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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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..

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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-The US State Department recently published its annual global human rights report. It accuses the Chinese regime of increasing pressure on activists and using illegal means to target dissidents.

On Saturday April 9, the regime’s Foreign Ministry dismissed those claims, arguing the regime attaches importance to protecting human rights and is continually improving its democracy and law systems.

Petitioners in China say this is just not the case with one petitioner being locked up for a month after complaining about corruption to his friend on the street.

Western governments and rights groups have expressed concern in recent weeks, after the Chinese regime intensified its crackdown on dissent.

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NTD-Plans to sink a decommissioned warship off the Australian coast of New South Wales Wednesday April 13 were delayed for more than one hour due to a pod of curious dolphins.

The dolphins were spotted inside the exclusion zone, established around the HMAS Adelaide five minutes before the decommissioned vessel was due to be sent to the bottom of the Tasman Sea.

Previously environmental protesters had delayed the scuttling of the Adelaide after a partial victory in the Federal Court forced the government to clean toxins from the boat before its sinking..

The ship was scuttled in order to create an artificial reef which is expected to draw diving tourists to the region.

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Taiwan said Wednesday April 13 it was getting ready to upgrade the earthquake-resistant designs of its nuclear power plants in the wake of the nuclear crisis in Japan

The economic minister said Taiwan’s three state-run nuclear power plants were safe but the government was ready to enhance their safety.

Concerns about Taiwan’s atomic plants have increased since Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was crippled by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami on March 11.

Around 2,000 anti-nuclear protesters took to Taipei’s streets in March and campaigners plan to mobilise tens of thousands of demonstrators at a rally on April 30.

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On a lighter note.

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A recent study of school children has confirmed Australia’s status as one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse countries in the world.

The latest Australia Early Development Index study measured the health and development of more than 260,000 children in their first year of school.

It found that 18 per cent spoke a language other than English. Surprisingly Arabic was found to be the most commonly spoken language after English.

Vietnamese was the second-most prevalent, at just under eight-and a half per cent, followed by Greek, Chinese dialects and Hindi, each spoken by less than five per cent.

Aboriginal children comprised just under five per cent of the student population with one-fifth of them speak a native language in the home..

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Tokyo Disneyland re-opened its doors Friday April 15, five weeks after Japan was rocked by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, ensuing tsunami and nuclear disaster.

Mickey Mouse was on hand to welcome and put a smile on the faces of many of the thousands seeking some relief. To celebrate its reopening the park put on a colourful musical parade of floats featuring Disney characters.

Tokyo Disney said they were prompted by many to reopen early, to create an environment to cheer people up. The 10,000 visitors who queued up outside the theme park indicates a little laughter remains a popular tonic to life’s woes.

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

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The 26th international Festival of Snow and Ice in Harbin, China opened January 5. The event features huge ice sculptures and grand buildings carved from ice which are lit from within and pulls in thousands of visitors from across China and overseas. (By mickeyvdo/flickr)

In this bulletin:

- Shanghai petitioners panic Beijing,
- Earthquakes rattle southwest China,
- 2010, year of the large scale protest, and
- Taiwan doctor wants qigong popularised.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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A group of 1,200 petitioners from Shanghai caused panic in Beijing when they went there en mass. Authorities in Beijing carried out large scale arrests and quickly moved to prevent any more petitioners from reaching the capital.

The Hong Kong-based League of Chinese Victims told SOH Chinese reporters every time petitioners went to Beijing they were arrested or beaten. The organisation said two of its members had been illegally sent to a labour camp and was calling attention to the safety of all those arrested.

The League of Chinese Victims said unless local authorities properly resolved petitioners’ issues stability and harmony would only be empty promises

Interviewed and reported by Sound Of Hope International Broadcasting Company correspondent Liang Zhen from Hong Kong.

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NTD-Media reports said Wednesday January 5 around 90 tremors rattled Yingjiang County in southwest China’s Yunnan Province over the course of several days.

Around 142,000 people were said to have been affected, with more than 8,000 houses damaged by the morning of Tuesday January 4.

Primary and middle schools in the county were all closed and were due to reopen on Thursday January 6.

Yingjiang is located along a seismic belt, and was hit hard by the devastating earthquake in 2008 that killed nearly 90,000 people.

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ET-According to NGO Chinese Human Rights Defenders, the founding editor of the popular Zhejiang News, Li Hong died December 31. Li was also former chief-editor of the Chinese literary and news website Aegean Sea.

Li was convicted of ‘inciting subversion’ for publishing articles related to reports about live organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners, and his support for human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng’s hunger strike.

Chinese authorities sealed off news of Li’s death and stopped dissidents and human rights activists from attending the funeral.

