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

In this bulletin:

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

But first our SOH focus on China.

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

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

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

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

International media advocates have condemned the move.

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

Now Beijing

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

In this bulletin:

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

But first our SOH focus on China.

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

It

Thousands of people clashed with security forces on the night of June 12, over the beating of a pregnant migrant worker by police outside of the southern China city of Guangzhou. (Weibo.com)

- Bombings stun Chinese officials,
- Southern China flooding hits millions,
- Taiwan’s main parties unite behind independent broadcaster, and
- Special Olympic athletes make history.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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ET-A string of recent bomb explosions targeting government buildings throughout China continue to stun officials. The bombings include five incidents in Fuzhou of Jiangxi Province and, most recently, one in the northern municipality of Tianjin.

While authorities attempt to block the news and divert attention, the spotlight of public opinion persists in illuminating the incidents.

The latest explosion on June 10, in front of the Tianjin Municipal Government, resulted in two minor injuries. A person with insider information told Sound of Hope Radio a petitioner had detonated two homemade bombs. Our source, who wished to remain anonymous said authorities responded by sending a large contingent of police for crowd control and to prevent the news from getting out.

The Epoch Times website looks at the significance of the explosions in terms of protest in China.

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ET/NTD-Security forces have broken up protests sparked by the beating of a pregnant migrant worker by police in southern China’s Zencheng City. A curfew was also in force.

Migrant workers from Sichuan Province, unhappy for a long list of reasons, plan to strike for a month.

According to report from the Hong Kong-based newspaper Apple Daily, Chinese authorities mobilized 2,700 soldiers on the night of June 12 and another five thousand police on June 13.

From late June 12 to early June 13, tens of thousands of Zencheng residents took to the streets in protest and clashed with police.

Zengcheng is around an hour’s drive from Guangzhou, the affluent capital of Guangdong Province, which produces about a third of the country’s exports.

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NTD-Millions have been affected by flooding in southern China after almost two weeks of heavy rain and storms. According to official reports, as of Friday June 17 up to one million people have been forced to leave their homes.

State-run media at the time stated at least 105 people were dead and another 65 were missing. A rescue worker from Wangmo County, Guizhou Province told SOH the actual death toll was much higher than the official figure and any missing persons had a slim chance of survival.

Torrential downpours have battered previously drought-stricken sections of China. Vast areas of crops have been ruined and hundreds of homes destroyed. Early estimates suggest the damages will tun into tens of millions of US dollars.

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

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ET/NTD-NTD AP, the SOH Network’s partner media in the Asia-Pacific region continues to get support from both main political parties in Taiwan over the future of its broadcast.

Taiwan

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.

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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.

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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

[caption id=”attachment_3492″ align=”alignleft” width=”250″ caption=”Tuesday, May 3, was World Press freedom Day. In Taiwan, NTD Asia Pacific Television

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.

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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

An Australian wildlife park has recovered a stolen koala after a tip off led them to a trash bin containing the animal. (By brian.gratwicke/Flickr)

- Democracy Party targeted in eastern China,
- Lin Zhoa remembered,
- Independent media under threat in Taiwan, and
- Stolen koala found in trash bin.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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Recently SOH has received several reports from eastern China’s Zhejiang Province of Democracy Party members being arrested. Zhu Yufu was detained February 19 and Xue Mingkai April 23, both on charges of inciting subversion of state power, a rather poorly defined charges often levelled against dissidents.

The Democracy Party told our Chinese reporters it was being targeted by the Zhejiang authorities because they have been very active in the province and the regime has not been able to silence them.

Relatives of the two activists have been harassed and at least one local lawyer has been scared off from defending Zhu Yufu. The Democratic Party said they were trying to find a lawyer from out of the province to take the case on. Part of the problem is that China’s judiciary, including the body granting lawyers licenses to practice, is not independent from the regime.

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

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Dozens of people in China spontaneously visited the tomb of famous dissident Lin Zhao April 29 on the forty-third anniversary of her death.

SOH spoke to some of those who went to pay their respects to Lin Zhao. They said about forty people, mostly from Shanghai and Suzhou, were at the outspoken dissident’s tomb. Adding, there were also several car loads of plain-clothes police by the roadside monitoring those inside.

Lin Zhao, like many intellectuals, became a victim of Mao Zedong’s 1957 Hundred Flowers Movement. Arrested in 1960 for being a counter-revolutionary she continued to pen critical commentary about Mao while imprisoned, famously using her own blood write with. Many in China regard her as a heroine who fought for dignity, freedom and democracy.

Interviewed and reported by Fu Ming and Tang Li for Sound of Hope Radio.

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NTD-Sand and dust storms hit a large portion of northern and northeastern China for the second consecutive day Thursday May 12. Cities have been blanketed in yellow clouds, disrupting transportation.

The sandstorms hit Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces in the northeast Wednesday May 11, bringing with them huge amounts of dust. The local weather bureau rated the air quality hazardous and advised people to stay inside.

In Inner Mongolia, sandstorms covered some of its cities in orange clouds of dust Wednesday May 11, reducing visibility and causing two airports to cancel all flights .

