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.

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Civil Society (民间社会)

China’s cadres balk at showing the money
The Wall Street Journal, August 2013
http://stream.wsj.com/story/latest-headlines/SS-2-63399/SS-2-291414/

For more information on Xu Zhiyong:
律师会见许志永
Lawyer meets with Xu Zhiyong
Human Rights in China, July 25, 2013
CH:http://www.hrichina.org/cn/content/6858
EN:http://www.hrichina.org/content/6857

Consumer Product Safety (消费品安全)

Playing chicken
News China, August 2013
http://www.newschinamag.com/magazine/playing-chicken

Corruption (腐败)

湖南衡东一县人大代表实名举报后两次遇袭 (Hunan NPC deputy attacked after making allegations of misconduct against former NPC deputy)
China Youth Daily, August 1, 2013
http://zqb.cyol.com/html/2013-08/01/nw.D110000zgqnb_20130801_2-11.htm

政府购买公共服务要出指导目录 (State Council warns against vanity infrastructure projects and shoddy construction)
Jinghua Times, August 1, 2013
http://epaper.jinghua.cn/html/2013-08/01/content_14647.htm

Cybersecurity (网络安全)

Chinese hackers target remote conferencing gear: Dell researchers
Reuters, July 31, 2013
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/31/us-china-hacking-idUSBRE96U0YI20130731

Environment (环境)

福建漳州对古雷PX闪燃事故展开全面调查 (Fujian gov't sets up special committee to investigate accident at petrochemical plant)
China News, July 31, 2013
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2013/07-31/5108502.shtml

Freedom of Expression and Privacy (言论自由和隐私)

吴虹飞从刑拘改行政拘留10日并被处罚款500元 (Beijing singer transferred to administrative detention, will be released tomorrow and fined RMB 500 for microblog outburst)
Jinghua Times, August 1, 2013
http://epaper.jinghua.cn/html/2013-08/01/content_14667.htm

China singer set to be freed after bomb threat: lawyer
Agence France-Presse, July 31, 2013
http://bit.ly/14FylmG

Health (健康)

湖南女性艾滋病病毒感染例数去年比2010年增长89.3% (Number of women living with HIV/AIDS rises by 89.3% in Henan)
Xiaoxiang Chenbao, August 1, 2013
http://epaper.xxcb.cn/xxcba/html/2013-08/01/content_2725872.htm

GSK scandal dangles prospects of real medical reforms
China Economic Review, July 31, 2013
http://www.chinaeconomicreview.com/GSK-pharmaceuticals-drugs-probe-corruption-travel-reform-AstraZeneca-UCB-healthcare

Hukou (户口)

发改委:下半年将推动户籍等改革 提升城镇化质量 (Top planning official: plans and measures to be rolled out in second half of 2013 to enhance quality of urbanization, including hukou reform)
China News, July 31, 2013
http://finance.jrj.com.cn/people/2013/07/31112215610859.shtml

Related:
China to meet growth target, push on with reform-NDRC chief
Reuters, July 31, 2013
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/07/31/uk-china-economy-ndrc-idUKBRE96U02I20130731

June Fourth (六四)

"八九民运"人士发"天下围城"召集令 (Democratic movement members call to rally outside China’s overseas institutions at next year’s 25th anniversary of June Fourth)
Deutsche Welle, August 1, 2013
http://http://bit.ly/1edO1mH

Labor (劳工)

Indian deal for Cooper Tire riles Chinese workers
Wall Street Journal, July 31, 2013
http://stream.wsj.com/story/latest-headlines/SS-2-63399/SS-2-291148/

Land, Housing, Property (土地、财产、房屋)

民不畏死,湖南 “生死状”PK“国家掠夺” (Hunan farmers defend land rights through "death pact," highlights rising social tension amidst rampant lawless land-grabs)
Deutsche Welle, July 31, 2013
http://www.dw.de/民不畏死湖南-生死状pk国家掠夺/a-16989298

Media (媒体)

China cracks down on independent news websites
South China Morning Post, August 1, 2013
http://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1293559/china-cracks-down-independent-news-websites

Political and Economic Reform (政治经济改革)

分析:动荡与稳定 民主与独裁 (Analysis: turbulence and stability, democracy and dictatorship)
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 1, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/08/130801_china_termoil.shtml

Related:
中国若动荡,只会比苏联更惨 (China Would End up Worse than Former USSR in Case of Political Turmoil)
Xinhua, August 1, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2013-08/01/c_116766533.htm

新华社文章狂批公知,谎言被揭成笑话 (Xinhua’s article madly criticizes public intellectuals, but its lie has become a joke)
Deutsche Welle, August 1, 2013
http://bit.ly/14ld9ct

Related Weibo:
謙女時評, August 1, 2013
[【 新华社:中国若动荡,只会比苏联更惨】请看俄罗斯现在"惨状":1,全民免费医疗;2,实行学龄前,基础和中等职业免费教育,并提供免费午餐;3,女55岁,男60岁,就可领养老金,不论是否为国家工作过;4,水,电,暖气由国家承担;5,人均收入达12700美元(中国人均收入约1000美元);6,还有更惨的,俄罗斯人有选票。]
([Xinhua News Agency: China Would End up Worse than Former USSR in Case of Political Turmoil] Let’s take a look at how “bad” the situation is in Russia. 1. Universal health coverage. 2. Free pre-school, elementary, and secondary vocational school education with free lunch provided; 3. Pension available to all female citizens aged 55 and above and male, 60 and above, regardless of previous employment. 4. Water, electricity, and heat covered by the State. 5. GDP per capita of $12,700 (China’s being $1,000). 6. You know what’s even worse? They can vote.)
http://weibo.com/2312330067/A2LDwgn9A?mod=weibotime

Rule of Law (法治)

案件撤销,但他仍未走出看守所 (Detained since he was a teenager, man still in detention despite provincial court decision to drop prosecution)
Dahe Daily, August 1, 2013
http://newpaper.dahe.cn/dhb/html/2013-08/01/content_933192.htm

临武公布瓜农死因外力诱发血管破裂 (Autopsy on watermelon vendor shows he died from internal bleeding in the brain caused by external trauma, authorities promise to expedite investigation)
Beijing News, August 1, 2013
http://epaper.bjnews.com.cn/html/2013-08/01/content_454414.htm

XUAR (新疆维吾尔自治区)

伊力哈木再度遭软禁 维族学生网络发文被抓 (Uyghur professor put under house arrest again in Beijing, Uyghur university students detained for online posts)
Radio Free Asia, July 31, 2013
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/ql-07312013101605.html

Opinion (观点)

超强诚不易
Why China is still no superpower
Caixin, July 17, 2013
CH:http://opinion.caixin.com/2013-07-19/100558399.html
EN:http://www.worldcrunch.com/business-finance/why-china-is-still-no-superpower/china-usa-economy-superpower-confucius/c2s12860/

Revenge of the mistresses
中国情妇们的报复
New York Times, August
http://cn.nytimes.com/opinion/20130801/c01friedman/dual/

反思“开宝马喝污水”的现代化 (Modernization cannot be achieved at the expense of the environment)
Southern Daily, August 1, 2013
http://epaper.nfdaily.cn/html/2013-08/01/content_7212590.htm

让人民参与清除贪污 (Public participation key to effective anti-corruption efforts)
Financial Times, August 1, 2013
http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001051712

The wake-up call in China's "visit your parents" law
The Atlantic Cities, July 31, 2013
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/politics/2013/07/wake-call-chinas-visit-your-parents-law/6377/