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ET-China’s communist regime was beset by mass protests and intense confrontations on a large scale during 2010. The Epoch Times recently published its list of the top ten most significant protests of the last twelve months.

Many of these mass demonstrations involved thousands of protesters, over 10 thousand in the case of one incident in Jiangsu Province. In another confrontation also in Jiangsu Province clashes between farmers and security forces continued every night for two weeks. The Public Security Bureau classified the protest as a political incident manipulated by ‘foreign forces’.

You can find the full list on the Epoch Times website.

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

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Artisans and lobby groups in India are calling for stronger measures to prevent the traditional sari weaving industry being destroyed by cheap Chinese made copies.

The stunning silk saris woven by hand in the holy city of Varanasi have been prized by Indian women for centuries. But weavers say Chinese factories produce large volumes of silk fabric at government-subsidised prices and send the finished cloth to India.

A stronger stance by the Indian government and better consumer information may preserve the craft for future generations.

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A doctor in Taiwan told a press conference Wednesday January 5 qigong was one of the oldest and most economical ways of maintaining good health and urged action on popularising qigong in Taiwan.

Qigong is a traditional kind of Chinese exercise practice often including breathing and meditation. It dates back to the rule of the legendary Chinese Emperor Yao in 2356 BC.

Lin Kung-yi, a physician from Taipei City Hospital’s Department of Chinese Medicine said qigong’s healing effects have been documented in modern scientific studies as well as ancient texts. Lin added it’s also not as difficult to learn as most people might think.

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Coming up on Asia Cast:

- Burmese opposition looks forward on Independence Day,
- Philippines capture rebel leader, and
- Annual Snow and Ice Festival opens in Harbin, China.

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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-Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi gave a speech Tuesday January 4 to mark the 63rd anniversary of Burma’s independence from Britain in 1948.

Three hundred members and supporters of Burma’s disbanded opposition National League for Democracy party gathered at its headquarters in Rangoon to mark the occasion.

Suu Kyi said when the Burmese people gained freedom based on human rights the country would develop. And if the country developed they could be free from economic pressure and crisis.

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Officials in the Philippines said Tuesday January 4 a communist rebel leader had been captured.

The capture of Tirso Alcantara came within hours of an 18-day Christmas truce ending. The rebel leader who faces at least 23 murder charges, was in charge of the New People’s Army on the northern island of Luzon.

The Communist Party of the Philippines has agreed to enter peace talks with President Benigno Aquino’s government.

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The US and China vowed Wednesday January 5 to cooperate closely despite differences on China’s currency, trade and North Korea.

China’s Foreign Minister met with the US Secretary of State in Washington ahead of a state visit by the Chinese president due to begin January 19.

The two diplomats said relations between their countries were on the right track and they felt a great responsibility to keep making progress.

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On a lighter note.

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NTD-Nearly 3,000 people gathered in Tokyo Wednesday January 5 to wiled their brushes in a calligraphy competition.

Traditionally, in the first few days of the New Year, people across Japan write their resolutions, wishes or auspicious Chinese characters to celebrate the coming of the New Year.

The contestants were given 24 minutes to write using a thick, horsehair brush, and ink made from charcoal. Judges will announce the winners on January 23.

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NTD-The 2010 Harbin Snow and Ice Festival opened in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province Wednesday January 5.

The annual festival in Harbin brings hundreds of thousands of tourists every year and offers a subzero treat to visitors during the big chill currently being felt in China.

This year, nearly ten million cubic feet of snow and ice were cut from Harbin’s Songhua River. An army of sculptors using picks and chisels have created massive archways and towering cathedrals, many illuminated with coloured lights inside the ice blocks.

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

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The character Shan cannot be displayed or printed by computers, and those who keep it as a last name are slowly swapping it for alternatives. (Courtesy of The Epoch Times)

In this bulletin:

- China’s earthquake disaster relief inadequate,
- Modern technology eroding traditional culture,
- Children suffer as Pakistan faces flooding triple threat, and
- Indonesian volcano’s third eruption biggest yet.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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ICT-According to an expert at China’s Geological and Environmental Monitoring Institute, the country’s earthquake disaster relief needs attention.

The SOH Network learned that earthquakes with high casualties are quite common in China. Our Inside China Today podcast has an interview with the expert who said there are about 19,000 areas in China which have the potential to suffer devastating earthquakes. But he told the SOH Network that there still isn’t enough funding for earthquake aid relief and the early warning system needs improvement.

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NTDTV-Radio Fee Asia reported at least four Tibetans have been shot dead by Chinese police at a protest in Baiyu County, Sichuan Province.

