A giant fish sculpture made from 2,360 traditional Chinese lanterns and over 2,000 bamboo sticks lights up Hong Kong's Victoria Park in celebration of Mid-Autumn Festival. (By Song Xianglong/The Epoch Times)

In this bulletin:

- Chinese human rights lawyer released,
- Greenpeace highlights China’s toxic produce,
- South Korea pressured over deportations, and
- Asia’s Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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ET-Chinese human rights lawyer Guo Feixiong was released from prison September 13. Although in poor health and weakened by the ordeal of five years imprisonment, he declared himself unchanged in his core.

Prior to his detention in September 2006, Guo was active in the ‘weiquan’ or rights defense movement. The weiquan is a loose collection of lawyers and intellectuals that sought to protect the rights of ordinary Chinese through litigation.

Guo defended poor peasants whose land had been stolen, Christians, Falun Gong practitioners, and others who have suffered under the Chinese regime. He was a close associate of human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who advocated for Guo’s release before Gao himself was imprisoned. Gao’s current whereabouts are unknown.

Guo spoke to The Epoch Times soon after his arrival home in Guangzhou, saying although he was weak and in poor health he would not give in.

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According to an investigation by Greenpeace, there are a variety of banned pesticide residues in the rice, vegetables and fruits sold at Chinese supermarkets.

These substances include highly dangerous chemicals listed by the World Health Organization that can severely affect the human endocrine system, injure the male reproductive system and damage unborn babies.

Between April and July Greenpeace collected and tested bulk rice, fruit and vegetable samples from three chain supermarkets Lianhua, Pufeng Lotus and Legou in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Wuhan, Chengdu and Hangzhou. The samples include 12 rices and 62 kinds of vegetables and fruits. A variety of pesticide residues were found in rice, strawberries, spinach and leeks.

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NTD-A retired school teacher in south China has donated 300-thousand yuan, that’s almost $47,000 US dollars, during the past 25 years to help poor students in his town.

Chen Qixian is 88-years-old and lives in the town of Dapo in Hainan Province. He retired from teaching 25 years ago and has been donating money to help students ever since, keeping only 50 yuan a month, less than $8 US dollars, for his own living expenses.

According to his daughter, Chen has been living off rice and carrots for decades, rather than spending his money on more nutritious food.

Last year, Chen donated 100-thousand yuan to establish the Dapo Education Promotion Association. He also contributed money toward building a library for Dapo Middle School last year.

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SOH takes a look across the wider Asia-Pacific region.

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NTD-As landfill sites are nearing full capacity in China, one Hong Kong company is trying to solve the problem by converting plastic waste into valuable fuel.

Echotech is a recycling company in Hong Kong whose prototype operation processes three tons of plastic waste into roughly 1,000 litres of fuel oil everyday.

Plastic waste unfit for recycling is shredded and fed into Echotech’s million-dollar machine. It is converted into gas in an airtight oxygen-free liquefying chamber. A condenser turns the gas into a liquid and water is then separated from the fuel.

While the sulphur-content of the plastic-made fuel is too high to be used in cars, it is much lower than marine-grade fuel. With the world’s second busiest port full of diesel-powered ships, Hong Kong’s skyline is infamously polluted. The new fuel could help change that.

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Coming up on Asia Cast:

- Crocodiles escape in Thailand flooding,
- Burma slammed over extending photographer’s jail sentence, and
- Monsoons bring more misery to Pakistan’s south.

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

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NTD-A number of crocodiles escaped after flood waters inundated a crocodile farm in eastern Thailand.

Weeks of heavy rains caused massive flooding at the Pattaya Crocodile Farm, a tourist attraction on the coast some 90 miles southwest of Bangkok. The farm houses about 2,800 of the giant reptiles, but it’s not known how many escaped.

Thailand has been battered by heavy rains and flooding since late July resulting in an especially heavy monsoon season. More than half a million people have been affected and about 1.5 million acres of farmland are under water

The country’s meteorological department has warned of more possible flash floods and mudslides in the coming weeks, as heavy rains are expected to continue across Thailand.

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NTD-Calls are coming from the United States and Europe for the South Korean government to stop the deportation of Falun Gong practitioners to mainland China.

On September 6, South Korean authorities arrested two adherents of the spiritual practice. Now one of them is being detained and faces possible deportation to mainland China where the ruling Communist Party persecutes Falun Gong.

New York-based rights group the Falun Dafa Information Center, says South Korea should not deport Falun Gong practitioners to China because of its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Status of Refugees and the Convention Against Torture. Both prevent countries from sending refugees to another country where they face torture or persecution because of their religion or membership of a particular social group.

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ET- Reporters Without Borders said Thursday September 15 Burma added another ten years to the prison sentence of an independent news photographer. The international watchdog said the court decision brought the sentence of Democratic Voice of Burma reporter Sithu Zeya to 18 years in prison.

Reporters Without Borders condemned the move saying recent events show the conciliatory gestures so far taken by this government are just part of a PR strategy. Adding there was no indication the government had any real intention of improving media freedom.

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ET-Still rebuilding after last year’s devastating floods, Pakistan was pounded with another round of heavy Monsoon rains, causing flooding in its biggest city, Karachi, and other areas in the south. The same heavy rains have affected thousands in Thailand as well.

The United Nations estimates that more than 220,000 people have been displaced due to flooding in Pakistan and another 5 million have been negatively affected. At least 200 people have died.

Aid groups say that more than 700,000 families are still living in temporary shelters after they were forced to leave their homes in the 2010 floods that affected the whole country. Since late August of this year, the floods have destroyed or damaged nearly a million homes and inundated 4.2 million acres of land, mostly in the southern province of Sindh.

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On a lighter note.

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ET-The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival was celebrated with joyous festivities throughout Asia Monday September 12, the night when the moon was at its fullest and brightest.

In Hong Kong a huge fish-shaped lantern lit up Victoria Park. Envisioned by local designer William Lim, the lantern sculpture was constructed with the aid of Hong Kong’s unique bamboo scaffolding. The huge sculpture was made from 2,360 traditional Chinese lanterns and over 2,000 bamboo sticks, with small fish-shaped lanterns and water ponds on both sides. High-tech flashing LED lights give added effects, dancing to the rhythm of the music.

In Taiwan a procession of people carrying torches was organized by the Shaoan Hakka people in Shuibiantou Village, Yunlin County. The event started with the main torch lighting, followed by fireworks that set the area aglow with silver lights. Then a procession of over 1,000 people carrying torches and led by thunderous drumming, set off for an exciting nocturnal excursion.

