Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Monday 22nd March

In this Bulletin…

- Is corruption inflating China’s real estate bubble?;
- Sandstorm hits Taiwan; and
- Japan plans nuclear expansion to meet energy needs.

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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As the Chinese regime’s two major conferences closed on March 14 commentators have noted the absence of policy or action on a number of significant social issues.

Although the high price of housing was critiqued at the annual meeting of China’s Congressional and Political Consultative Conference, it seems that no action has been taken to curb prices.

As Asia Cast recently reported, profiteering by local authorities is partly to blame for the soaring cost of land. Big profits and little regulation mean forced land seizures remain a problem. SOH reporters recently spoke to farmers in Hainan Province who have been fighting for proper compensation for months since their land was taken seized.

You can hear an interview with some of the farmers involved in our Inside China Today podcast.

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Over half of the Chinese people believe commodity prices are ‘unacceptably high’, according to a recent survey released by China’s Central Bank.

The index of current price satisfaction has reached a new 10-year low of just under 26 per cent. Consumers in 50 large, medium, and small cities across China were surveyed about their incomes, jobs, commodity prices, and housing costs in February this year.

As the bubble in China’s real estate market continues to grow, less than one third of those surveyed thought current house prices were acceptable. The rest thought the prices were ‘too high to bear’.

The Epoch Times has taken a more in depth look at what else the survey revealed.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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Hospitals in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, reported a 30 per cent rise in emergency admissions Sunday due to severe air pollution. Most of those admitted to hospital were complaining of eye or throat problems after a sandstorm originating in China blanketed parts of Taiwan.

Hospitals expect the number of outpatients would also increase sharply Monday as a result of the pall of airborne sand hanging over northern Taiwan.

Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration said it was the most severe sandstorm in decades. Dozens of monitoring stations in northern Taiwan had recorded record levels of dust pollution.

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Japan is planning to build at least 14 nuclear power plants over the next 20 years to met its energy needs. The resource poor nation is aiming to reduce its reliance on other countries for energy.

The Nikkei business daily said the government was due to make an announcement on its plans in June.

Japan has few energy resources. It relies on nuclear power from 53 plants for nearly a third of its domestic electricity needs.

The government is looking to build eight nuclear plants by 2020 and at least six more by 2030.

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

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Officials in Afghanistan said 10 people have been killed by an explosion in the south of the country.

The 10 were killed as a suicide bomber targeted an Afghan army convoy in Helmand province. A spokesman for the provincial government said the dead were all civilians. Seven other people were also injured in the attack.

The spokesman said the bomb went off at a bridge after the convoy had passed. The area was reportedly busy with roadside merchants and people celebrating the Nowruz new year festival.

Nato-led forces are currently conducting a major offensive against Taliban insurgents in Helmand province.

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Thailand remained stuck in a political deadlock on Sunday as protesters rejected an offer of talks from the government.

The red shirts, supporters of ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, used their own blood to create a giant piece of protest art.

The blood was the remains of what they had donated and splattered on the prime minister’s house and offices last week.

The red shirts are calling for immediate elections on claims the current government is illegitimate and elite-backed. The protesters say they will only talk to the current premier directly. But the premier wants them to meet with ministers to outline the basis for talks first.

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