Thirty more were injured, with some in critical condition. The shooting happened on August 17th, but reports have only just emerged. The region saw some of the worst violence during the Chinese regime’s 2008 clampdown on Tibetan protests.

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ET-A UN conference has heard that reforms put in place by the Chinese leadership to stop illegal organ harvesting has made the problem worse.

Human rights lawyer David Matas told The Epoch Times that although recent reforms had deduced ‘transplant tourism’ from Westerners seeking organ transplants. They had neither stopped the illegal organ trade nor increased transparency.

Matas said he attended the conference in Sydney to raise awareness of the issue. Adding the illegal harvesting of organs from Falun Gong practitioners in China must stop.

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ET-Modern technology may unintentionally be the end of an ancient Chinese name. A surname unique to an area of Shandong Province faces extinction because it cannot be entered into computers.

Hundreds of people have had to change their name just to be officially recognised in computer records.

With recent reports revealing young people in China and Japan are forgetting how to write traditional characters, some are concerned their ancestral names may be lost altogether.

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

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The World Food Programme announced this week Pakistan faces a triple threat from the floods that have devastated large swathes of the country.

The UN agency said people in Pakistan have lost seeds, crops and their incomes, leaving them vulnerable to hunger, homelessness and desperation.

The floods have affected twenty per cent of the entire population and left eight million dependant on food aid to survive.

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And in related news, the World Health Organisation has said that children in particular are suffering from water-borne illnesses spread by the floods.

The public health arm of the UN said stagnant flood water was causing a rise in acute cases of diarrhoea and malaria. The young in particular have been affected. The UN said about 72,000 children have severe malnutrition.

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Coming up on Asia Cast:

- Indonesia’s Mount Sinabung fires back up,
- Magnitude-7.0 earthquake strikes New Zealand, and
- Australia elects first indigenous person to House of Representatives.

But first

(Quote)

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

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

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NTDTV-Indonesia’s Mount Sinabung volcano had its biggest eruption yet on Friday. Plumes of smoke shot over three kilometres into the air.

After laying dormant for four hundred years the volcano began erupting last weekend. And about 30,000 people were forced to flee their homes.

Indonesia is on the so-called Pacific Rim of Fire, an arc of volcanoes and geological fault lines surrounding the Pacific Basin. But scientists are facing a lack of knowledge as Mount Sinaburg last erupted in 1600.

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Japanese Airlines plans to cut a third of its workforce and stop running unprofitable routes.

Japan’s national carrier announced the cuts as part of its restructuring plans. Some of the 16,000 job cuts will be met through early retirement and the sale of subsidiaries.

The airline has been hit by a drop in passengers as well as increasing competition from a rival Japanese airline. In January the company filed for bankruptcy protection with debts of $25 billion US dollars.

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China’s state media confirmed August 30 that North Korea’s leader had met with China’s president in Changchun.

But the visit was not officially confirmed until it was almost over. North Korea’s Kim Jong-Il arrived in northeast China on August 26.

State media said North Korea was hoping to resume six-party talks to ease tensions with South Korea sooner rather than later.

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The US Geological Survey has reported a magnitude-7.0 earthquake off of New Zealand’s South Island.

The quake was centred 55 kilometres north-west of the country’s second largest city, Christchurch.

It caused extensive damage, particularly to older buildings, and left many without power or water. Hospitals treated a number of people for cuts and broken bones inflicted by falling debris.

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On a lighter note.

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Environmental groups in Taiwan are holding coastal clean-up activities later this month. They are inviting environmentally conscious Taiwanese to take part in supporting the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup initiative.

The environmental initiative began as a single clean-up of a US beach 25 years ago. It has now evolved into a global movement dedicated to removing trash from the worlds oceans.

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And in Australia where there is still no clear outcome from the recent election, an Aboriginal man has become the first indigenous person to win a seat in the House of Representatives.

Ken Wyatt was quick to point out he was elected because voters in the Perth district of Hasluck chose someone they believed would represent the interests of everybody.

Dismissing racist hate mail after his victory Wyatt said it was time for Australia to move on and look to the future.

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

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"For a prosperous, powerful nation and a happy family, please use birth planning"; Sign posted by authorities in Nanchang. (By Planet Love/Flickr)

In this Bulletin…

- Shocking claims of abuse under China’s One Child Policy;
- Hong Kong-Taiwan plan closer ties; and
- Tsunami warnings reviewed after Aussies wait on the beach.

But first we have our Shen Yun quote of the day

[audio]

For more information please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

Our SOH focus on China is next

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An SOH report has uncovered the inequalities in China’s One-Child Policy. Our reporters also learned of the inhumane methods being used to enforce the controversial measures.