In Malaysia, local Chinese held a lantern parade on the night of Saturday September 10, bringing the bright lights of the Mid-Autumn Festival to Kuala Lumpur. Chinese style dragon and lion dances led the parade, followed by a long line of people holding lanterns.

Ancient legends and traditions about the moon abound in China. Clay rabbit figurines are popular gift items for Mid-Autumn Festival. They represent Grandpa Rabbit, Du Ye Er in Chinese, and originate from the legendary Jade Rabbit pounding medicine on the moon. The rabbit also used to be a mascot of old Beijing.

Visiting the local temple is also an ancient tradition during Mid-Autumn Festival. Around 10,000 people went to the Yonghe Temple in Beijing September 12. When the temple opened its doors at 8:45 am, worshippers rushed inside and filled the entire temple in less than 5 minutes. They held their incense high and bowed to the Buddha, praying for good fortune.

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

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Demonstrating against the communist regime's tyranny, protesters are met by a police blockade in Hong Kong. (Courtesy of NTD Television)

In this bulletin:

- China’s hacker army enters Vietnam dispute,
- Hong Kong angry over Chinese leader’s security,
- Greenpeace investigation details toxic sportswear, and
- Bell rings for peace on Taiwan island.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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ET-News reports in June told of escalating confrontations between China and Vietnam over the sovereignty of some islands in the South China Sea. But the Epoch Times says these reports missed a cyber war that broke out between the two countries.

Armies of hackers from both countries set about hacking the websites of the opposing country. Chinese hackers called it a self-defense attack. They became furious after Chinese media reported Vietnamese hackers had broken into a Chinese website on June 2 and posted provocative messages.

Chinese patriotism had already been inflamed by repeated media reports Vietnam was occupying China’s islands in the South China Sea. After the Vietnamese cyber-invasion Chinese hackers fought what they said was a ‘holy war’ of revenge June 4 and 5. Over 1,000 Vietnamese websites were taken down with Chinese hackers claiming a landslide victory.

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NTD-In Hong Kong anger over high security during Chinese leader Li Keqiang’s visit lasted long after he had left. The League of Social Democrats marched to the police headquarters Monday August 22 criticizing the Commissioner of Police for bowing to the communist regime.

Li Keqiang concluded his three-day visit to Hong Kong Thursday August 18. Although the trip drew several groups of protesters, many say Hong Kong police were out in excessive force to stop them.

Monday night’s protest came after an earlier one Saturday August 30. About 300 journalists condemned Hong Kong authorities for preventing them to freely report on Li’s visit.

Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China. Citizens there enjoy greater freedoms than their Mainland counterparts. But there are concerns basic freedoms are diminishing with Beijing accused of trying to influence the Hong Kong government.

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ET-Greenpeace says it has found traces of toxic and hormone-disrupting chemicals in clothes bearing 14 top manufacturing brands. The new report was released Tuesday August 23 in the Philippines and China, where many of the clothes are made.

These chemicals are known to interrupt biological endocrine functions and harm the reproductive system. They were found in clothing and fabric-based shoes sold internationally by brands such as Adidas, H&M, and Abercrombie & Fitch.

While Beijing has banned the export of clothing containing these chemicals, there are currently no regulations restricting their use in China. Everything tested from Li Ning, China’s leading domestic sports brand was found to be contaminated. Li Ning’s said its products had passed EU standards testing by internationally reputable testing agencies.

The Epoch Times has more on how Chinese brands’ PR teams influences official inspections.

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SOH takes a look across the wider Asia-Pacific region.

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NTD-The sound of peace came from an unusual bell Tuesday August 23. Taiwan’s president called for continued peace across the Taiwan Strait, as he and guests sounded the Peace Bell in Kinmen. The ceremony was part of a series of events celebrating the centenary of Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China.

The bell’s toll marked fifty-three years since the island county came under artillery attack from mainland China on August 23, 1958. More than 480-thousand shells rained down for 44 days. Some of those shells now form part of this bell to mark changed times.

Each year more than a million tourists from the Mainland come to Taiwan through Kinmen Island. The Taiwanese president said Kinmen had transformed from a bloody battle field into the route for cross-strait peace.

Relations between Taiwan and China have been warming in recent times, but the Chinese regime remains set on using force if Taiwan declares formal independence.

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Coming up on Asia Cast:

- Asia’s Economic growth lifts millions from poverty,
- North Korea considering nuclear talks return, and
- Taiwan aiming for regional higher education excellence .

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

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The Asian Development Bank has said more than 245 million Asians were lifted out of extreme poverty in the last five years. That this was achieved during the global economic crisis was credited to the region’s brisk economic growth.

The bank released a report on poverty in the region Tuesday August 23. It said some 150 million Asians escaped extreme poverty between 2005 and 2008, and a further 95 million from 2008 through 2010.

The report said as of last year, the extreme poor, those earning less then $1.25 a day, constituted just under 19 per cent of the population of developing Asian countries, down from from around 27 per cent in 2005.

But despite the dramatic progress the repost said Asia was still home to the largest number of the world’s poor.

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North Korea recently held talks with Russia on Pyongyang’s nuclear programme and economic co-operation. Plans for a Russian gas pipeline that would pass through the North’s territory to reach South Korea were also discussed

Russian media reported North Korea as saying it was ready to discuss ending nuclear tests if six-party talks on denuclearisation resumed. The meeting in Siberia came after weeks of new discussions between North and South Korea nuclear and the United States on resuming formal negotiations on the North’s nuclear programme.

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A new Amnesty International report accuses Bangladesh of conducting hundreds of unlawful killings.

According to Amnesty International Bangladesh’s special police force has been implicated in the killing of at least 700 people. A similar report released by Human Rights Watch in May also documented abuses by the Rapid Action Battalion.

The elite force was established in 2004 as an anti-crime and anti-terrorism unit. It is now highly feared for the high number of deaths occurring in custody.

The Amnesty International report urges Bangladesh to honour its pledge on ending extrajudicial executions. The government has always denied the accusations against Rapid Action Battalion.

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ET-Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan resigned Friday August 26 at a meeting of his party’s executive body. Kan has faced strong criticism for his handling of the nation’s triple crisis.

At the beginning of June, Kan survived a no-confidence vote by offering to resign once the country had overcome its current crises tied to the March 11 earthquake, the accompanying tsunami, and the release of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant damaged by the tsunami.

Kan later clarified his resignation offer by saying he would stay until he saw the passage of three important pieces of legislation. The last of the bills passed August 26, triggering his announcement.

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On a lighter note.

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Taiwan’s government said Friday August 26 it was determined to turn Taiwan into a higher education centre for the Asia-Pacific region. Its aim is to attract foreign talents to study in Taiwan.

