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.

**********************

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

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.

**********************

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

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.

**********************

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

Three Gorges Dam infographic. (Created by GDS Inforgraphics for Infrastructure MENA)

In this bulletin:

- No justice for China’s toxic-milk victims,
- Three Gorges Dam should be dismantled,
- Talks stall on independent Taiwanese TV broadcaster, and
- Retirees volunteer for Japan nuclear clean-up.

But first our SOH focus on China.

**********************

Following the recent revelation of a secret compensation fund set up after the 2008 melamine tainted milk scandal, SOH spoke to some victims’ families.

Under the regime’s guidance, China’s dairy industry association established a medical compensation fund managed by China Life Insurance Company. But this fund was deemed a state secret.

The parent of one victim told SOH they got to know a lot of families whose children developed kidney stones from the toxic milk. They said none of them had heard about this multi-million dollar compensation fund.

Several parents of affected children told our Chinese reporters all the authorities had offered them was 2000 yuan, about $300 US dollars. And only then if they agreed to waive their right to sue those responsible.

SOH also learned that children with small kidney stones were being given the all clear to keep the number of victims as low as possible.

Reported by Qin Yue and Yu Ming for Sound of Hope Radio.

**********************

ET-According to a hydrology expert quoted by the Epoch Times, China’s Three Gorges Dam is a huge failure and should be dismantled.

The massive 17-year project on the Yangtze River displaced at least 1.4 million people. It was intended to control and harness China

Monks in Central Java, Indonesia praying before Vessak Day 2010. (By Hermitiana P Putra/Flickr)

In this bulletin:

- Truth of Sichuan Earthquake reconstruction revealed,
- China’s secret toxic milk compensation fund,
- Taiwan’s politicians ignoring China investors plight, and
- Buddhists celebrate Vesak Day.

But first our SOH focus on China.

**********************

ET-On the third anniversary of the deadly May 12, 2008 earthquake hundreds of thousands of people returned to the ruins of their former homes in Beichuan, Sichuan Province, to mourn the loss of their loved ones.

While still struggling with the disaster trauma, survivors said the government

Artists protest during a march to demand the release of detained prominent Chinese artist Ai Weiwei in Hong Kong on April 23. Armed with banners, posters, masks and various musical instruments, over 1,000 protesters walked across the city's down town district of Tsim Sha Tsui. Ai Weiwei remains missing after being intercepted by government officials in Beijing April 3. (Pan Zaishu/The Epoch Times)

In this bulletin:

- Beijing’s lawyer crackdown continues,
- Chinese consumers latest food safety worries,
- Hong Kong rally for Ai Weiwei, and
- Japan marks 25^th Chernobyl anniversary.

But first our SOH focus on China.

**********************

A well known Beijing lawyer has been charged with obstructing a witness for a second time just weeks before he was due to be released from an 18 month sentence handed down on the same charge.

Li Zhuang’s case has caught the attention of many other Chinese lawyers and legal scholars. A noted lawyer from Hebei Province, Yang Jinzhu attempted to attend the trial but was refused despite the only requirement to attend a hearing being a valid ID card.

Another lawyer told SOH Chinese reporters Yang was besieged by more than 40 people in what was clearly a pre-arranged attack as he got off his flight in Chongqing City.

The bailiffs that should have protected Yang stood aside after plain clothes security personnel spoke to them leaving Yang trapped for 10 minutes.

Reporting by Yan Ning and special correspondent Chang Chun for the Sound of Hope Radio Network.

**********************

NTD-Food safety remains a major issue in China, as authorities find more toxic milk powder in the country’s south. This time, 26 tons of melamine-tainted milk powder was seized from the warehouse of an ice cream maker.

Infant formula containing melamine, a chemical used to make plastic, killed at least six babies in 2008. The chemical is used to boost apparent nutritional content of watered-down milk

Authorities have vowed to step up regulations and inspections. But, products like drug-tainted pork and old bread treated with dye have left consumers anxious about the foods they eat.

**********************

ET-Several weeks after the disappearance of Ai Weiwei, people around the world are speaking out on his behalf. In Hong Kong thousands staged a protest march demanding the immediate release of the world-acclaimed Chinese artist and rights activist.