A villager from Zhejiang Province on China’s east coast said village told SOH about the impact of the One Child Policy on his family. The villager said local Party officials were using criminal gangs to threaten and force women to undergo forced abortions. He claimed his sister-in-law died, and his wife had developed serious complications, after undergoing forced abortions.

But it seems that if you can afford to pay the fines, the policy is not enforced. The man we spoke to said whoever has higher status has more children.

Listen to our Inside China Today podcast to hear the full interview.

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The Epoch Times said a recently released report on China’s ‘rule-of-law’ unveiled a large jump in crime rates and mass protests in 2009. The report also apparently reveals that one in ten of China’s mafia groups is headed by a Communist Party official.

The report attributes the rising crime rate and the number of mass protests to rising social conflicts and the gap between rich and poor. It predicted that lawlessness will only get worse in 2010.

Local to efforts to enforce Beijing’s policies on ‘maintaining social stability’ were blamed as one of the factors leading to an increase in mass protests.

Read The Epoch Times for the background on the report and details of Party members’ involvement in organised crime.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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Hong Kong and Taiwan are hoping to boost trade and cooperation between themselves.

Hong Kong’s Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs said a trade and economic cooperation committee would be established to coordinate with a similar one being proposed by Taiwan.

The Secretary said a group of officials and businessmen would visit to Taiwan after the two committees had been set up.

Officials said the two committees would meet to discuss a host of issues. And both sides would conduct a wide range of activities via the bilateral platform.

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A spokesman for the Philippine military said 11 of its soldiers were killed when their patrol was ambushed by rebels.

A statement said that around 60 guerrillas ambushed a reconnaissance platoon that was on patrol.

The troops had been sent to the area on Mindoro island to stop communist rebels of the New People’s Army extorting money from candidates ahead of May’s elections.

The Philippine military said reinforcements supported by helicopter gunships were tracking down the rebels.

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

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Australia is reviewing its tsunami warnings after the public largely ignored alerts issued after the Chilean earthquake.

Lifeguards in Queensland and New South Wales struggled to clear beaches as people either returned to the water or came down to watch the tsunami arrive.

States in the Pacific went on alert following the quake. But as it occurred in shallower waters, most areas did not see any big waves. The waves that hit Australia’s east coast were hardly noticeable.

Australia’s Attorney-General has asked for a review of the public’s reaction to the warnings to look at ways of educating people about tsunamis.

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Australia might have recently escaped being battered by a tsunami, but severe weather has caused chaos in parts of the country.

In Melbourne, Victoria, golf ball sized hailstones brought the city to a standstill on Saturday. Streets were flooded and sporting events cancelled as 19 millimetres of rain fell in just 18 minutes. The weather bureau said it had been an unusual and very dangerous thunderstorm.

Meanwhile, emergency services in the north-eastern state of Queensland were warning of the worst floods in over 100 years. There are fears that around 80 per cent of the rural town of Saint George could be inundated with flood waters.

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

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Human rights lawyer David Matas; In 2006 Matas called on Japan's government to prevent the Japanese from seeking organ transplants in China because of harvesting of organs from Falun Gong practitioners.

In this Bulletin…

- Chinese activist arrested for investigating toxic milk scandal;
- Japan warns hospitals over transplant tourism to China; and
- South Korean military on high alert.

But first we have our Shen Yun quote of the day

[audio]

For more information please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

Our SOH focus on China is next

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An activist who refused to stop his investigation into China’s 2008 toxic milk powder scandal is being charged with allegedly ‘interfering with social order’.

Zhao Lianhai founded a campaign group for parents whose children developed kidney stones from consuming baby formula adulterated with melamine. He was arrested for organising protests in Shijiazhuang and Beijing that allegedly interfered with social order.

But Liu Dejun, who was at one of the protests Zhao was involved in said the charge was baseless. Liu said there were strong rumours that Sanlu, one of the companies at the centre of the toxic milk scandal, was behind Zhao’s arrest.

Listen to the Inside China Today podcast to hear our in depth report on this story.

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The organisers of a Chinese New Year event for homeless petitioners in Beijing have been forced into hiding by the Chinese authorities.

Around 60 people were involved in the inaugural Petitioners’ Chinese New Year Gala on February 5. Petitioners poured out their grievances with the authorities through song.

A video of the event was posted online. The police began a massive search for the participants and organisers on February 14. Several petitioners have already been seized.

SOH reporters were able to talk to several petitioners involved in the gala by phone. Song Yujie from Laoning Province said police were planning to charge one of the organisers with threatening the government.

SOH’s Inside China Today podcast has got the full story.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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The Japanese government recently warned hospitals from assisting with transplant tourism to China. The Epoch Times newspaper said the warning followed a government investigation that uncovered several doctors who had provided such assistance

The Japanese Society for Transplantation does not permit transplant tourism to China. This is because of China’s lack of transparency and use of prison inmates in obtaining organs.