Mainland Chinese students will be able to study in Taiwan from September. The government is also hoping to solicit talents from countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and South Korea as well.

Taiwan currently has around 45,000 students from overseas and lags behind much smaller regions like Hong Kong and Singapore. By 2020 it is hoped this figure will have risen to 130,000, 10 per cent of the student body.

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NTD-In east China’s Shandong Province Friday August 26 a sea of clouds put on a rare spectacular sight. The clouds hovered over the famous Mengshan Mountain in Linyi City.

Mengshan Mountain, a famous historic and cultural mountain, has the second highest peak in Shandong. In ancient times, it was regarded as a sacred mountain and sacrificial place of the emperors.

About 7:00am, a sea of clouds emerged in quick succession, among gorges dispersing in and around Mt. Mengshan. The morning sunshine, casting its ray of light on the sea of clouds, created a rare spectacle. The clouds gradually faded away in about two hours.

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

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Up to 50 million farmers have had their lands taken under China's land reform policy. Most are not satisfied with the compensation they're given, according to a recent Chinese think tank study. (The Epoch Times)

In this bulletin:

- Beijing mounts new Xinjiang crackdown,
- Report highlights land reform burden,
- An unlikely education in Taiwan, and
- Smartphone patent battle.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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NTD-The Chinese regime has started August 11, another hard-line security crackdown on ethnic violence in the western region of Xinjiang.

On Tuesday August 16 local authorities said the ‘strike-hard’ operation would run until October 15. Chinese authorities blame Uighur Muslim separatists for recent violence, alleging the Uighur attackers are terrorists who had training in Pakistan.

The World Uyghur Congress informed NTD the Chinese regime is trying to make the global community believe that Uighur Muslims are terrorists to justify their crack down. Adding recent unrest came about because the Uighur Muslims have become desperate, living under the Chinese regime’s brutal rule.

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ET-According to a recent report from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, between 40 and 50 million Chinese farmers have lost their farmland since economic reforms began in the 1970s.

The number is increasing at a rate of three million farmers per year, and will reach 110 million around 2030. The report also states that, while farmland is being lost, there is a serious trend of urban land being insufficiently utilised.

The State Council’s Development Research Centre said since the start of economic reforms to 2003, the Chinese regime has taken over $300 billion US dollars from farmers by expropriating farmland at a low price and then reselling it at a high price.

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ET- The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy reported August 12 on the death of a Tibetan political prisoner due to severe torture.

Thin Lay, a young Tibetan man from Kardze County, was arrested in April 2009 for participating in calls for Tibetan freedom in Kardze. During the seven months imprisonment by Chinese authorities he was severely tortured.

Authorities finally released Thin Lay to his family after he was in a state of physical and psychological debility and near death. Thin Lay died August 10.

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ET-The political chasm separating mainland China from Taiwan sometimes seems too vast to bridge, but a recent curious phenomenon may begin to change that. Chinese mainlanders, who previously had no clue about life on the tiny island, are finding through personal visits that Taiwan’s vibrant democracy may be hope for China’s own future.

Some Chinese tourists even treat Taiwan’s free media as quite the novelty. The Asia Times recently reported anecdotal accounts of Chinese tourists snubbing their day tours in favour of staying in their hotel rooms to watch uncensored TV political talk shows and news reports.

The Epoch Times website details more of what Chinese tourists are discovering on their voyages across the Taiwan Strait.

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SOH takes a look across the wider Asia-Pacific region.

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With some analysts predicting the global smartphone market to top $250 billion US dollars by 2015, it’s easy to see why the legal battle over patents is being hard fought.

Most recently Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC has brought a lawsuit against Apple in the US. HTC is seeking to stop US imports of iPhones, iPads, iPods and Mac computers.

It follows a July ruling by the US International Trade Commission that HTC was infringing two iPhone patents in a case brought by Apple.

HTC, one of the world’s fastest growing smartphone makers, has built its business around Android. With Google’s recent acquisition of Motorola Mobility it gains a patent portfolio. Bernstein Research said could it may help Google protect Android handset manufacturers against litigation from Apple and Microsoft.

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Coming up on Asia Cast:

- Stealth jets Asia’s military must-have,
- Vietnam worried bans Hanoi protest, and
- Ukulele winning Asian fans.

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

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Back with the rest of today’s Asia Cast I’m Rich Crankshaw

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According to state-run news agency RIA Novosti, Russia’s new stealth fighter was unveiled to the public Tuesday August 16 at an air show outside Moscow.

The Sukhoi T-50 is a collaboration between Russia and India and is set to become the newest main plane for both airforces. It is intended to match the US F-22 raptor.

In related news, reports have emerged suggesting similarities between China’s newly developed J-20 fighter and a Russian stealth fighter prototype result from a transfer of technology.

With both sides denying any such transfer took place it is unclear how China produced a plane with similar technology to the never produced Russian Mikoyan stealth jet.

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ET-A close aide of Anna Hazare said Thursday August 18 the figurehead of India’s anti-corruption movement had agreed a police offer which will permit him to go on hunger strike.

New Delhi police detained Hazare Tuesday August 16. The day he was to start a hunger strike unto death or until the Indian government agreed to pass strong anti-corruption legislation.

His arrest sparked widespread rallies. India Against Corruption, the organization behind the protests, reported that 10,000 people joined demonstrations in 20 locations across India resulting in 2,500 arrests.

Hazare had previously vowed to remain in custody in Delhi unless he was permitted to resume the protest. The deal will see him leave prison and go on hunger strike in a park for 15 days.

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Worried about anti-communist sentiment, Vietnam has ordered an end to demonstrations against China in the capital, Hanoi.

Protesters have been gathering in Hanoi on Sunday mornings since June after tensions over territorial disputes in the South China Sea escalated.

But the Vietnamese government said the protests had to stop, because people both inside and outside the country were using the rallies to stir up dissent against communist rule.

Currently China Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan all claim territory in the South China Sea.

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On a lighter note.

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NTD-After a blast of polar weather New Zealand recently saw snow falling to sea level for three consecutive days in Wellington, rare snowfalls in Auckland and a blizzard in Christchurch.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research said Auckland experienced its coldest day since records began in 1961. Wellington Airport recorded its second coldest day there since records began in 1959 and Gisborne also recorded its second lowest temperature since 1940.

The snow caused roads and schools to close, public transport to stop running and power outages to thousands of homes. The freak winter weather was caused by what experts are calling a once in a lifetime storm. Something many New Zealanders hope it true.

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Taiwan’s Bureau of Health Promotion doubled the amount of exercise it recommends for office workers following new research published in the Lancet medical journal.