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

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ET-A Taiwanese government-controlled telecommunications company has decided to shut down the satellite broadcasts to China of a TV station providing independent, uncensored China news.

Critics say this decision was meant to curry favour with the Chinese regime and represents a threat to Taiwan

Fossilised remains of an ichthyosaur and ammonites. Ichthyosaurs were dolphin-like reptiles with sharp teeth that preyed on fish and squid-like creatures. A skeleton has been unearthed in Australia with teeth marks on the lower jaw, an unusual find. (Descouens/Wikimedia Commons)

In this bulletin:

- Protests stall world’s busiest port,
- Chinese millionaires moving funds overseas,
- Hong Kong media’s self censorship growing, and
- Battle-scarred fossil jaw found in Australia

But first our SOH focus on China.

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Shanghai, the world’s busiest port, was recently brought to a near standstill after a strike by truck drivers.

In protest over fuel surcharges and other related charges thousands of container-truck drivers began striking April 19. The authorities brought in over seven thousand police to suppress the strike. One person was allegedly beaten to death by the police and many others were arrested April 20.

Angered by this the drivers on strike started to block the gates. As other container and cargo related business joined the strike Shanghai’s port was virtually paralysed.

Authorities have suppressed news of the strikes from getting out.

Reported by Yu Liang and correspondent Chen Yilian for Sound of Hope Radio.

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As the Chinese regime’s crackdown on dissidents continues petitioners have told SOH the State Appeals Bureau has hired thugs to beat petitioners and prevent them going there to appeal.

Petitioners told our Chinese reporter a female petitioner suffered severe head injuries when she was beaten outside Beijing’s State Appeals Bureau April 27. The victim’s situation is currently unknown.

One petitioner said many of them were also arrested after singing songs and shouting ‘down with corruption’ outside the appeals office. They added the police just turned a blind eye when petitioners were attacked.

Reported by Fu Ming and Tang Li for Sound of Hope Radio.

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ET-According to a recent study over half of China

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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Coming up on Asia Cast:

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

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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On a lighter note.

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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.

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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.

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

Scientists in Inner Mongolia recently unearthed the largest spider fossil ever found. Dating to 165 million years ago the find extends the fossil record back by another 130 million years than previously suspected.

In this bulletin:

- Hundreds brawl in Guangzhou over commercial property,
- Chinese comedians break new ground,
- China slammed by independent internet freedom report, and
- Inner Mongolia yields largest fossilised spider discovery.

But first our SOH focus on China.
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A well known dissident from Zhejiang Province has been charged with inciting subversion of state power despite being under house arrest since mid-February.

Zhu Yufu, was taken to the Shangcheng District Detention Center April 5, it was not until almost a week later he was formally arrested and his wife informed. His current whereabouts are unknown.

Zhu’s wife said he hadn’t done anything wrong, and moreover couldn’t have even if he’d wanted as he had been closely monitored by police around the clock.

Friends of Zhu from the Democratic Party he helped establish said Zhu occasionally wrote a few articles and spoke a few words in the media. Adding, if speaking a few words can subvert a state, then the state is too fragile.

Reported by Tian Xi for Sound of Hope Radio.

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A huge fight erupted between hundreds of security guards in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province in a dispute over the ownership of a prime commercial property.

Trouble started when the new owners of the New China Building in Guangzhou tried to take possession of the building. The building’s previous owner claimed the lease was not due for renewal and paid their security guards to prevent the new owners from taking possession of the business.

Witnesses said fierce brawls broke out between both sides. At least 400 to 500 guards were involved. Some 50 to 60 were wounded, some seriously. Thousands of bystanders were also caught up in the incident when police sealed off the area.

Our SOH Chinese reporter was told the previous owner paid his security guards to injure or even kill the new owner’s men.

Reported by Tien Xi for Sound of Hope Radio.

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ET-Two Chinese comedians, in a recent performance lauded by audiences and immediately censored by communist authorities, have gone where others dared not tread.

The bitterly satirical hour-long performance takes on a variety of social and political issues deemed sensitive by the ruling Communist Party, including the Tiananmen Massacre and the lack of a social safety net in China.

In the videos posted online, live audience members can be heard laughing uproariously. Comments posted by netizens indicate that the performance broke new ground in making fun of the Chinese Communist Party in such a public setting.

As online commentators anticipated in their praise, soon after the video was posted it was scrubbed clean from popular video websites in China.

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

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According to a new study by Freedom House cyberattacks, politically motivated censorship, and government control over internet infrastructure are threatening internet freedom.

The Freedom on the Net 2011 report released April 18 assesses internet freedom in 37 countries. The study says bloggers, online journalists, and human rights activists increasingly face arrest and imprisonment for their online writings.

China was found to remain one of the world’s most restrictive countries with respect to internet freedom. It is also home to the most sophisticated control apparatus.

Internet users in Burma and Thailand were also among those found to lack freedom.

The report also said China’s indirect influence as a model of internet control was evident in the growing restrictions seen in other countries.

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NTD-Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of Taiwan