Japan’s health ministry found doctors at five hospitals had aided patients by providing their medical histories to agencies who could arrange organ transplants overseas for them.

The Ministry of Health warned the hospitals not to assist in illegal organ trafficking.

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The 2010 Taiwan International Festival opened in Taipei on Saturday. The annual event began with a celebration of Taiwan’s indigenous culture.

The Formosa Aboriginal Song and Dance Troupe is comprised of members from Taiwan’s 12 officially recognized indigenous tribes. The group has revived and reconstructed some of the gradually disappearing songs and dances traditionally passed down by tribal elders.

The month-long festival features dance and theatre groups from Europe, America, and Taiwan. Renowned musician and composer Tan Dun who wrote the score for the film ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’ is also taking part in the festival.

A joint Taiwanese/American production called ’1433 – The Grand Voyages’ is attracting particular attention.

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

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The South Korean military was placed on high alert Saturday. The move came in response to North Korea’s declaration of no-go zones near the its disputed sea border with the South.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Pyongyang declared eight no-sail zones would be in effect from Saturday.

The announcement raised concerns that the North could be planning another display of military firepower like the one in January. Pyongyang said January’s artillery barrage was a part of routine exercises. But South Korea and the United States described the firing as provocative.

The Yonhap news agency said the Seoul had increased air and naval surveillance along the inter-Korean border.

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Military spokesmen have said Taliban resistance to Operation Mushtarak has increased, as they expected it would. The announcement comes as NATO’s major assault against Taliban militants in southern Afghanistan enters its second week.

Meanwhile, the Taliban denied NATO claims that militants were using human shields, and were low on ammunition.

Commanders said they expect the military phase of the operation to last another three weeks. The time is needed to try and clear the out snipers and the innumerable hidden bombs left behind by fleeing fighters.

On Saturday an elite Afghan police brigade was due to establish itself in areas captured by NATO forces. An Afghan general said it was the first step towards establishing civilian security.

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Beijing has announced they are recruiting five thousand heavily-armed police to patrol the now peaceful region of Xinjiang. (By 29cm/Flickr)

In this Bulletin…

- International report highlights China’s crackdown on media;
- China increases security in calm Xinjiang region; and
- Disgruntled Australian injures 15 in insurance office blast.

But first we have our Shen Yun quote of the day

[audio]

For more information please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

Our SOH focus on China is next

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The International Federation of Journalists has released a report on the Chinese regime’s intensified crackdown on the media in 2009.

The report titled, China Clings to Control” was released in Hong Kong on Sunday, said NTDTV.

It lists over 60 topics the Chinese regime forbids its domestic media to report. The list includes topics such as ethnic riots in the Xinjiang region, organ transplants at Sun Yatsen University, disease outbreaks and large scale public protests among many others.

Media were also prohibited from travelling to Sichuan Province during the anniversary of the earthquake that took place in 2008.

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Beijing has announced they are recruiting five thousand select police officers to control the now peaceful region of Xinjiang. They vowed a more “tenacious” approach to the region.

A statement on the regime’s regional website said the officers would focus on “striking against terrorist crimes and handling mass incidents.”

Although authorities blame last July’s unrest in the regional capital of Urumqi on separatists, they have given no evidence to support this accusation.

The regime says it will have recruits patrolling the region by the end of March.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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Honk Kong officials are questioning the lack of reporting on Shen Yun cancellation protests and rallies. One protest Sunday, had nearly one thousand protestors.

One Hong Kong legislative council member said that although there has been a significant public outcy, there has been a kind of media blackout in Hong Kong.

The New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts, which SOH proudly sponsors, was due to start the Asia leg of its 2010 world tour in Hong Kong last week.

After several of the crew members were denied visas, Shen Yun was force to cancel its seven sold-out shows.

See more on this  story at NTDTV.

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Scientists believe a village in India may hold the key to beating dementia. The village of Ballabgarh has unusually low levels of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh spent several years studying people over 55 in the area.

They found what appeared to be among the lowest rates of Alzheimer’s recorded.

Factoring in lower life expectancy, and an active life style, they tested a gene theory, but came up short.

They did however find that most people in Ballabgarh have less stress, eat a low fat, vegetarian diet and have low cholesterol levels, which they think, is key.

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

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Iran is being called on by Western nations to make a firm commitment to the UN atomic watchdog to have its uranium fuel enriched overseas.

Meanwhile Iran appeared to carry out a policy reversal. Its president said Tehran would have no problem sending low-enriched uranium to other countries to be refined into reactor fuel. He said some made a fuss for nothing.