The article by two Taiwanese scientists published Tuesday August 16 stated a daily 15- minute exercise can lower the possibility of death by 14 per cent and reduce the risk of cancer-related death by 10 per cent.

In response, the Bureau of Health Promotion adjusted their original 8-minute exercise routine target at office workers. The Bureau said new routine emphasizes neck and shoulder movements that will ease the stiffness caused by typing and mouse-clicking.

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VOA recently reported on the unexpected rise of Japanese-American ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro.

Shimabukuro is performing across Japan with a 14-show tour in August and September. At his first performance this month in South Korea, tickets sold for up to $100 US dollars a seat.

The instrument many haven’t take seriously in the past is winning over new fans across Asia with it’s size and simplicity. It’s low cost and cheerful tone may also appeal in the current economic climate.

Sales of the instrument globally are reported to have increased by one-third annually in the past several years.

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

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Participants in a march in Washington, DC in July celebrate 100 million withdrawals from the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations. (Edward Dai/The Epoch Times)

In this bulletin:

- Facing restrictions Chinese journalists blog news instead,
- Movement to quit CCP reaches 100 million participants,
- New Tibetan political head sworn in, and
- Taiwan’s population rapidly ageing.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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ET-Faced with restrictions on permissible reports, Chinese journalists have turned to Sina.com and other blogs to make important stories known.

In the wake of last month’s high speed rail collision in Wenzhou City, the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Propaganda Department issued a ban on all reporting of the incident by independent media.

The ban seems to have been the catalyst for an unprecedented campaign of defiance in China’s mass media. Over one million pieces of relevant news were posted on Chinese blogs, which helped the world learn the facts of the tragedy.

A blogger wrote that though blogging and the Internet have been blocked by some interest groups and the authorities at will, many still believe that the power of networking is unstoppable, and the power of justice is indestructible.

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NTD-Residents in the path of tropical storm Muifa were frustrated by the lack of information after high waves brought on by the storm threatened to cause a chemical spill on China’s east coast.

The port city of Dalian in Liaoning province is home to the Fujia Dahua Petrochemical plant. On Monday August 8, 60-foot-high waves breached a dyke protecting the plant.

Fujia Dahua produces paraxylene, a flammable and carcinogenic liquid chemical. Chinese media reports that paraxylene was stored less than 200 feet from the dyke when the breach occurred. This has worried locals, who say authorities aren’t providing details about whether there’s a leak or health risk.

Staff at the plant reportedly stopped a news crew from state-run CCTV entering the plant Tuesday August 9, striking the reporters and their equipment.

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ET/NTD-A milestone has been reached in China, but not the kind the Chinese Communist Party is celebrating. For the past seven years, a peaceful movement has been steadily growing, a movement that encourages Chinese people to renounce all affiliations with the Communist Party.

Recently, that movement reached the momentous milestone of 100 million participants. Known as Tuidang in Chinese, the movement for Chinese to withdraw from the Party began in late 2004, following the publication of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party by The Epoch Times.

The Tuidang movement is distinctly Chinese in its world view, very different from the Western-style democracy movement of the 1980s or the more recent Charter 08. While implicitly supporting regime change in China, it does not come with replacement political prescriptions. It is understood by both its activists and participants as a spiritual and ethical awakening rather than a political revolution.

It calls for Chinese to make a psychological separation between China’s future and the Communist Party.

(Disclosure note: The SOH Network has an affiliation with The Epoch Times, publisher of the Nine Commentaries editorial series. Our Chinese language sister media the Sound of Hope Radio Network has broadcast the Nine Commentaries into China via short wave radio. This may have had an impact on the Tuidang movement’s spread.)

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SOH takes a look across the wider Asia-Pacific region.

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ET-A Harvard-trained legal scholar was sworn in Monday August 8 as the new head of the Tibetan government-in-exile. He now takes over all political duties of the Dalai Lama.

Lobsang Sangay took the oath of office at a ceremony presided over by the Dalai Lama in India’s Tsuglagkhang Temple, where the exiled government is based.

The new leader promised the gathering of several thousand Tibetans he will fight against Chinese ‘colonialism’. Sangay made clear the struggle itself, however, was against the hard-line policies of the Chinese regime in Tibet, not against the Chinese people or China as a country.

The Dalai Lama has been slowly shedding his official duties since 2001 when the Tibetan prime minister, or Kalon Tripa, was directly elected for the first time, instead of being appointed by the Dala Lama.

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According to Taiwan’s Department of Health the country’s population will be officially considered an aged society by 2017.

By this time 14 per cent of Taiwanese will be aged 65 or older. In comparison it’s estimated the US won’t reach the threshold for more than 70 years

The Department of Health went on to say by 2025 Taiwan will become a super-aged society with 20 percent of the population over 65.

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Coming up on Asia Cast:

- Taiwan researchers develop novel e-paper,
- Australia’s asylum seeker policy under legal spotlight once more, and
- Recycling pays off for Thai artist.

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

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Back with the rest of today’s Asia Cast I’m Rich Crankshaw

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Nancy Wake, one of the most highly decorated Allied secret agents of World War II, recently died in London aged 98.

Wake was once the Gestapo’s most wanted person, known as ‘The White Mouse’ because she was so elusive. She worked for the French Resistance and later the British government.

While she was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia, Wake was trapped in France when the Nazis invaded in 1940.

Australia’s prime minister said Wake was a truly remarkable individual whose selfless valour and tenacity will never be forgotten.

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NTD-Scientists at Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute have developed a new type of rewritable electronic paper that doesn’t require a back light, and therefore electricity, to work.

The researchers said the resolution of their ‘i2R e-Paper’ made it ideal for use in shops and public areas to update signs and posters.

At a recent demonstration, technicians showed off the paper’s printing ability using a thermal printer, the same kind used in fax machines. And with the flip of a switch, the paper can be erased and is ready for reuse.

Another advantage of the i2R e-paper is it can produce blue, red and green colours. An A4-sized piece costs approximately $2 US dollars.

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Australia’s deportation of a boat-load of asylum seekers to Malaysia has been stopped by the High Court.

The Afghan and Pakistani asylum seekers were picked up in Australian waters. They are the first group to be targeted under a new policy dubbed the ‘Malaysia Solution’.

Lawyers for the group of refugees contended their transfer to Malaysia would be illegal. The High Court found there was a sufficiently serious question over the deportation. It ordered such transfers be halted pending a full hearing later this month.

The immigration minister said authorities expected a legal challenge but believe the injunction will be lifted.

Australia currently has more than 6,000 asylum seekers in detention originating from countries including Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.