Many people showed up in creative costumes and masks and brought along expressive artwork, posters and banners, as well as gongs and drums. Banners displayed slogans asking for freedom of artistic expression and human rights.

Hong Kong event organizers, a coalition of artists, said about 2,500 participated in the April 23 march.

**********************

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

**********************

ET-According to an Epoch Times report, the social and environmental damage caused by unaccountable Chinese state-run companies had created a massive and deepening hatred within Burmese society.

Human Rights Watch said that China’s energy policies in Burma undoubtedly contribute to human rights abuses.

In recent years a large influx of cashed-up entrepreneurs have crossed to northern Burma from China’s southern Yunnan Province. Burmese in exile media sites are documenting China’s expanding economic footprint and political influence upon the country.

**********************

ET-As part of the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster protesters in Japan held candles outside Tokyo Electric Power Company’s headquarters Tuesday April 26.

A few weeks into the Fukushima nuclear crisis that started over six weeks ago now, Japan’s prime minister said the island nation needs to revise its energy generation plan.

The plan, presented last June, originally aimed for nuclear power to supply 50 per cent of the nation’s energy needs by 2030, up from 29 per cent in 2009. There is now the possibly that at least some of planned nuclear plants will be replaced with with expensive solar panels.

Even though the anti-nuclear movement is growing in Japan and around the world in the wake of the world’s biggest nuclear crisis since Chernobyl, analysts say that solar power is still too expensive to flourish in the market without subsidies.

**********************

Coming up on Asia Cast:

- Cambodia, Thailand truce soon broken,
- Tibetans elect new political leader, and
- Southeast Asian Games mascot launched.

**********************

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

**********************

Taiwan said Tuesday April 26 it’s aiming to more than triple the country’s capacity for generating electricity from renewable sources by 2030. The announcement comes amid increasing public concerns over nuclear safety.

The government said it’s aim was to increase the percentage of renewable energy in it’s overall power-generating capacity from 6 percent to 19 or 20 per cent by 2030.

But nuclear power still remains an option as it’s viewed as an energy source that can reduce Taiwan’s carbon footprint.

**********************

After a brief ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand broke down, Cambodia Friday April 29 requested the World Court clarify a 1962 ruling on an ancient temple.

It was hoped the ceasefire reached Thursday April 28 after a week of clashes would end the deadliest border dispute Southeast Asia has seen for years. These hopes suffered a blow when fighting resumed.

The current clashes have mainly been centred around two temple complexes some 150 kilometres west of the ancient Preah Vihear temple site.

Each side blamed the other for starting the conflict, which threatened to disrupt elections in Thailand, and raised doubts about Southeast Asia’s ambitions to form an EU style community by 2015.

**********************

NTD-Tibetan exiles living in India elected a Harvard law scholar as their political leader Wednesday April 27. The new leader is likely to bring in a more radical government-in-exile to challenge China.

The new Prime Minister, 42-year old Lobsang Sangay, received 55 perc ent of the total electorate, beating two other secular candidates. The handover of power will give the prime minister’s role greater clout as the region seeks autonomy from China.

Last month the Dalai Lama said he would relinquish the four-century old tradition of power in favour of a leader elected by Tibetan’s themselves. He remains Tibet’s spiritual leader.

**********************

NTD-New Zealand’s defense minister met his South Korean counterpart in Seoul Tuesday April 26 to boost bilateral military relations.

The minister arrived in South Korea Saturday April 23to attend a memorial service for the soldiers of the British Commonwealth of Nations during the Korean War and to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Imjin River and Gapyeong battles.

About 95-thousand soldiers from the U.K., Australia, Canada and New Zealand were engaged in the 1950-53 Korean War, leaving 7,500 dead, injured or missing.

**********************

On a lighter note.

**********************

NTD-The mascot for the 2011 Southeast Asia Games was launched at the Beautiful Miniature Park of Indonesia in Jakarta Monday April 25 amid a night of singing and dancing.

The mascot for Southeast Asia’s biggest sporting event was revealed when a Komodo dragon doll walked slowly toward centre stage in the middle of the show.

