News & Reports 2012-05-19

 Hello and Welcome to News and Reports on China Radio International.

In This EditionG8 leaders gather in Camp David outside Washington for a two-day summit focusing on growth agenda.
A leading Afghan political watcher warns that local Afghans are worried about their future if there is a complete withdrawal 1 of foreign troops at the end of 2014.
Legislators in New York State are now getting ready to ban the sale of shark fins 3 in New York City's Chinatown.
Beijing Police ask the public to give them any information about foreigners living in the Chinese capital illegally.
Hot Issue ReportsDonilon Briefs Press Ahead of G8 & NATO SummitU.S. National Security adviser 4 Tom Donilon says the G8 Summit this weekend in the United States is going to be the first opportunity for new European leaders to discuss the Eurozone debt crisis.
Donilon made the comments ahead of the G8 and the NATO summit set for Chicago.
"The global economy, especially the economic situation in the eurozone, are going to be the top of the agenda. This is the first opportunity for the leaders of the major developed economies to meet face to face since President Hollande's election in France and the political events in Greece. This of course also will be the first G8 meeting for Prime Minister Monti of Italy and Prime Minister Noda of Japan."Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari is scheduled to attend the NATO summit in Chicago.
He's expected to be pressed on the re-opening of the NATO supply lines for Afganistan through his country.
"We have made real progress I think towards resolving the issue around opening up the ground supply lines, which have been closed since the November cross-border incident where 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed. The key government groups in Islamabad have instructed their negotiators to move to conclude these negotiations 5. Whether that will be done in the next few day I can't judge at this point, but there has been a decision on both sides to reach a conclusion of this going forward."However, US President Barack Obama has no plans for a sideline meeting with Zardari.
G8 Preview with Zhu JiejinFor more on the G8 summit, CRI's Zheng Chenguang had a chance to speak with Dr. Zhu Jiejin with the School of International and Diplomatic Affairs at Shanghai International Studies University.
Afghan Analysts 7 Warn Locals Worry the Country's FutureA leading Afghan political watcher is now warning that local Afghans are worried about their future if there is a complete withdrawal of foreign troops at the end of 2014.
Kate Clark, senior analyst 6 at the Afghanistan Analyst Network based in Kabul, is making the suggestion ahead of the forthcoming NATO Summit in Chicago.
"I think this is very clear, that the American and the other leaders of troop-deploying countries want to portray 8 Afghanistan as a success story. They want to portray Afghanistan with Afghan forces, army, police, that are ready to take over security."Clark contends many in the Afghan population are concerned that the Taliban might return to power once international troops pull out.
Under a previous agreement, NATO forces are obligated to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
However, US President Barack Obama signed a deal with Afghan President Hamid Karzai earlier this month which allows for the possibility of US troops remaining in Afghanistan after the 2014 deadline.
Bosnian War Criminal Mladic Trial DelayedA decision to postpone 9 the war crimes trial of former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic is rousing sharply differing reactions along Bosnia's ethnic 10 divide.
The trial is likely to be postponed 11 for months because of procedural errors by the prosecution 12.
Bosnian Serb political analyst Zoran Zuza says he feels the timing 13 of the announcement by the court in the Hague suggests the prosecutors 14 are being treated more favorably by the judges.
"What raises questions is that the judges had allowed the prosecutors to give the opening statement although they knew already yesterday that the prosecution had made several procedural mistakes. In this way they intentionally 15 or unintentionally prevented the defence lawyers from preparing for the case."Some Bosnian Muslim victims of the war say they fear Mladic will die before the end of his trial, which is what happened in the case of former Serbian leader Slobodan Milosovic.
70-year old Ratko Mladic is accused of genocide, murder, acts of terror and other crimes against humanity during the 1992-95 Bosnian war.
He's accused of leading the seige of Srebernica, where some 8-thousand Muslim men and boys were systematically 16 murdered by Serb forces after they took the city.
Legislators in New York Get Ready to Ban Shark Fins Transaction in ChinatownLegislators in New York State are now getting ready to ban the sale of shark fins in New York City's Chinatown.
CRI's Nate Schlabach has the details.
In New York City's Chinatown neighbourhood, shoppers have a wide variety of dried shark fins to choose from.
But at the Po Wing Hong Food Market, which is a popular and long-standing grocery store, change appears to be coming.
Large glass jars containing dried shark fins are still on display in the front window.
However, Nancy Ng, who has owned the store for 35 years, says she's stopped ordering more stock.
