1 China’s Hu Attends the G-20, APEC, and Conducts Four State Visits Last Updated: Dec 2 2008 2:50PM Download here (.doc)   Australia Boosts Bio-Security Defenses Last Updated: Sep 16 2008 7:31AM Australia has opened a new National Center for Bio-Security to build its defenses against infectious diseases and biological weapons. Medical experts say it will help protect the country from threats such as SARS and bird flu as well as attacks by terrorists or rogue scientists. From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports. The new bio-security center adds another layer to Australia's counterterrorism defenses. Its researchers will look at ways to combat biological warfare, naturally occurring diseases and the theft or misuse of sensitive research on micro-organisms. In addition, they will study the dangers posed by synthetic biology, where a virus or bacteria can be created from scratch. The center's work will concentrate on 22 bacteria, viruses and poisons that the Australian government considers "agents of concern".   US Warns China Of "Technological Isolation" Last Updated: May 9 2008 9:02AM The United States warned China Thursday that it risked "technological isolation" for developing unique technical standards of its own that also are shutting out foreign competition. Despite widely accepted international standards, China developed standards mandated by government regulations amid a lack of transparency and due process, said Under Secretary of Commerce Christopher Padilla. "These requirements certainly provide Chinese domestic companies an unfair advantage, but they also carry great risks for China," he told a conference in Washington on standards and innovation in China. In the 1980s, he said, Japan thought its market was large enough to justify unique technology standards that would eventually move the world in its direction, to the benefit of its companies.   S.Korean NSC Attacked By Computer Virus Last Updated: Apr 22 2008 8:20AM South Korea's presidential office says computer viruses have caused some unclassified data to be leaked from the National Security Council computer networks. The presidential office said on Tuesday that it has found that some unclassified personal data was leaked in mid-February after some NSC computer networks came under attack from computer viruses. It suspects the viruses entered the networks through emails, possibly sent from a third country. The office said it first found traces of the attacks when it conducted a thorough security check on the presidential office's computer networks transferred from the Roh administration. The check was conducted after President Lee Myung Bak took office in late February.   China Clamps Down On Internet Video Last Updated: Jan 4 2008 1:24PM China has announced tough new rules to crack down on the explosion of audio-visual content on the Internet, reiterating that sex and politically sensitive material will not be tolerated.  Only state-controlled entities will have the right to operate websites that post audio-visual content, according to the rules, placing into doubt whether Chinese will have access to foreign video sharing sites such as YouTube.    Cyclone Sidr Strikes Bangladesh (Update 2) Last Updated: Nov 20 2007 4:53PM Download here (.doc)   China Begins Laying New Trans-Pacific Fiber Optic Cable To US Last Updated: Oct 23 2007 8:02AM China has begun laying a US$500 million fiber optic cable to the United States that will be vital in meeting booming Internet traffic between the two nations, state press reported Tuesday. The "Trans Pacific Express" cable will directly link China with South Korea, Taiwan and the United States, greatly increasing Internet speeds between the regions, the China Daily said. Work laying the cable began in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao on Monday, with completion of the trans-oceanic line scheduled for July next year, the paper said.   Foreign Spies Try To Hack Into NZ Computers Last Updated: Sep 11 2007 7:45AM New Zealand's prime minister, Helen Clark, has confirmed that foreign spies have tried to hack into government computers. But she says no classified information has been lost. Ms Clark says New Zealand knows the governments involved, but declined to name them publicly. She also noted that several other countries had recently experienced similar attacks on their computer networks. China says has been a victim of cyber-attacks, following accusations from several Western governments that China's military has been linked to hacking into their websites.   Mr. Hu Goes To Moscow, Again Last Updated: Apr 8 2007 9:15AM Download here (.doc)   Burma Releases 9 Protestors In Rangoon Last Updated: Feb 27 2007 11:09AM Burma's military government has released nine people who'd been held for five days after holding a rare protest over living conditions in the capital, Rangoon. Around two dozen people took part in last Thursday's demonstration outside a bus station, waving placards and shouting slogans.   Press Freedom Improving In Asia Despite Censors, Attacks: Report Last Updated: Feb 1 2007 3:17PM Despite the high number of journalists killed or attacked in Asia in 2006 and persistent censorship, Asians are slowly gaining access to more independent, better quality news, media rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said on Thursday.  (cont)   Japan To Pass Maritime Law Concerning China Last Updated: Jan 9 2007 5:18PM Japanese Congress is expected to approve an act this month aimed at legalizing its maritime rights and attempting to contain China's oil and gas exploitation on the East China Sea near the disputed areas, Phoenix television reported on January 8. According to a report on the Phoenix website citing Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun, the ruling Japanese Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will make a proposal to pass the "Fundamental Law of the Ocean", to which the Democratic Party, the largest opposition party, has expressed consent.   1