The Komodo dragon mascot named “Modo” for male and “Modi” for female, is an animal native to Indonesia. The Komodo dragon is also the largest lizard in the world.

The Games will be held from November 11 to 25 in Jakarta and Palembang. The event features 43 sports and will be attended by athletes from 11 countries across the region.

**********************

Blooming straight after the better known cherry blossoms, Tokyo’s azeleas bring another splash of colour to springtime in the city.

With the Japanese being urged to restrain themselves from the normal festivities during the cherry blossom festival, the azalea festival brings an array of colour to sooth weary hearts.

Bunkyo Tsutsuji Matsuri is the famous Tokyo azalea festival at Nezu Shrine in Bunkyo-ku. From April 9 to May 5 visitors can enjoy the shrine’s vast peaceful garden complex which is planted with around 3,000 trees of some 50 different types of azalea.

**********************

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

Cinderella Castle at Tokyo Disneyland. The theme park re-opend this week due to popular request. (By vita/Flickr)

In this bulletin:

- China’s shady medical blackmarkets,
- Vietnamese still held over China shortwave broadcast,
- Petitioners rebut claims China improving human rights, and
- Australian children’s surprising second language.

But first our SOH focus on China.

**********************

An SOH Chinese reporter recently looked into the shady world of China’s illegal trade in kidneys for transplant operations.

Following up on a story about a young man from Hunan Province selling a kidney to pay-off gambling debts the reporter found numerous websites offering transplant organs.

Organ dealers openly operate online sales and advertising and maintain good relationships with hospitals. Due to their cultural beliefs, few Chinese are willing to donate a kidney if a relative needs a transplant. But one dealer said since many people had financial difficulties there was an abundant supply of kidneys.

The organ dealers our reporter spoke to said a donor received around $6,000 US dollars while the recipient would have to pay ten times that amount.

Interviewed and reported by Tang Li with special correspondent Xiong Bin for Sound of Hope Radio.

**********************

According to a survey by Chinese media the shortage of blood donors in China has created a black market in blood stocks ruled over by so called blood lords. Their rampant profiteering is spreading AIDS among China’s poorest.

The lack of blood supplies in Beijing and other populous cities has been a problem for some time. The introduction of reportedly arbitrary donation quotas on local authorities to meet the demand for blood was quickly exploited.

The blood lords took advantage of the fact some village committees were willing to buy blood to meet their donation quotas. They organised college students, migrant workers and even farmers in Hebei Province to sell blood, making a huge profit from it in the process.

One villager who spoke to SOH Chinese reporters said a lot of villagers from his home town had been infected with AIDS from selling their blood. But he said many were still doing it because the are so poor and in urgent need of money.

Reported by He Wen with special correspondent Xiong Bin for Sound of Hope Radio.

**********************

China’s netizens have widely criticised the grand mausoleum built for the former Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee after photographs of it appeared online.

The tomb of Hua Guofeng has been likened to the royal mausoleums of China’s ancient emperors. It took 3 years and around fifteen of million US dollars to build.

Internet users from mainland, China said the tomb was another vanity project, and the officials involved would have been able to garner huge construction commission fees for awarding contracts.

Reported by Tang Li with special correspondent Xiong Bin for Sound of Hope Radio.

**********************

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

**********************

ET-There is still no news on when or if the postponed trial of two Vietnamese arrested for broadcasting programmes from the Chinese version of the SOH Network into China.

Both men are Falun Gong practitioners and were broadcasting programming about Falun Gong and its persecution inside China. They were arrested in June 2010 for making their shortwave broadcast from outside Hanoi into China.

The official indictment, obtained by The Epoch Times newspaper, indicates that the two were arrested at the urging of the Chinese regime.

The plight of the men has been championed by media watchdog and human rights groups, with Reporters Without Borders and the Falun Dafa Information Center publishing articles about their case. In addition, media around the world have begun to cover the case, with stories by Associated Press, AFP, and Radio Australia.

Vietnam, in prosecuting the two of them, is caught between the conflicting demands of a Chinese regime that has sought to eradicate the practice of Falun Gong and an international community concerned about possible violations of freedom of the press and freedom of conscience.