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On a lighter note.

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NTD-An artist in Thailand is recycling trash to create his very own treasure. From custom built motorcycles to statues of Yoda, Rungroja Saengwongpaisarn, is building works of art using scrap metal from Bangkok’s garbage heaps.

Each day he and his team salvage discarded car parts and household items that are then reused to craft statues, models and even robots.

A one time wood carver, Rungroja began working with metal in 1996 at the request of a patron. Soon enough he fused his passion for conservation with his art and created a distinctive style. Recycling has paid off for the sculptor, whose gallery is filled with works ranging in price from $60 to $40 thousand US dollars.

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A newborn southern right whale and its mother were recently spotted along the coast of New South Wales, Australia. The state National Parks & Wildlife Service said the calf was the first to be born along the state’s coast since 1998.

The pair were seen near Coffs Harbour in the north of the state. Earlier this year two unusually large southern rights were observed off the coast of Sydney. The National Parks & Wildlife Service said one of those would have been the pregnant female.

The sighting is being taken as a sign whale conservation efforts in the region are working.

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

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Native forest, South Esk, Tasmania. An agreement to protect Tasmania's forests was recently reached. (Courtesy of Environment Tasmania)

In this bulletin:

- Chinese media break reporting restrictions over train crash,
- China now cloning entire stores,
- Independent broadcaster safely aboard new satellite, and
- Thailand elects first female prime minister.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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NTD-Since the high-speed train crash in Wenzhou July 23, the Chinese regime’s propaganda department has imposed tough reporting restrictions on the media. The regime is ordering media organizations to only report positively about the incident.

Yet some media organizations are daring not to be censored. One is The Economic Observer. The newspaper published an editorial written as a letter to Yiyi, a young girl who was rescued from the train wreck, allegedly after the search for survivors had officially been called off by authorities.

The editorial is the latest in a string of breaches of the propaganda department’s restrictions on Chinese media. It has since been removed from the Economic Observer’s website.

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NTD-A Shandong province court has rejected an appeal by the lawyer of Chinese journalist Qi Chonghuai.

Qi was jailed for reporting on corruption. Two weeks before he completed his four-year jail term, the same court sentenced him to eight more years in jail.

Human rights advocates condemn the second conviction, saying it’s a violation of Chinese law.

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NTD-In July, Kunming City in Southwest China gained worldwide attention for having not one, but three knock off Apple Stores that looked identical to the real thing. Now, Ikea may be the latest victim to have an entire store cloned.

The ten-thousand square meter, four-story, yellow and blue building looks in every way like a typical Ikea. The Swedish furniture giant has nine stores in China, but this is not one of them. It’s called 11 Furniture, and it’s a complete fake.

Access Asia told NTD almost every foreign brand ever to come to China has been faked. Although the difference with the Apple and the Ikea store is that they are ‘lookie-likies’, not outright fakes. Access Asia said the cloned Apple store sold genuine Apple computers.

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ET-Nearly 50 million people in Guangxi Province are suffering the worst electricity shortage seen in two decades. China Economic Times reported August 2 the Guangxi Power Grid Corporation said the electricity shortage was 30 percent of the total demand, worse than predicted.

Currently, the Guangxi power plants’ coal supply is extremely low and some power plants have already shut down due to lack of coal.

The electricity shortage has caused more than 1,000 factories and businesses to completely or partially shut down. Rolling blackouts have been affecting some rural areas for months.

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SOH takes a look across the wider Asia-Pacific region.

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ET-Taiwan’s largest telecom company has successfully moved independent Chinese television station NTD onto its new satellite. The transfer completes a months-long public relations battle.

The New York-based New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD) announced that its Asia Pacific transmission in Taiwan has been successfully switched to Taiwan’s new Chunghwa Telecom ST-2 satellite August 1.

Chunghwa Telecom initially refused to renew the contract earlier this year, saying its new satellite did not have enough bandwidth. But NTD AP and many of its backers said the refusal was actually about the wishes of the Chinese communist regime. The regime dislikes NTD’s uncensored news programs and has interfered with NTD’s broadcasting for a long time. The regime was thought to have leverage over Chunghwa Telecom because of the latter’s investments in China and future business opportunities in the market.

Commentators said the outcome showed Taiwan’s continued commitment to support freedom of the press.

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Coming up on Asia Cast:

- Japan shakes up energy ministry,
- Taiwan reinforces claim over Dongsha Island , and
- $250,000 lottery ticket survives wash in New Zealand.

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

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Back with the rest of today’s Asia Cast I’m Rich Crankshaw

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Japan indicated Thursday August 4 its three top energy officials would be sacked over the handling of the Fukushima atomic plant disaster. The resulting scandals that erupted over the response to the incident have fuelled public mistrust in nuclear policy.

The ministry in charge of promoting and regulating Japan’s nuclear industry told a press conference there would be a widespread reshuffle.

Reporters were told the changes had been discussed for about a month and would be on a significant scale, although the changes have yet to be officially announced.

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In a historic moment for Thailand’s parliament, lawmakers were voted the country’s first female prime minister Friday August 5.

Yingluck Shinawatra gained support from almost 60 percent of the lower house, reflecting the majority enjoyed by her party and its allies. Her Puea Thai party won a thunderous majority in the July 3 election and enlisted the support of several smaller parties in a coalition.

The political novice faces the challenge of bringing stability to the kingdom after five years of political turmoil since he was removed in a military coup. A royal endorsement is all Yingluck needs before she can officially take power.

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With tensions over sovereignty in the South China Sea continuing to run high, Taiwan has combined wildlife conservation with safeguarding its territory.

Twenty-three college students set off aboard a Coast Guard frigate Wednesday August 3 on a four-day tour of Dongsha Island. The eco camp was designed to educate college students majoring in marine affairs, international relations, and related fields about the island’s ecosystem.

According to the Coast Guard Administration the students will visit the tidal flats, seagrass beds and lagoons in the area. They will also observe how the coast guard officers carry out their daily duties on and around Dongsha Island.

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On a lighter note.

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Australia is close to finally securing the future of Tasmania’s forests. Logging in Tasmania has been a major environmental issue for decades. But recently a government package worth AU$274 million dollars aimed at ending most logging of native forests was agreed.

The deal, which is yet to become legislation, will see logging shifted out of most public native forests, many of which will be protected in national parks, as well as compensation for those forced to leave. While the industry fully supported the deal others were more cautious.

The Australian Conservation Foundation welcomed that money had been put on the table to support Tasmania’s regional communities and a transition to a sustainable timber industry. But along with other environmental groups said what was critical was to now translate the agreement into a fully operational process.

