Morning Herald quoted an anonymous source who said Gao was still alive and wasn’t missing.

Edward McMillan-Scott, vice chairman of the European Parliament, is among those calling on Beijing to produce Gao and prove that the man known as China’s conscience is still alive.

Read The Epoch Times for more information on this story.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts issued a statement Sunday explaining the circumstances that forced the cancellation of their sold out Hong Kong shows.

On January 21, less than a week before the first show, the Hong Kong Immigration Department refused to give entry visas to seven key production staff.

Hong Kong immigration said the visas were refused as the jobs could be filled locally. Shen Yun Performing Arts said these staff were highly trained in Shen Yun’s specific and demanding artistic requirements. Without them the show cannot go on.

The Chinese communist regime has been seeking to interfere with the company’s performances for years by trying to pressure officials and theatres to cancel their shows.

SOH joins with Shen Yun Performing Arts in expressing regret that the Hong Kong people have had their freedom violated in this way.

For more details on this incident read The Epoch Times coverage or the official statement from Shen Yun Performing Arts.

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

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Japan has said it will now review controversial plans for a new US military base on the southern island of Okinawa.

The announcement follows voters showing their opposition to the plans in a local mayoral election over the weekend.

Japan’s prime minister is trying to recover from a slump in his approval ratings. He said the will of the people was reflected in the victory of a mayoral candidate in Okinawa who opposed the US base.

But the US still wants Japan to press ahead with the new base as Washington looks to realign its military presence in Japan.

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Burma has announced that pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi will be released when the term of her house arrest ends in November.

The ruling military junta has kept Suu Kyir under house arrest for about 14 of the past 20 years. In May, she was tried on subversion charges and given another 18 months under house arrest after an American man sneaked into her home uninvited.

Suu Kyi has appealed her latest sentence to the Supreme Court in Yangon. The court is due to decide whether to proceed with the case in the next few weeks.

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