**********************

Coming up on Asia Cast:

- Australia creates artificial reef despite protests and inquisitive dolphins,
- Taiwan reviews nuclear reactor safety, and
- Tokyo Disneyland gives thousands a reason to smile..

**********************

]]> http://asia-cast.com/2011/04/asia-cast-for-the-week-ending-friday-15th-april/feed/ 0 0:10:17 Cinderella Castle at Tokyo Disneyland. The theme park re-opend this week due to popular request. (By vita/Flickr) In this bulletin: - China’s shady medical blackmarkets, - Vietnamese still held over China shortwave broadcast, - Petitioners r[...] Cinderella Castle at Tokyo Disneyland. The theme park re-opend this week due to popular request. (By vita/Flickr) In this bulletin: - China’s shady medical blackmarkets, - Vietnamese still held over China shortwave broadcast, - Petitioners rebut claims China improving human rights, and - Australian children’s surprising second language. But first our SOH focus on China. ********************** An SOH Chinese reporter recently looked into the shady world of China’s illegal trade in kidneys for transplant operations. Following up on a story about a young man from Hunan Province selling a kidney to pay-off gambling debts the reporter found numerous websites offering transplant organs. Organ dealers openly operate online sales and advertising and maintain good relationships with hospitals. Due to their cultural beliefs, few Chinese are willing to donate a kidney if a relative needs a transplant. But one dealer said since many people had financial difficulties there was an abundant supply of kidneys. The organ dealers our reporter spoke to said a donor received around $6,000 US dollars while the recipient would have to pay ten times that amount. Interviewed and reported by Tang Li with special correspondent Xiong Bin for Sound of Hope Radio. ********************** According to a survey by Chinese media the shortage of blood donors in China has created a black market in blood stocks ruled over by so called blood lords. Their rampant profiteering is spreading AIDS among China’s poorest. The lack of blood supplies in Beijing and other populous cities has been a problem for some time. The introduction of reportedly arbitrary donation quotas on local authorities to meet the demand for blood was quickly exploited. The blood lords took advantage of the fact some village committees were willing to buy blood to meet their donation quotas. They organised college students, migrant workers and even farmers in Hebei Province to sell blood, making a huge profit from it in the process. One villager who spoke to SOH Chinese reporters said a lot of villagers from his home town had been infected with AIDS from selling their blood. But he said many were still doing it because the are so poor and in urgent need of money. Reported by He Wen with special correspondent Xiong Bin for Sound of Hope Radio. ********************** China’s netizens have widely criticised the grand mausoleum built for the former Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee after photographs of it appeared online. The tomb of Hua Guofeng has been likened to the royal mausoleums of China’s ancient emperors. It took 3 years and around fifteen of million US dollars to build. Internet users from mainland, China said the tomb was another vanity project, and the officials involved would have been able to garner huge construction commission fees for awarding contracts. Reported by Tang Li with special correspondent Xiong Bin for Sound of Hope Radio. ********************** SOH takes a look across the wider Asia-Pacific region. ********************** ET-There is still no news on when or if the postponed trial of two Vietnamese arrested for broadcasting programmes from the Chinese version of the SOH Network into China. Both men are Falun Gong practitioners and were broadcasting programming about Falun Gong and its persecution inside China. They were arrested in June 2010 for making their shortwave broadcast from outside Hanoi into China. The official indictment, obtained by The Epoch Times newspaper, indicates that the two were arrested at the urging of the Chinese regime. The plight of the men has been championed by media watchdog and human rights groups, with Reporters Without Borders and the Falun Dafa Information Center publishing articles about their case. In addition, media around the world have begun to cover the case, with stories by Associated Press, AFP, and Radio Australia. Vietnam, in prosecuting the two of them,[...] corruption, democracy, disasters, justice, NTDTV, podcasts, Taiwan SOH Network no no http://asia-cast.com/2011/04/asia-cast-for-the-week-ending-thursday-7th-april/ http://asia-cast.com/2011/04/asia-cast-for-the-week-ending-thursday-7th-april/#comments Sun, 10 Apr 2011 10:39:15 +0000 Rich Crankshaw http://asia-cast.com/?p=3407

Cherry blossom along Taiwan's Alishan forest railway. (Courtesy of the Taiwan Forestry Bureau)

In this bulletin:

- Petitioners targeted around regime’s latest sensitive day,
- Chinese regime pressures Vietnam over SOH broadcast, and
- Cherry blossom draws Taiwan crowds.