"A few months ago, we stopped ordering new shark fins after hearing about the ban on the shark fin 2 trade on the West Coast (of the United States). So this is what we have left and we are trying to get rid of the remaining stock in anticipation 17 of a ban being implemented 18 in New York as well."In February, legislators in New York State introduced a bill that would ban the sale, trade, possession and distribution of shark fins.
On Thursday, a group of about 40 people gathered on the steps of Manhattan's City Hall to express their support for the proposed bill.
Margaret Chin, a New York City Council member and a Chinese American, has been lobbying the Asian American community to try to gather support for the legislation.
"Shark fin soup may be a time honoured tradition for a small group of people. But it has no place in today's society. I stand here today to say that I will not support the shark fin industry that thrives off cruelty and I call on the Asian American community in New York to stand with me,"The American Humane 19 Society is one of the chief organizers of the rally.
According to the organization, shark populations around the world are in rapid decline due to the enormous demand for shark fins.
New York State legislature might vote on the ban in June. If the ban does go through, restaurants catering 20 Chinese banquets are likely toi see their business suffer.
However, these businesses will have up to a year to phase-out shark fin sales.
For CRI, I am Nate Schlabach.
Beijing Clampdown on Illegal ForeignersPolice here in Beijing are now asking the Chinese public to give them any information about foreigners living in the capital illegally.
As CRI's Wang Wei reports, the move is part of a broader campaign to try to crack down on foreigners living in China without the proper documentation.
Local authorities in Beijing have officially launched a 100-day campaign – running from May 15 until the end of August – targeting foreigners who illegally enter, reside, or work in China. The 100-day campaign is being promoted as an attempt to improve safety in the capital.
Authorities have denied any link to last week's incident of a British man assaulting a Chinese woman on street.
Xiang Dang is professor of Foreign Police Affairs at Chinese People's Public Security University calls it a necessary move.
"Since China adopted the reform and opening-up policy, and with rapid development of its economy and society, the number of foreigners in China has continued to grow at a sustained rate. At the same time, cases involving foreigners – include illegally residing or working in China, or even instances of transnational crime – are also on the rise."Official data shows that there are now almost 200,000 foreigners in Beijing, including 120,000 legal residents. Police records also indicate that foreigners without an income, a home, and a job are more likely to commit crimes.
According to Chinese law, it is illegal for foreigners to enter China without a valid 21 visa issued by Chinese authorities, to enter outside of official ports of entry, or to enter without a valid passport. It is also illegal for foreigners to live in China on expired visas or residence permits, or to undertake paid employment without a proper work visa.
Professor Xiang says developed countries, such as America or Japan, frequently take a heavy-handed approach to the management of illegal aliens in their own territory. By comparison, he believes China's immigration policies are quite lax.
"In terms of the management of foreigners, we are behind western countries like America, and our neighbors like Japan and Republic of Korea. This is largely due to the fact that immigration legislation and administration in China is outdated 22. We also have a lack of detention 23 facilities. In western nations, illegal entry or residence are considered criminal offences. But in China, they are taken as administrative 24 infractions, or a breach 25 of public order."Foreigners found to be violating relevant laws may face penalties including fines, detention, or even deportation 26.
But despite the intense crack-down, experts argue that the campaign does not contradict China's status as an open and inclusive country. China still welcomes people from overseas to invest, study, and work in the country, as long as they have the appropriate visas and permits.
For CRI, I'm Wang Wei.
New Christian 27 Youths Protest Lady Gaga Concert in ManilaLady Gaga's scheduled Asian concerts are causing more upset - this time in the Philippines.
Seventy christian youths in Manila are protesting against two of Gaga's concerts to be held in the capital next week.
A group called Biblemode Youth Philippines say they are offended by Lady Gaga's music and videos, in particular her song "Judas" which they say mocks Jesus Christ.
Protest leader, former Philippine Congressman 28 Ben Abante:
"We should stop this concert, in fact our group will file a case against Lady Gaga and the promoter for violating the laws of the land, especially on the areas of obscenity, sexuality and defamation 29 of our own religious belief."　The protests follow the cancellation 30 of Lady Gaga's performance in Indonesia earlier this week.
Museums in ChinaFriday, May 18th was 'International Museum Day.'
As CRI's Jules Page reports, around 30-thousand museums, including numerous ones here in China, have been marking the day with various events.
Hangzhou, the capital of east China's Zhejjiang province, is home to numerous unique and interesting museums. The city is also the traditional home to some of the country's best silk, tea and umbrellas, so it's no surprise that National Museums covering these subjects can be found there.
