All Ears

" If you're heading to China for the Olympics don't count on having much privacy there either in public or in private. About 70000. A Beijing's taxis. Now carry microphones. And the taxis can be tracked by the government using GPS technology at these microphones by the way can be turned off and on from a remote location. Without the driver's knowledge so the question as. Our Chinese authorities using these devices to spy on visitors their city Olympics joining right now is Asian actor. -- Chang and he's the author of the book called the coming collapse of China welcome Gordon. Up so were they looking for I mean you know that closed countries tend to be paranoid but. What are -- looking for people."

" They're looking for foreign secrets and technology because China has maintained this program for decades. And although you know there's been violence against cab drivers really what they're doing is they want to know what the people in the backseat are saying and thinking."

" Yet when when you mention violence against cab drivers that that's what the government says that we are putting these microphones in these -- to -- 70000. Because we want to attack our drivers from being robbed or something bad happening to them. But really you say that that the whole goal is to pick up stop the what Americans and every other any other country are talking."

" About what we know this because there's also violence against cab drivers in other cities in China and the government doesn't do anything there you know it's just a coincidence. I don't think so right there you know that's the reason why it says this is part of the spying program unbelievable and -- you're not surprised no I'm not surprised because the government has been doing this just a couple of months ago Carlos for Paris the treasury secretary he had a problem they. You know laptop stolen you know blackberries taken from somebody in England it's part of a very comprehensive program."

" I let's look I Human Rights Watch has come out and it's such a bit about this they said. I it seems to be to suggest an Africa by the police or other security forces to eavesdrop on conversations -- passengers. Rather than for the immediate safety and security of the taxi driver should really I do you agree with what Human Rights Watch. Has said that it is there something really. Something really juicy that they expect to get or that they could get."

" We've gotten a lot of technology have gotten a lot of secrets come from foreigners in the past -- and very different ways. What they're doing now -- just sort of ramping up there were procedures and so this is just -- another iteration of what they've been doing for so long."

" Okay to send you think it might be spying on their own people gathering information so that they can go after them once the media attention turns away from time."

" What they do that and of course the technology that -- imported from foreign countries like the United States for this Olympics are going to be used against Chinese citizens once everyone goes -- so legacy of these games are not going to be you know what we've liked it being a more open society it's going to be enhanced police say."

" Absolutely -- you know there's also little controversy say the US athletes got off the plane on it and we have some video here. Wearing masks literally as -- off the plane going to the airport and they were forced to apologize. They said the wearing a protective masks upon our arrival of the Beijing was strictly a precautionary measure. We as athletes choose to take it in no way it was meant to serve it is at an environmental or political statements. We deeply regret that nature of our choices our decision was not intended to insult. Those who have put forth a tremendous amount of effort basically the air quality is not good there I don't. Good to be athletes to jump off the plane but these -- some well."

" Should I mean the air in Beijing is among the worst in the world and they were too apologetic because if anybody should be apologizing it to be the Chinese for having such a bad environment."

" I would love to do more to clean up the air they sent my reporters and we're going to have to leave it there but the book is called the coming collapse of China and we appreciate your joining us today that --"