But first our SOH focus on China.

**********************

According to the latest announcements from China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, low levels of radiation from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant have been detected in 25 Chinese provinces.

The Ministry told state-media the levels detected at monitoring stations in the 25 provinces would not have any impact on the environment or public health, and no precautionary or protective measures were required.

Residents who spoke to SOH said they had little confidence in what they were being told since the authorities seldom told the truth, but they currently had no other source of information.

Interviewed and reported by Tian Xi for Sound of Hope Radio.

**********************

Shanghai authorities have increased their suppression of petitioners in order to prevent them appealing in Beijing during the Qingming Festival or Tomb Sweeping Day.

Large numbers of armed police were mobilised ahead of the festival which mourns ones dead ancestors and usually falls around April 5.

Two petitioners told our Chinese reporters they had been illegally detained three times, most recently in a black jail. They were appealing against being fired from their jobs after exposing corruption at their Shanghai company in 2006.

Other petitioners told SOH they had also been targeted by the authorities and detained around so called sensitive days like Tomb Sweeping Day.

Interviewed and reported by Fu Ming and Yi Fang for Sound of Hope Radio.

**********************

And now a special update on Chinese interference with the broadcast of SOH Chinese programming in the Asia Pacific region.

**********************

Two Vietnamese men were due to go on trial in Hanoi Friday April 8 because the Chinese Communist Party objected to them broadcasting Sound of Hope Radio’s programming into China. The SOH Network is the English branch of Sound of Hope Radio.

Since its inception in 2003 Sound of Hope Radio has counteracted the Communist Party

A pair of Bengal tigers in India where a recent survey found tiger numbers had increased slightly. (By treeday77/Flickr)

In this bulletin:

- Beijing jails veteran activist once more,
- Tibet rues 52 years under Chinese rule,
- Fukushima evacuees fear they’ll never return home, and
- India’s tiger population grows.

But first our SOH focus on China.

**********************

NTD-The Chinese regime was heavily criticised after sentencing veteran democracy advocate Liu Xianbin to a lengthy jail term Friday March 25 for so called inciting subversion.

A court in central Sichuan province sentenced Liu to ten years in prison for writing articles calling for human rights and democracy. His wife who was at the trial told our Chinese reporters the court prevented Liu and his attorney from defending against the charges.

Democracy activists in Sichuan said the authorities tightened security ahead of the trial to prevent supporters of Xianbin Liu attending the trial. Many activists in the province were placed under house arrest, while others who tried to attend the trial were sent back to their local cities as soon as they arrived.

Interviewed and reported by Fuming and Aixin for Sound of Hope Radio.

**********************

World TB Day falls on March 24 each year. This year’s campaign recognised individuals around the world who have found new ways to stop tuberculosis.

Unfortunately in China the disease is not being effectively controlled or treated. The ministry of health has released figures showing over 500 million people in China, 45 per cent of the population, are carrying the TB bacterium. Of those, some five million have the active disease.

One problem is China’s low detection rate, epidemics are also not being tracked. Family members of TB patients told SOH the free treatments some local governments supposedly offer is a lie. According to the ministry of health almost 20 per cent of TB patients cannot afford medical treatment.

Reported for by Sound of Hope Radio by Ning Yan, interviews and extra reporting by special correspondent Bin Xiong.

**********************

NTD-Chinese authorities executed three Filipinos on drug trafficking charges Wednesday March 30. It came despite a flurry of public appeals for clemency in the Philippines, and just days after Amnesty International slammed Beijing’s sweeping use of the death penalty.

The three were convicted of smuggling several kilos of heroin each into China in 2008.

The Philippine Vice President had sent an appeal to Beijing Tuesday March 29, asking to keep the Filipinos alive while The Philippines investigated new evidence aimed at proving the innocence of at least one or two of them.