Chinese museums also feature great tour guides who can provide valuable information to help bring the exhibits to life. Guides like Mickey Huang from the Umbrella Museum.
"In China there are nine places which are really famous for the oil paper umbrella. We know that paper is not waterproof 31 but when we put oil on it, then it can become waterproof. And about the frame; normally it is made from bamboo. We can see this one, it's very special. Under the umbrella we can see there are five coloured threads. There are more than two thousand threads here. And the five colours mean bring you good luck, keep you safe."Hangzhou's National Silk Museum describes the process and history of silk production and there to help us learn more was Mr Lu Ji Rong, who explained about the earliest silk discovery in China.
"So far the earliest silk discovery is in China's Henan province, which has a history of more than five thousand, six hundred years. This is a fragment of the silk and when the archeologist found it, it wrapped the baby's body."At the National Tea Museum our tour guide, James, explained why tea is an important part of Chinese Culture.
"From ancient times China has had a strong traditional for serving tea. And also from this area it's very famous for the West Lake long jing tea and the dragon well tea is also very famous here."Beijing's Film legend Music was established by film buff and well known Chinese television host, Cui Yong Yuan. The museum's curator Mr Li Gui Rong was only too happy to show us around and explain how the museum was set up to showcase its enormous array of memorabilia.
"The museum consists of six exhibition rooms. In the first room on the first floor we have original manuscripts from old Chinese films and items used by Chinese film stars and old magazines about these films. There are projectors 32 and cameras of different sizes and from different countries in the second room. We also have items used and donated by the most famous Chinese film directors."While quirky museums and museums with specific focuses abound 33, China is – of course – also home to a variety of top tier museums, such as the Shanghai Museum and the China National Museum in Beijing.
For CRI – I'm Jules Page.
Newspaper PickBBCA man in central Russia had to be rescued by emergency workers from a rubbish chute after he jumped into it to hide from his girlfriend.
He plunged 34 three floors from the eighth floor of an apartment building in Tyumen, Siberia, before getting stuck. Residents then heard the 31-year-old man's cries for help.
Rescue workers had to use tools to cut him free. He was not seriously hurt.
He had had a row with his girlfriend, officials said, without elaborating.
Soviet-era buildings in Russia frequently have a metal rubbish chute in the stairwell, with a latch 35 opening on each floor.
Emergency service officials say the incident happened late on Wednesday, but the man is already back at work.
There had been a similar incident in Tyumen a few years ago, again with a happy outcome.
AFPA province in southern Italy has dedicated 36 a 1,400-year-old olive tree known as "The Queen" to US First Lady Michelle Obama.
Lecce province said that the roughly 100 litres of extra-virgin olive oil made from the fruits of the giant tree would be sent to the White House every year starting this fall.
The province says in a statement that the US First Lady's 'Let's Move' campaign for a healthier lifestyle and diet is in perfect harmony with a Mediterranean 37 diet.
The initiative is being supported by local farmers. The tree can produce up to 600 kilograms of olives a year.
Michelle Obama has had an organic vegetable garden planted in the White House and regularly invites school children to tend it with her.
GuardianIn the early hours of Saturday morning, a rocket is scheduled to lift off from Cape 38 Canaveral in Florida on a mission to deliver a capsule full of supplies to the International Space Station.
The launch of the Falcon 39 9 rocket and its Dragon capsule is in the hands of SpaceX, the first commercial company to attempt a rendezvous 40 with the orbiting outpost.
This will be a momentous 41 step towards the privatisation of space. Nasa is planning to hand industry responsibility for sending cargo 42 and ultimately crewed flights to low Earth orbit, allowing the agency to focus on other missions.
The launch is very much a test flight for SpaceX, the company founded by PayPal entrepreneur Elon Musk 43, and the chances of something going wrong are real.
The Falcon 9 rocket has flown only twice before, successfully reaching orbit on both occasions.
For Saturday's launch, the Dragon capsule will be stuffed with nearly half a tonne of food, water, clothing, batteries, laptops and lab equipment, but none of it is crucial for the space station crew.
Market UpdateThe U.S. stocks failed to find any support on Friday amid continuing concerns over the eurozone and a shaky debut 44 of the highly-anticipated social network company Facebook.
At market close, the Dow Jones industrial average lost 0.6 percent to to 12,369. The Standard & Poor's 500 was down 0.7 percent to 1,295. The Nasdaq Composite Index lost 1 percent to 2,779.
In Europe, London's FTSE 100 shed 1 percent to 5268. Frankfurt's DAX went down 0.6 percent to 6271. And CAC 40 in Paris lost 0.1 percent to 3008.