The comment took the US and European allies by surprise. Earlier Iran had rejected a fuel deal drawn up by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

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Fifteen people were injured in an insurance office bombing in Darwin, Australia.

Police say a disgruntled man wheeled a shopping cart full of gasoline and firecrackers into an insurance office. He set off the makeshift bomb and quickly fled the scene.

Some witnesses thought it was gunfire. Meanwhile, workers from a nearby supermarket helped people escape.

Some victims sat outside the office in pain, waiting for help, while others were taken to a hospital.

Police say the man surrendered to officials shortly after the blast.

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In this Bulletin…

- First eyewitness account of organ harvesting in China ;
- Hong Kong police recover millions in stolen goods and cash; and
- India calls for media restraint over attacks in Australia.

But first we have our Shen Yun quote of the day

[audio]

For more information please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

Our SOH focus on China is next

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Journalist groups are among those condemning the six year prison sentence handed down to a Tibetan film maker. Dhondup Wangchen has been held by the Chinese authorities since March 2009. He was charged on December 28. Allegedly for inciting separatist activities.

Before his arrest he had been working on a documentary about what life is like for Tibetans under the Chinese regime.

Reporters Without Borders said the sentencing of someone who did nothing but film interviews with Tibetans was a disgrace for China.

The Association of Tibetan Journalists said if China was true to its words and claims of stability and prosperity in Tibet, it should allow them access to see it for themselves.

See NTDTV for a more in depth report.

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An international coalition has called upon world governments to help stop organ harvesting in China. The appeal follows an eyewitness account from a Chinese public security officer.

The policeman from Liaoning Province saw the vivisection and harvesting of organs from a live female Falun Gong practitioner in 2002.

The man spoke investigators from the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong on condition of anonymity. He said he thought he would be murdered if his identity were discovered.

The Asian branch of the coalition said economic concerns should not stop nations from speaking out to end the brutal practice.

Read The Epoch Times to see its related investigations and for a more in depth look at this story.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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Police in Hong Kong have recovered millions of dollars worth of stolen cash and luxury accessories. They were following up on intelligence they received about burglaries committed in Japan.

Six suspects were arrested at three locations in Hong Kong on between Thursday and Friday.

During the arrests, the police recovered 181 watches, about 100 items of jewellery and some cash from the deposit boxes of the suspects’ homes, estimated at 3.2 million US dollars.

The police said they believed the burglaries were committed in Tokyo over the New Year. And the stolen goods air mailed back to Hong Kong. Some, they say, may already have been sold or transported to mainland China.

Watch NTDTV for more details on this story.

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In Hong Kong a man has been arrested on suspicion of carrying out an acid attack that injured 30 people.

The Hong Kong police said a man was detained after being spotted on a rooftop near the scene of Saturday’s attack.

Nine tourists and a seven-year-old were among those treated in hospital.

Police said the man they arrested was found hiding on a roof near a night market in the Kowloon area. The police found lids on him that fitted the bottles thrown into the market.

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India is coming under increasing pressure over it’s preparations for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. This follows two fires in as many weeks at construction works for the Games.

Indian media reports said in the latest incident one person was been killed and 12 hurt in a fire at an athletes’ village.

The fire reportedly broke out in the residential quarters of on-site construction workers.

It comes two weeks after a rugby stadium under construction caught fire.

The authorities are under pressure to finish construction work in major sports venues, amid criticism that some work has fallen behind schedule.

The Games are due to take place in October this year.

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Australia has welcomed a call from India for restraint in media coverage of attacks on Indians.

New Delhi urged its media to act responsibly after an Indian man was burned in an incident in Melbourne on Saturday, a week after 21-year-old Nitin Garg was stabbed to death in the city’s western suburbs.

Both countries have stressed there was no evidence that race was a factor in two recent incidents.

The attacks followed a spate of violence against Indians in Victoria state last year and have prompted a strong reaction in the Indian press.

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A Taiwan legislator has proposed four new provisions on human rights. Seated are legislator Tien Chiu-chin, former Taiwan Human Rights Committee Chair Chiu Huang-chuan, Judicial Reform Foundation Executive Director Lin Feng-jeng, and Legislator Gao Jyh-peng. (By Song Bilong/The Epoch Times)

In this Bulletin…

- Eyewitness recounts organ harvesting in China;
- China officials would face arrest in Taiwan with proposed law; and
- Cholera outbreak in Papua New Guinea.

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China
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An eyewitness has recounted in vivid detail the story of a female Falun Gong practitioner in China-a high school teacher in her 30s-who was detained, tortured, raped, and finally operated on to extract her organs while she was still alive.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a policeman who worked for the public security system of Liaoning Province in 2002 said he himself had participated in torturing and interrogating Falun Gong practitioners many times.