**********************

NTD-Chinese state media recently reported Monday March 28 as Serfs’ Emancipation Day for Tibet. The date marked the 52nd anniversary of what the Chinese Communist Party calls its liberation of Tibet in 1959.

Many Tibetans, however, use the term communist takeover, saying 1959 marked the beginning of the Party’s suppression of their way of life.

The Senator of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile said the regime claims it’s done a lot of good things, but it’s all lies. Adding, under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party, Tibet became a giant prison in which over one million Tibetans have died from mistreatment.

**********************

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

**********************

NTD-Weeks after a huge earthquake and tsunami triggered the world’s worst nuclear crisis since 1986, prospects for a speedy resolution at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant look more distant by the day.

Many evacuees are worried they will never be able to return home. More than 70-thousand people have been evacuated from a 20-kilometre exclusion zone around the plant. Another 130-thousand, who live in a 10-kilometre band beyond the exclusion zone, have been advised to either leave or stay indoors.

UN nuclear monitors advised Japan to consider widening the exclusion zone after unsafe levels of radiation were recorded in a village 40-kilometres north-west of the nuclear plant. The US and UK earlier advised their citizens in Japan to keep at least 80-kilometres from the plant.

**********************

And with the continuing nuclear crisis in Japan, Taiwan and China have shown signs they may cooperate on promoting atomic energy safety.

Taiwanese media said the issue would be one of the major topics on the agenda of this year’s forum between the ruling parties on both sides.

Local media reported Wednesday March 30 Taiwan had not ruled out the possibility of commissioning China to help with nuclear waste disposal. While on the same day Beijing said professional nuclear energy agencies on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have maintained contact on technological issues.

**********************

Coming up on Asia Cast:

- Asia-Pacific tackles people smuggling and refugee issue,
- Taiwan concerned over children’s mass media consumption, and
- The sweet taste of cricket.

**********************

Greenpeace's MY Rainbow Warrior in the Mediterranean. The environmental organisation's flagship is embarking on the Ocean Defenders Tour of East Asia in the New Year.

In this bulletin:

- Dalian markets selling diseased pork,
- Security official charged over Chinse Anti virus scam,
- Korean War abductions under investigation , and
- Taiwan smashed people smuggling ring.

But first our SOH focus on China.

**********************

SOH Network Chinese reporters recently confirmed an outbreak of foot and mouth disease among pigs in Dalian, northwest China. Residents in the Jinzhou district of Dalian said eighty per cent of pigs there had died from foot and mouth.

Despite this, the meat was still sent to market with those living in the area no longer daring to eat pork.

Sources on the internet also say, foot and mouth and other contagious diseases are spreading on pig farms in other districts of Dalian.

**********************

NTD-The Chinese National Bureau of Statistics announced Saturday December 11, China’s inflation has soared to a 28-month high.

Food was the biggest concern, with prices rising close to 12 per cent. Economists say inflation could be spreading to other sectors, with health care up 4 per cent and house prices up almost 6 per cent

Economists blame massive lending and billions of stimulus spending in reaction to the financial crisis.

**********************

ET-A well-placed Chinese security official has been given a suspended death sentence for taking bribes in exchange for his role in an anti virus software fraud scheme, according to reports from China.

The former director of the Beijing Public Security Bureau’s internet monitoring department had the agency send out a virus warning. The warning told the public to download software from Rising Antivirus to combat a particular computer virus.

But the virus was itself devised by Rising Antivirus, who bribed the director into sending out an email to increase sales.

**********************

ET-On the same day imprisoned Chinese activist Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in absentia, Chinese Communist Party propagandists organized a photo exhibition at the United Nations, extolling the progress of human rights in China.

Rights group UN Watch were outraged with the UN for hosting the event, calling the exhibition a massive propaganda display designed to cover up the Chinese regime’s systematic abuses of human rights.

**********************

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

**********************

NTD-Amid tensions on the Korean peninsula, the South Korean government launched a fact-finding committee Monday December 13 to investigate abductions during the Korean War.

The government estimates more than 100-thousand South Koreans were abducted during the war.

