• Japan's idea of 'broader Asia' partnership irks China [Sydney Morning Herald]
  The Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, has called for a "broader Asia" partnership of democracies to include India, the US and Australia but omit the region's superpower, China.


• Jailed dissident's wife under house arrest in Beijing [The Guardian]
  The wife of jailed Chinese activist Yuan Weijing is under house arrest tonight less than 24 hours before she was due to fly to the Philippines to collect an award on her husband's behalf.


• China's Shanghai Composite share index tops 5000 for first time [IHT]
  China's benchmark Shanghai Composite Index surpassed the 5000-level Thursday, as bullish investors snapped up blue chips on a strong outlook for corporate earnings.


• Hole in fuel tank suspected in China Airlines blaze [ABC Online]
  Investigators in Japan say they have found a hole in the fuel tank of a China Airlines plane that could explain why it burst into a fireball moments after landing.


• Rescue work on trapped miners in E China continues [Xinhua]
  Hundreds of rescuers are making utmost efforts to free the 181 trapped people at two flooded pits in the eastern province of Shandong, a local work safety official said on Thursday.


• More toys recalled over lead paint; China says US soybeans tainted [USA Today]
  Meanwhile, China hit back today. It said Mattel was partly to blame for the lead paint that led the company to recall millions of toys, and claimed that US soybean imports contained pesticides, poisonous weeds and dirt, the Associated Press writes.


• China launches four-month crackdown on inferior goods, unsafe food [Xinhua]
  During her speech at a conference on quality and safety issues held on Thursday, Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi described a new four-month nationwide campaign to improve the quality of goods and food safety as a "special battle" to ensure the people's health and interests and maintain a good image of Chinese products.

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