The HRIC Daily Brief is a daily selection of news stories and commentary related to human rights in China, drawn from Chinese- and English-language news and online media sources that we monitor daily. In addition to headlines and source links, HRIC also provides English translation of Chinese headlines.

Monday, April 04, 2005

April 2-4, 2005

Top news of the day

Religion - Christianity
Underground Catholic Church hopes Beijing to re-establish links with Vatican
中国教会盼北京改变对梵蒂冈态度
Voice of America, April 3, 2005
Catholic Priest in Hebei Underground Church, which organized Mass for Pope’s death today, said that devotion to religion is not in conflict with patriotism and hoping Beijing Government can open diplomatic talk with Vatican’s new Pope in the near future.
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2005-04-03-voa26.cfm



News
Bilaterals -US/China

China's deft diplomacy irks the US
Agence France Presse, 3 April 2005
The United States is becoming increasingly frustrated as nearly every country it tries to isolate for human rights abuses or impeding democratic freedom is being coddled by China.
http://www.timesofoman.com/newsdetails.asp?newsid=13508

Corruption
Vice-governor gets 12 years for taking bribes
China Daily, April 4, 2005
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-04/04/content
_430620.htm


Environment - natural resources
Drought Affects Plowing Season
China Daily April 4, 2005
http://china.org.cn/english/2005/Apr/124635.htm

Death penalty - debate
Jailed Chinese "killer" freed after wife turns up alive.
Reuters News, 3 April 2005
A Chinese man jailed and badly beaten for his wife's murder has been freed after she turned up not only alive but with another husband, domestic media said on Monday, revealing a brutal arbitrariness to China's ...
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050404/od
_nm/crime_china_dc_1


June 4th –EU arms ban
European Union Embargo To China
Voice of America, April 3, 2005
http://www.voanews.com/english/NewsAnalysis/2005-04-03-
voa17.cfm


Law
Abuse the legal procedure of re-trial is the leading factor to wrongfully convicted cases
“滥用发回重审是致冤案主因”
BeijingNews.com, April 4, 2005
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/2005/0404/09@02133
8.html



Labour – employment market
Help Wanted: China Finds Itself With a Labor Shortage
New York Times, April 3, 2005
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/03/international/asia/03ch
ina.html?incamp=article_popular_3


Labour- Work safety and conditions
Mine safety more prayer than promise
The Standard, April 2, 2005
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/China/GD02Ad09.html

Gov’t urges increased mine safety spending
China Daily.com, April 4, 2005
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-04/04/content_
430718.htm


Two Dead, Six Missing in Inner Mongolia Mine Accident
Xinhua News Agency, April 4, 2005
http://china.org.cn/english/China/124691.htm

Labour - union
Mystery over cancelled forum
SCMP, April 2, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZP5DXQY6E.html

Labour - migrants
LET'S PROTECT MIGRANT WORKERS
China Daily, 4 April 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-04/04/content_2783
301.htm


Media
China freezes film, TV co-production
SCMP, April 4, 2005
http://biz.scmp.com/bizmain/ZZZUA0UOY6E.html

Police - Abuse
Diaoyu activist blames police for beating in Zhejiang
SCMP, April 4, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ191UOY6E.html

Public health - disability
Official calls for respecting, protecting rights of handicapped
Xinhuanet.com, April 1, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-04/01/content_2775
466.htm


Public Health
China to offer medical assistance to urban poor
People’s Daily, April 2, 2005
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200504/02/eng20050402_
179174.html


Politics - Political Reforms
Political reforms needed, despite challenges
继续推进政治体制改革既有必要性也有艰巨性
Chinanew.com, April 3, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-04/01/content_2775
466.htm


Society – Suicide / Media - internet
China targets suicide websites
SCMP, April 1, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitech/ZZZ4WWTOY6E.html

Xinjiang
Uighurs see China's economic push as 'great western rip-off' five years on
AFP via YahooNews.com, April 3, 2005
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050403/lf
_afp/chinaeconomykashgar_050403205324