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.

Friday, August 08, 2014

Corruption (腐败)

China jails British investigator Humphrey linked to GSK
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 8, 2014
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-28712420

Related:
China sentences GSK-linked investigators to prison
Reuters, August 8, 2014
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/08/us-china-gsk-trial-idUSKBN0G72GC20140808

How much wealth had Zhou Yongkang's family amassed before the former security tsar's fall?
South China Morning Post, August 8, 2014
www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1568634/keeping-it-family

Disasters (灾难)

China quake toll rises to 615; muddy noodles open army to scrutiny
Los Angeles Times, August 7, 2014
www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-china-quake-muddy-noodles-army-20140807-story.html

Environment (环境)

Only 9 Chinese cities pass clean air test
中国上半年仅九城市空气质量达标
The New York Times, August 9, 2014
cn.nytimes.com/china/20140808/c08air/dual/

What to do about China’s polluted farmland?
污地怎么办
Caixin, August 5, 2014
EN: https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/7201-What-to-do-about-China-s-polluted-farmland-
CH: https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/ch/7201-What-to-do-about-China-s-polluted-farmland-

Hukou (户口)

Experts: land reform is the key factor to China’s household registration system
New Tang Dynasty Television, August 7, 2014
www.ntd.tv/en/programs/news-politics/china-forbidden-news/20140807/185947-experts-land-reform-is-the-key-factor-to-chinas-household-registration-system.html

Human Rights Defenders (人权卫士)

访耿和:“高智晟回家的路还有多远?” (Interview with Geng He: "How long do we have to wait until Gao Zhisheng is home?")
Radio Free Asia, August 7, 2014
www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/mz-08072014153049.html

美国敦促中国允许获释律师高智晟出国(U.S. urges China to allow rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng to go abroad)
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 7, 2014
www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2014/08/140807_us_china_gaozhisheng.shtml

Related:
Daily Press Briefing
U.S. Department of State, August 7, 2014
www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2014/08/230387.htm#CHINA

China frees prominent lawyer who defended religious freedom
Reuters, August 7, 2014
www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/07/us-china-rights-idUSKBN0G71AN20140807

Fiery Chinese rights lawyer released from prison
Associated Press, August 7, 2014
townhall.com/news/world/2014/08/07/fiery-chinese-rights-lawyer-released-from-prison-n1875878

Chinese lawyer Gao Zhisheng released from prison; now what?
The Wall Street Journal, August 7, 2014
blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/08/07/chinese-lawyer-gao-zhisheng-released-from-prison-now-what/?mod=chinablog

高智晟出狱之际 耿和举行记者会要求中共还高智晟真正自由 (Wife of released rights lawyer urges China to ensure true freedom)
Radio Free Asia, August 8, 2014
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ck-08082014100419.html

Bay Area woman calls for husband to return to The U.S. after being released from Chinese prison
Columbia Broadcasting System, August 7, 2014
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/08/07/bay-area-woman-calls-for-husband-to-return-to-the-us-after-being-released-from-chinese-prison-gao-zhisheng/

Information Control (信息控制)

China cracks down on popular mobile messaging services
中国推“微信十条”严格控制即时通信工具
The New York Times, August 8, 2014
cn.nytimes.com/china/20140808/c08wechat/dual/

Related:
China tightens censorship on mobile messaging apps
中国加紧控制移动即时通信工具
Financial Times, August 8, 2014
EN: http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/81075e92-1e00-11e4-ab52-00144feabdc0.html
CH: www.ftchinese.com/story/001057644

China has neutralized the social media threat
Quartz, August 7, 2014
http://qz.com/246063/china-has-neutralized-the-social-media-threat/

Timeline of China’s social media crackdowns
The Wall Street Journal, August 8, 2014
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/08/08/timeline-of-chinas-social-media-crackdowns

Religion (宗教)

Exclusive: China police investigate U.S. citizen near border with North Korea - source
Reuters, August 7, 2014
www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/07/us-china-canada-investigation-tumen-idUSKBN0G712Z20140807

Pope to fly over China, rare chance for greetings
Associated Press, August 7, 2014
www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/pope-to-fly-over-china-rare-chance-for-greetings/2014/08/07/efdb27c4-1e5d-11e4-9b6c-12e30cbe86a3_story.html

Rule of Law (法治)

China’s leaders hint at bowing to rule of law as part of reforms
The Australian, August 8, 2014
www.theaustralian.com.au/business/legal-affairs/chinas-leaders-hint-at-bowing-to-rule-of-law-as-part-of-reforms/story-e6frg97x-1227017223088?nk=bcba41782167946d580eaeae141145c7#

State Secrets (国家秘密)

Foreign investigators say they didn’t know China law
Bloomberg Businessweek, August 8, 2014
www.businessweek.com/news/2014-08-07/briton-s-trial-reflects-dangers-of-probing-china-secrets

Tibet (西藏)

绿色和平组织: 藏高原水源地违法开采严重 (Greenpeace: goal mining threatens water sources on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau)
Voice of America, August 7, 2014
www.voachinese.com/content/china-giant-coal-mine-20140807/2406208.html

Related:
Vast coal field expands into protected Chinese grasslands
The Telegraph, August 7, 2014
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/11017553/PIC-and-PUB-HOLD-FOR-LEGAL-PLS-Vast-coal-field-expands-into-protected-Chinese-grasslands.html

See report:
Exposed: Coal mining at the source of China's Yellow River
青海祁连山区黄河水源地内多家企业违法采煤
Green Peace, August 7, 2014
EN: www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/features/Exposed-Coal-mining-at-the-source-of-Chinas-Yellow-River/
CH: www.greenpeace.cn/news/qinghai-qilianshan-illegal-coal-mining.php

XUAR (新疆维吾尔自治区)

China’s far west: a Chechnya in the making
The Economist, August 8, 2014
www.economist.com/news/leaders/21611067-iron-fist-xinjiang-fuelling-insurrection-chinas-leadership-must-switch-tactics

Opinion (观点)

The uncertain limits of intellectual freedom in China
Washington Post, August 7, 2014
www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/08/07/the-uncertain-limits-of-intellectual-freedom-in-china/