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In New Zealand a four-week-old lottery ticket survived a machine wash to win its Christchurch owner NZ$250,000 dollars.

The lucky winner said he found the ticket last weekend after he washed an old pair of jeans. He said he did not think it would be worth anything, but decided to check it anyway. The self-check scanner wouldn’t read the ticket, but when the store checked they told him he had won NZ$250,000 dollars.

The man said he had just been getting by in the earthquake devastated city since February .

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

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Malaysian police use tear gas against protesters calling for electoral reform in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday July 9, 2011. (James Chow/The Epoch Times)

In this bulletin:

- Beijing’s glory projects turning sour,
- Grow-your-own taking off in Chinese cities,
- Tibetans jailed for celebrating Dalai Lama’s birthday, and
- Malaysia defends heavy handed reaction to protests.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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NTD-A new highway in China’s Yunnan Province collapsed just two days after it opened. The Xinsan highway, stretching some 90 kilometres, is one of the Chinese Communist Party’s glory projects. It was set to be unveiled for the Communist Party’s 90th anniversary on July 1.

But despite warnings from the construction team that they were being rushed, the deadline was absolute. Then heavy storms crumbled the earth beneath the roads, washing a section of it into the valley below, killing two people and injuring two more.

This isn’t the only setback for projects rushed to completion before the July 1 anniversary. The new Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail had its second power failure Tuesday July 12, just two weeks after it was launched.

And the world’s longest sea bridge in Qingdao, also opened for the July 1 anniversary, was criticized after lighting and safety barriers weren’t completed.

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NTD-A recent string of food safety scandals have prompted some health-conscious Beijing residents to boycott the markets and grow their own produce by renting land on local farms.

The owner of one farm told NTD he started offering vegetable plots for rent at the beginning of the year, charging about $300 a year for each space. And so far business is good with 100 plots of land rented out.

One of the farm’s customers said there was no way of telling what had been added to food in the city. But at the vegetable garden the farmer checks before using any fertilisers on the vegetables and is under clear instructions to only use natural plant food.

Many city dwellers now make an hour’s-or-so drive out to their urban farms on the weekends, collecting enough vegetables to last their family through the week.

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NTD-Coming this summer to theatres across China is the state-sponsored movie Beginning of the Great Revival. And by state mandate, it will be a box office smash, making at least US$124 million dollars.

The movie is a commemoration of the Communist Party’s 90th anniversary, but ticket sales aren’t exactly as high as planned. So state-run companies have been required to book entire theatres for their employees and family members to go see it.

Theatres have come up with a creative way to reconcile the movie’s lukewarm reception and with the mandate to sell tickets. They’re putting sales through the computer for Beginning the Great Revival, but then hand writing the titles of popular movies on top.

Even with such creative marketing, though, the movie has fallen short of its desired box office. It’s made only about $50 million since its opening.

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SOH takes a look across the wider Asia-Pacific region.

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ET-Thirteen Tibetans, several of them young, have been sentenced to prison in Sichuan’s Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, west of Chongqing. Their crime: attempting to publicly celebrate the exiled Dalai Lama’s 76th birthday.

The Voice of Tibet reported two of the Tibetans received three-year prison terms from the Intermediate People’s Court. The two are 19-year-olds and had been beaten by Chinese police after their peaceful protest on June 24.

China’s ruling Party regards the birthday as a sensitive date and imposed restrictions on public gatherings in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital. The Tibetan demonstrations seek the return of the Dalai Lama, religious freedom, and Tibetan autonomy. Many Tibetans assert that China is waging a cultural genocide against them.

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Coming up on Asia Cast:

- Malaysia defends heavy handed reaction to protests,
- Taiwanese ethnic group demonstrate seafaring credentials, and
- World’s oldest stone axe unearthed in Australia.

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

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Back with the rest of today’s Asia Cast I’m Rich Crankshaw

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Australia’s quarantine controls have been blasted after 600 tonnes of dirt slipped through their net, it was supposed to be fertiliser.

The fertiliser was ordered through a supplier listed on a Chinese website of accredited companies by a group of farmers in western New South Wales. But because the material was shipped in bags of under 50 kilograms they were not inspected by customs.

It was only when the farmers finally received the bags it was discovered they contained soil. One senator asked if you can put 34 containers of earth through Customs and quarantine that’s actually supposed to be fertiliser, what else can you put through?

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ET-Malaysia Sunday July 10 defended its use of violence the day before to quell demonstrations in the capital.

Police beat protesters, used water cannons and tear gas against protesters calling for electoral reform. The police announced via Facebook over 1,600 people had been arrested.

Reports vary widely regarding how many people participated in the rally. Media reports put the figure at 20,000, while the event organiser, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections said there were around 50,000 people. Police reported that between 5,000 and 6,000 were in the streets.

Human rights groups have condemned the state’s heavy-handed reaction to the protests.

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India’s home minister said Thursday July 14 the authorities received no warnings about the three deadly blasts that rocked Mumbai Wednesday July 13. The home minister added while suspicion fell on a home-grown organisation, no one had yet claimed responsibility and no one had been ruled out.

The attacks at the height of the evening rush hour killed 18 people and injured 131. It was the first major assault in India’s largest city since the 2008 siege by Pakistani gunmen.

The authorities maintain break down in intelligence and security did not contribute to the attacks. But Mumbai residents and some security experts disagree saying the government hasn’t learned from past attacks.

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On a lighter note.

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Researchers in Malaysian Borneo have rediscovered a toad not observed in the wild for decades. Last seen 87 years ago, the Bornean Rainbow Toad was found in forests in the Gunung Penrissen mountain range in Sarawak State.

The scientists said the find was significant because amphibians are indicators of environmental health, with direct implications for human health.

Their research was part of a wider ‘lost’ amphibian search launched by Conservation International and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature last year.

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Members of one of Taiwan’s ethnic minority groups completed Saturday July 16 an 800 kilometre voyage from the southeast coast to the north of Taiwan in a traditional boat.

The trip took 15 days to complete with oarsmen working in shifts of 18 at a time. At 11-meters long, their wooden canoe was the largest balangay built by the aboriginal Tao people of Taiwan’s Orchid Island for 100 years.

Clad in their traditional loincloths, the oarsmen received a warm welcome when they pulled into Taipei Wednesday July 13 some 60 kilometres from their final destination.

The trip was conceived as a way for the Tao to share their culture with the people of Taiwan.

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Archaeologists in Australia the have discovered the oldest ground-edge tool in the world. The basalt axe piece was found in May in Arnhem Land, an isolated Aboriginal reserve in Australia’s Northern Territory.