It is the first time investigators have spoken to an eyewitness in a case of harvesting organs from a living practitioner.

A 30-minute interview, in two separate conversations, was carried out by an investigator from the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong and a recording is available on its Web site.

Read the entire story at The Epoch Times.

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According to the Center for Global Development, China is the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter and emissions have jumped 120 percent since the start of this decade, causing devastating effects on the environment and human health.

Thick air pollution, coal dust and contaminating factory run-off, have become part of daily life for many Chinese people.

Those who live and work near factories are suffering from a range of health problems, like lung cancer or birth defects.

For decades, the Chinese regime has placed little or no restrictions on waste from factories, plants, and power stations.

See more on this story at NTDTV.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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A Taiwan legislator and a group of human rights attorneys have proposed laws to ban serious human rights violators from visiting Taiwan, reports The Epoch Times.

The announcement came at a press conference on International Human Rights Day.

Five high-ranking Chinese Communist Party officials who have recently been indicted by a Spanish court for their role in the torture and genocide of Falun Gong practitioners would be impacted by the proposed legislation.

They could face arrest if they came to Taiwan.

The Taiwanese legislator said that Taiwan is facing a moral crisis in choosing wealth or freedom.

Read more on this at The Epoch Times.

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China’s Beijing Automotive is buying the intellectual property of two of General Motor’s Saab models as well as some car parts to use in their own branded vehicles.

The Saab brand is still up for sale by General Motors however and Dutch car-maker Spyker is in talks over a deal.

Beijing Automotive had in the past been part of a failed takeover bid for the whole of Saab, but that bid had been called off.

General Motors has warned that it will drop the Saab brand completely if it fails to find a suitable buyer.

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In what is being called Pakistan’s biggest bank heist, robbers have stolen at least $3.7 million US dollars worth of American dollars, Euros and Pounds from a bank in Karachi’s financial district.

The theft took place at one of Pakistan’s largest banks, just shy of 100 metres from police headquarters.

Police are saying the gang was led by one of the bank’s guards and have launched an investigation, but have made no arrest so far. They will be looking for ties to terrorists.

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There is a cholera outbreak in the remote regions of Papua New Guinea with new reports that it’s gaining pace and spreading to more populated areas and claiming more lives, according to The Epoch Times.

Cholera, which has not been seen in Papua for over 50 years, was first reported in the remote northern province of Morobe in August this year and claimed 40 lives.

It has now spread 500 kilometres west of East Sepik Province, with over 335 cholera cases reported in East Sepik Province and eight confirmed deaths.

Papua New Guinea is Australia’s closest northern neighbour with a population of around 6.1 million.

Read more on this story at The Epoch Times.

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The expanded 'Bloody Harvest' report into the killing of Chinese prisoners of consience for their bodily organs is now available in book form. (Courtesy of Seraphim Editions)

In this Bulletin…

- Rights commission slams China’s one child policy;
- Japan’s economic recovery continues to grow; and
- Asia gets best view of Leonid meteor shower.

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China
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While Chinese activists and dissidents have seen US President Obama’s visit to China as an opportunity to highlight their causes the authorities have tried to make this as hard as possible.

NTDTV said that several activists were already arrested last week before Barack Obama arrived in Shanghai on Sunday.

Qi Zhiyong is one of those who was arrested. On November 9 he was charged with unlawful assembly and disturbing the social order after trying to organise a human rights seminar at a Beijing park.

Qi is being held in the Beijing suburbs. He told AFP he knows of at least 30 other activists who were detained ahead of Obama’s visit.

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The chairman of a US human rights commission has slammed China’s population control measures employed under the one-child policy, reports The Epoch Times.

Congressman Chris Smith chaired the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing on China’s one-child policy in Washington last week. Smith said China’s population control policy was the worse violation of women’s rights in human history.

The way the policy is enforced is believed to contribute to the suicide rate among women in China being five times higher than the world average.

The system involves mandatory contraception, mandatory birth permits, exorbitant fines for noncompliance, physical beatings of relatives, and often forced sterilisation and abortion.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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Sunday saw the release of a book investigating the Chinese regime’s alleged practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.

Bloody Harvest: The Killing of Falun Gong for Their Organs is the culmination of years of research by the book’s authors.

Author and retired Canadian MP David Kilgour, said their investigation uncovered 52 kinds of evidence or proof that this crime against humanity was indeed taking place. He added that most people who read it are overwhelmingly convinced that it’s happening.

Kilgour and his co-author David Matas are donating all the book’s profits to the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong.

The Epoch Times and NTDTV both have more on this story.