The South has requested the communist North free South Korean civilians and prisoners it has held since the end of the Korean War in 1953. The two countries are still technically at war, as a peace treaty was never signed.

**********************

Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency said Tuesday December 14 it has smashed Asia’s largest cross-border human trafficking ring.

The National Immigration Agency said it detained seven suspects and summoned seven others for questioning after working with counterparts in Hong Kong, Thailand, Britain and the United States.

The ring was said to have made made more than $3.28 million US dolars in profit from over 30 human trafficking cases. In each case one to five illegals from China were helped to enter the United States, Canada, Britain or Holland.

**********************

Coming up on Asia Cast:

- Green light for Japanese defense plan ,
- WikiLeaks not liable under Australian law, and
- Electric eels light up aquarium Christmas tree .

**********************

]]> http://asia-cast.com/2010/12/asia-cast-for-the-week-ending-friday-17th-december/feed/ 0 0:08:21 Greenpeace's MY Rainbow Warrior in the Mediterranean. The environmental organisation's flagship is embarking on the Ocean Defenders Tour of East Asia in the New Year. In this bulletin: - Dalian markets selling diseased pork, - Security off[...] Greenpeace's MY Rainbow Warrior in the Mediterranean. The environmental organisation's flagship is embarking on the Ocean Defenders Tour of East Asia in the New Year. In this bulletin: - Dalian markets selling diseased pork, - Security official charged over Chinse Anti virus scam, - Korean War abductions under investigation , and - Taiwan smashed people smuggling ring. But first our SOH focus on China. ********************** SOH Network Chinese reporters recently confirmed an outbreak of foot and mouth disease among pigs in Dalian, northwest China. Residents in the Jinzhou district of Dalian said eighty per cent of pigs there had died from foot and mouth. Despite this, the meat was still sent to market with those living in the area no longer daring to eat pork. Sources on the internet also say, foot and mouth and other contagious diseases are spreading on pig farms in other districts of Dalian. ********************** NTD-The Chinese National Bureau of Statistics announced Saturday December 11, China’s inflation has soared to a 28-month high. Food was the biggest concern, with prices rising close to 12 per cent. Economists say inflation could be spreading to other sectors, with health care up 4 per cent and house prices up almost 6 per cent Economists blame massive lending and billions of stimulus spending in reaction to the financial crisis. ********************** ET-A well-placed Chinese security official has been given a suspended death sentence for taking bribes in exchange for his role in an anti virus software fraud scheme, according to reports from China. The former director of the Beijing Public Security Bureau’s internet monitoring department had the agency send out a virus warning. The warning told the public to download software from Rising Antivirus to combat a particular computer virus. But the virus was itself devised by Rising Antivirus, who bribed the director into sending out an email to increase sales. ********************** ET-On the same day imprisoned Chinese activist Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in absentia, Chinese Communist Party propagandists organized a photo exhibition at the United Nations, extolling the progress of human rights in China. Rights group UN Watch were outraged with the UN for hosting the event, calling the exhibition a massive propaganda display designed to cover up the Chinese regime’s systematic abuses of human rights. ********************** SOH takes a look across the wider Asia-Pacific region. ********************** NTD-Amid tensions on the Korean peninsula, the South Korean government launched a fact-finding committee Monday December 13 to investigate abductions during the Korean War. The government estimates more than 100-thousand South Koreans were abducted during the war. The South has requested the communist North free South Korean civilians and prisoners it has held since the end of the Korean War in 1953. The two countries are still technically at war, as a peace treaty was never signed. ********************** Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency said Tuesday December 14 it has smashed Asia’s largest cross-border human trafficking ring. The National Immigration Agency said it detained seven suspects and summoned seven others for questioning after working with counterparts in Hong Kong, Thailand, Britain and the United States. The ring was said to have made made more than $3.28 million US dolars in profit from over 30 human trafficking cases. In each case one to five illegals from China were helped to enter the United States, Canada, Britain or Holland. ********************** Coming up on Asia Cast: - Green light for Japanese defense plan , - WikiLeaks not liable under Australian law, and - Electric eels light up aquarium Christmas tree . ********************** CCP, corruption, NTDTV, podcasts, Taiwan SOH Network no no