The stone tool fragment measures 4 centimetres in length and has been radio-carbon dated to 35,000 years old. It is a significant find as it pre-dates the oldest known examples of other ground-edge implements from Japan and Australia by at least 5000 years.

The research was part of a five-year project aiming to discover, document and date art and artefacts in the region. The findings will be published next month in Australian Archaeology.

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The snubfin dolphin (Orcaella heinsohni), just one of the 1,060 new species recorded in New Guinea by the WWF. (Isabel Beasley/Wikimedia)

In this bulletin:

- China slammed for extending journalist’s detention,
- Beijing tested by torrential rain,
- Support keeps independent Taiwan broadcaster on-air, and
- World’s largest tropical island yields new species.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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NTD-Press freedom advocates have criticised the Chinese regime for sentencing a journalist to eight more years in jail. Qi Chonghuai was expecting to be released Saturday June 25 after having served a four-year sentence.

But on June 9th authorities in northeastern Shandong Province extended his term. They found him guilty of the same charges he was accused of four years ago.

After Qi Chonghuai exposed local corruption in 2007, he was convicted of extortion and blackmail. While in prison, he also wrote articles about the ill treatment of inmates, which were published on overseas news services. Qi himself was beaten in prison and forced to do hard labour.

On June 9th, authorities accused him again of extortion and blackmail, plus an additional charge of stealing advertising revenue from a former employer. They found him guilty and extended his sentence to eight more years.

International media advocates have condemned the move.

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NTD-Torrential rains left much of Beijing paralysed Thursday June 23. Residents struggled to make it home, with parts of the subway system closed and treacherous road conditions.

Now Beijing’s construction and drainage system are being criticised as unfit for sudden torrential downpours.

Part of the problem in any city is the more you build and cover the earth with concrete the less water can soak away into the ground, it all quickly flows into the drainage system.

Political commentator Lin Baohua said the problem was symptomatic of the regime’s sub-standard construction methods. He calls it ‘tofu construction’, a popular term for buildings made out of cheap materials that fall easily during natural disasters.

Beijing hasn’t suffered disasters like the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, that collapsed thousands of buildings. But the downpour does pose questions as to whether the Chinese capital’s construction is fit to cope with disasters in the future.

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NTD-A two-month-long exhibition of traditional lanterns recently opened at the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, or Yuanmingyuan to give the gardens their Chinese name

The show features different types and shapes of lanterns amidst a backdrop of lotus flower-shaped lanterns.

Stealing the limelight is a 70-foot-high lotus flower lantern encircled by 56 smaller lotus lanterns. The impressive display is recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Other lanterns are in the shapes of lotus leaves, balls, ships, butterflies, and peacocks. The park also provides various forms of entertainment, such as theatrical performances.

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SOH takes a look across the wider Asia-Pacific region.

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ET-A recent public opinion survey by the University of Hong Kong found that Hong Kong people’s trust in their government, and in Chinese communist central rule, has dramatically declined, reaching the lowest level in years.

The University of Hong Kong conducted the random telephone survey between June 13 and 16, just two weeks prior to the Chinese Communist Party’s 90th anniversary.

Notable is the age distribution in the survey. The younger the group, the less trust they have in the government.

Chung Ting Yiu Robert, the project director of the survey, said in the analysis that people born after 1980 have higher rates of distrust than those born before 1980. Chung said This is likely related to the sentencing in China of Zhao Lianhai, who organized a support group for victims of the melamine-milk scandal, the recent detention of Ai Weiwei, as well as the 22nd memorial of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre.

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NTD-NTD Asia Pacific announced Tuesday June 28 the renewal of its contract with Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom. Signed Monday June 27 the contract ensures that our partner media will continue to broadcast NTD’s programming to the region, and to parts of mainland China.

After two months of negotiations and widespread support from both domestic and international calls, this outcome has been warmly welcomed. NTD Asia Pacific thanked Taiwan’s main and opposition parties for helping secure service with the ST-2 Satellite, which has state protection.

The broadcaster is known for airing news usually censored by the Chinese Communist Party. Even with the contract renewal in hand, the station has appealed for continued support to guarantee its broadcast is free from any signal interference.

Viewers will be notified about how to continue watching NTD Asia Pacific programs, once its signal is transferred to Chunghwa’s ST-2 Satellite in August.

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Coming up on Asia Cast:

- Japan welcomes Taiwanese hospitality,
- New Guinea forests, rivers among world’s richest, and
- Australian ointment could revolutionise snakebite first-aid.

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

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Back with the rest of today’s Asia Cast I’m Rich Crankshaw

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NTD-Mauritania’s government has recently signed a 25-year deal with Chinese fishing company Poly Hon Done Pelagic Fishery.

The agreement will let Chinese trawlers fish in Mauritanian waters, but local fishermen, green activists and opposition lawyers say all it will do to the poor African country is cause more harm than help.

In exchange for access to Mauritanian waters, the Chinese regime will provide a $100 million US dollar investment, which will be used to build a processing factory, a training center for Mauritanians and a traditional boat manufacturing site.

Fishing makes up around ten percent of Mauritania’s gross domestic product and up to 50 per cent of its export earnings. Mauritanians fear their own inferior traditional ships will be in no condition to compete with Chinese trawlers for already scarce fish supplies.

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Taiwan’s Tourism Bureau said Tuesday June 28 an initiative to help Japanese victims of the March 11 earthquake get over their trauma has been warmly received by Japan.

The Tourism Bureau said in Tokyo Tuesday June 28 China Airlines and EVA Air have each offered 250 seats to take Japanese quake victims to Taiwan free of charge. And Taiwan’s hospitality industry has offered 500 hotel rooms to go with the flights.

A large number of Japanese officials and executives attended the Tokyo news conference to offer their appreciation for Taiwan’s the in the aftermath of the earthquake. Many of them said the quake has drawn the Japanese and Taiwanese people closer together.

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On a lighter note.

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ET-A new study from the World Wildlife Foundation reports that 1,060 new species have been identified in New Guinea, the world’s largest tropical island. The study also points out these and other species are at risk, particularly due to logging and clearing forests for agriculture.

Some of the more exotic new species include a one-centimetre-long fanged frog, a blind snake, a snub-fin dolphin, a 2.5-meter-long river shark, brightly coloured snails, and an anteater named after British naturalist Sir David Attenborough.

The World Wildlife Foundation said their research shows New Guinea’s forests and rivers are among the richest in the world. The conservation organisation also noted the island’s forests faced serious threats. But said there was some hope as many oil palm producers in New Guinea are aiming for sustainable certification.