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A collision between a ferry collided and an oil barge in Burma’s Irrawaddy Delta has left at least eight people dead. Dozens more are still missing after the ferry sank.

Burmese officials said the crash happened in the Ngawun River, 134 kilometres west of Rangoon, soon after the ferry left the town of Pathein.

Most of the 176 passengers on the ferry were farmers. Rescue teams are still looking for survivors.

Many areas in the delta region are inaccessible by road and ferries are the main form of transportation. But poor safety standards mean accidents are common.

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Official figures show that Japan’s economy has grown for a second successive quarter.

The world’s second biggest economy grew by 1.2 per cent in the three months from July to September.

Although this was faster than economists had predicted, analysts say overall growth is likely to be sluggish for years.

The global downturn had plunged Japan into its worst recession since World War II.

Most economists say there is little chance of Japan’s economy returning to recession, given the latest figures.

Stimulus measures were credited with lifting consumer spending and capital spending rose, but analysts say growth will slow as wages stay low.

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Tuesday sees the peak of this year’s Leonid meteor shower. The most intense outburst will be visible over Asia.

The Leonid shower is made of bits of debris from the Tempel-Tuttle comet, which streaks through Earth’s inner solar system every 33 years.

Bill Cooke, of NASA’s meteoroid environment office said they were predicting as many as 200 to 300 meteors per hour over Asia. He said the forecast agreed with the work of other astronomers.

Mars happens to be passing nearby at the time of the showers. Cooke said that this means the Leonids will appear to be shooting almost directly out of the planet.

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In this Bulletin…

- Landslide dangers from filling of Three Gorges Dam;
- Floods in Vietnam leave dozens dead; and
- Burmese leaders meet U.S. delegates.

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China
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China’s state council has given the green light to fill the Three Gorges Dam, situated along the Yangtze River in central Hubei Province, over one hundred feet higher, something experts warn is known for triggering landslides.

As 17 years of work on the dam comes to completion, in the city of Chongqing, the influx of water into the dam has caused mountainous areas to become unstable.

Water expert Professor Wang Weiluo told SOH Radio that according to research done by the U.N., a major cause of dam-triggered earthquakes is increased water pressure pushing onto the rocks when the water levels of dams is increased.

See more on this at NTDTV.

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Chinese scientists tinkering with the weather caused millions of tons of snow to fall on Beijing over the weekend, delaying 523 flights from the capital and infuriating passengers, reported The Epoch Times.

The Beijing Weather Modification Office induced the first snow of the season, a month earlier than usual, after firing 186 silver iodide capsules into the clouds, according to Weather China.

The snowfall inconvenienced more than 10,000 airline passengers and delayed 523 flights at the Beijing Capital International Airport.

Read more on this at The Epoch Times.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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The death toll from severe flooding in Vietnam triggered by a tropical storm has risen to about 90, officials say.

Tropical storm Mirinae caused widespread damage in central provinces when it struck on Monday.

Hundreds of houses were destroyed and tens of thousands of people stranded by flood waters, local reports said.

In the worst-hit province of Phu Yen, the disaster committee described it as the most devastating flooding in more than 30 years.

Some 2,000 soldiers have been sent to help with the rescue effort. Disaster officials said information was still trickling in from isolated areas and the death toll could rise.

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The price of gold has touched an all-time high of US$1,095 and five cents an ounce in London, after a large sale of the precious commodity by the International Monetary Fund to India.

Buyers moved in after the IMF decision to sell 200 tonnes of gold to India’s central bank.

Gold and other commodity prices have surged recently as investors have moved away from the US dollar.

The sale to India was nearly half the 403.3 tonnes of gold the IMF has targeted for sale over the coming years.

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Afghan police may have been infiltrated by the Taliban to carry out the fatal shootings of five British soldiers in Afghanistan, said UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The British military blamed Tuesday’s attack in Helmand on a rogue Afghan policeman, but Prime Minister Brown said possible Taliban involvement was being examined.

The Grenadier Guard, two fellow guards and two Royal Military Police died. They had been mentoring Afghan police.

Prime Minister Brown also said that Taliban have claimed responsibility for the incident, however, a BBC Kabul correspondent later said the Taliban had not admitted to carrying out the attack.

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Two senior United States envoys, Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and his deputy have held separate talks with Burma’s Prime Minister Thein Sein and detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

It is the highest level contact between the two governments in more than a decade.

Mr. Campbell met the prime minister in the capital, Naypyitaw, before flying to Rangoon to meet Ms. Suu Kyi.

No details of either set of talks has been released yet, however the fact that Suu Kyi was seen in public and was allowed to meet such a high-level U.S. delegation is being seen as positive.

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