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ET-Researchers in Australia have patented a potentially lifesaving topical ointment that can be used as a first aid treatment for some types of snakebite. The team’s findings were published in the journal Nature June 26.

The ointment causes the lymphatic vessels to constrict. According to the researchers it slows the spread of venoms transported via the lymphatic vessels by some 350 per cent. They also said it has no obvious side effects.

A medical toxicologist quoted in Science Magazine said if the treatment panned out it could revolutionize first aid for snakebite in parts of the world where venom causes paralysis.

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Hong Kong - financial hub of Asia-Pacific and the city you're most likely to find new millionaires in. (By Dennis Wong/Flickr)

In this bulletin:

- China’s economic growth not increased happiness,
- Chinese artist Ai Weiwei released by authorities,
- Hong Kong leads surge in Asia-Pacific millionaires, and
- Australian’s touched by Dalai Lama’s words on compassion and kindness.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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NTD-A letter smuggled out of China has detailed the harassment and beatings suffered by blind Chinese rights activist Chen Guangcheng and his family.

It’s the first contact between the Chen household and the outside world since a video in February documenting the 24-hour surveillance Chen and his family was under.

The letter and video were both received by US-based organization China Aid. On June 15 China Aid received a letter from Chen’s wife that had been smuggled out of China. The letter gives an account of increased persecution the family has been subjected to since the video was released.

China Aid released a YouTube video statement saying they were deeply concerned, adding the treatment of Chen’s family violated Chinese law and also broke the the lowest moral ground of any human being.

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ET-Satisfaction with life for ordinary Chinese has not grown as fast as the economy over the past 30 years.

The results of a survey on the matter, conducted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Capital University of Economics and Business, were published on June 11.

Residents in 30 provincial capital cities in China were asked about their quality of life. A score of 75 and above on the rating scale used indicated basic satisfaction with life . But the average rating given by residents in these cities was just under 50.

According to the business magazine Caijing, about 70,000 households answered questions ranging from the cost of living, the environment, domestic conveniences, and the pace of life.

And you can find out what some residents from the surveyed cities dissatisfied with on the Epoch Times website.

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ET/NTD-Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was released from prison Wednesday June 22 after mounting international condemnation for his detention.

But he declined to answer questions from journalists, apparently a condition of his bail. According to NTD Television Ai, speaking in English outside his Beijing home, said, I’m sorry I can’t talk I am on probation, please understand.

Ai had been detained on April 3 and later charged with tax evasion. But his supporters say Chinese authorities detained him as part of a larger crackdown on dissidents.

Legal and human rights experts attributed Ai’s release to unrelenting pressure from Ai’s artist connections and pressure from the international community. Amnesty International noted Ai’s sudden release came just ahead of a trip by China’s premier to Europe where Ai has strong professional ties and public support.

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NTD-Environmentally friendly residents in China’s southwest city of Chongqing are creating mini-farms on their rooftops.

These green-fingered gardeners are growing organic vegetables and fruits like eggplants, peppers, green beans and balsam pears.

One local resident who grows more than ten varieties of vegetables on his rooftop farm said as well as being a source of food the plants also improved the environment.

A local city lawyer said rooftop space is accessible to all interested gardeners as it technically belongs to all property owners in the building. He advised budding gardeners to get permission from at least half of the owners in the building, before starting a rooftop farm.

The lush greenery on rooftops is creating a splash of colour to the industrial landscape of Chongqing City.

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SOH takes a look across the wider Asia-Pacific region.

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A study said Thursday June 23 the number of millionaires in Asia-Pacific has jumped sharply in recent years. The region has overtaken Europe and is now second only to the US in terms of the number of high-net worth individuals.

The report was released by Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management and consultancy firm Capgemini. It found Asia’s strong growth was led by the number of millionaires in Hong Kong, which grew 33.3 per cent in 2010.

The report said the rocketing number of millionaires in Hong Kong was due to a healthy economy as well as gains in the equities and real estate markets. It also noted the fast growth of Indian millionaires.

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NTD-The death of a five-year-old boy from from scarlet fever Tuesday June 21 was the second fatal case to be reported in Hong Kong this year.

So far in 2011 more than 450 cases have been reported, nearly double the annual average.

Scientists believe the strain of bacteria that killed the five-year-old boy has mutated and is more resistant to antibiotics. Meaning it’s likely to be more contagious.

A high number of cases have also been reported in southern China with nine thousand infected and in Macau with 49.

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Coming up on Asia Cast:

- Indian’s protest Chinese dam project,
- Asia prepares to take on Apple’s iPad, and
- Ancient mural surprisingly cool.

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

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Back with the rest of today’s Asia Cast I’m Rich Crankshaw

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NTD-Members of the protest group Jan Chetna Manch gathered Sunday June 19 in India’s northern city of Allahabad. They’re protesting a Chinese dam project they say could harm their region.

Chinese officials have said they plan to build a hydroelectric power plant and dam up the Tsang-Po River, which is known as the Brahmaputra River in India. The river starts in Tibet, and flows down into India and Bangladesh.

Opponents of the plan are concerned about the environmental impact the dam will have on agriculture and drinking water downstream.

There are also worries the power to control the flow of water into India and Bangladesh would give the Chinese regime a political lever

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Analysts say Asia is emerging as a major battleground in the tablet war as companies from China, South Korea and Taiwan challenge the dominance of Apple’s iPad on features and price.

A key factor in this alternatives to the iPad are available from global brands like South Korea’s Samsung and Taiwan’s HTC, as well as cheaper choices from dozens of smaller firms, many of them from China.

With predictions that Asia will account for up to about a third of tablet sales by 2015, the race for market share is truly on.

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On a lighter note.

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ET-Dating from 147 A.D, Guangsheng Temple near Huoshan Mountain in China’s Shanxi province is renowned for its 13 story Flying Rainbow Pagoda and its Yuan Dynasty murals. Chine’s state-run news agency said a researcher had now found evidence of refrigeration being used to preserve food.

A 670 year-old mural in the temple depicts a splendid mansion and the life within. Drawn on the palace hall’s northern wall illustrate the pleasurable life enjoyed in that era. What is surprising is that under a desk there was a wooden dipper containing fruits, with small cubes of ice placed between the edible delicacies.

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NTD-Thousands recently flocked to the Chenrezig Institute on Australia’s Sunshine Coast to hear the Dalai Lama’s talk about everyday kindness and developing compassion.

The traditional owners of the land welcomed His Holiness to the country. Many came seeking guidance on how to cope with the conflicts in the world and stresses facing humanity today.

Although the Dalai Lama’s visit to the institute was brief, his simple words of wisdom and uplifting laughter will live on in the hearts of many.

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

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