Thursday, January 27, 2005

January 27, 2005

Top News of the Day

June 4th – prisoners - Zhao Ziyang (趙紫陽)
China to Hold Funeral for Zhao on Saturday
Reuters via YahooNews.com, January 27, 2005
Beijing has made an official announcement on holding funeral for former communist leader Zhao Ziyang on this Saturday.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=574&ncid=731&e=8&u=/nm/20050127/wl_nm/china_zhao_dc

Labour – protest
China Labour Watch: labour petitioners detained and may face severe charges
中国劳工观察：烟台工人上访被关押，面临判刑厄运
Chinesenewsnet.com, January 27, 2005
Lay-off workers of Yantai (煙台), Shandong have been detained by police when they made a petition at the district office. Li Xintao (李信濤), leader of the petition, has yet to be released and may face severe charges.
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/SinoNews/Main
land/2005_1_26_19_5_41_802.html

Tibet
China Commutes Tibetan Monk's Death Sentence
Voice of America, January 26, 2005
The Chinese authorities have commuted the death sentenced given to Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche, a Tibetan spiritual leader who was convicted of involvement in fatal bombings and inciting separatist activities, to a life imprisonment.
http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-01-26-voa12.cfm


News

Corruption
Battle against official graft nets 459 in Shanghai last year
SCMP, January 27, 2005
According to an annual report of the Shanghai prosecutor’s office, it stated that 402 corruption cases involving 459 people had been filed for corruption last year in Shanghai.
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZMQPAHJ3E.html

Detention - cases

US to push China to release Uighur minority leader Rebiya Kadeer
Agence France Presse, 27 January 2005
The United States said it would push Beijing to release a prominent advocate of women's and minority rights ailing in a Chinese prison.
www.afp.org

Death penalty
China questions death penalty
People’s Daily, January 27, 2005
In a conference on the topic of death penalty, a group of legal experts voiced their favorable support to a probably abolishment of death penalty in China, citing with powerful ground of China’s commitment in observing human rights in accordance with international standards.
http://english1.peopledaily.com.cn/200501/27/eng20050127_172
139.html

Gender – abuse (domestic violence)
Legislator urges the drafting of law to prevent domestic violence
人大代表呼吁立法防止家庭暴力 问责司法不作为
Chinesenewsnet.com, January 27, 2005
NPC representative of Guangdong province urges the government to draft law to redress the rising domestic violence cases in the province.
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/SinoNews/Main
land/zxs_2005-01-27_533877.shtml

Government – elections
Civil Affairs bureau regulates corruption practice in elections as village elections in 18 provinces underway
中国18省份村委会换届选举 民政部界定贿选行为
Chinesenewsnet.com, January 27, 2005
Ministry of Civil Affairs issued a notice in regulating corruption practice of village elections, aiming to deter intentional and unintentional corruption acts during upcoming village election in 18 provinces this year.
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/SinoNews/Main
land/zxs_2005-01-27_533769.shtml

Government – governance and accountability
Auditors inspect int'l aid projects
Xinhuanet.com, January 27, 2005
International aid projects are to be subject for stringent supervision and auditing, highlighting the latest battleground of the China’s “auditing storm”.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-01/27/content_251309
6.htm

Audit results publicized helps supervision of government
Xinhuanet.com, January 27, 2005
State Auditing Administration will make auditing reports of government organs public to show the government’s persistent efforts in curbing economic crimes and corruption of government officials.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-01/27/content_251325
6.htm

Hukou
Beijing sets to reform hukou system, rural migrant workers may turn to be city industrial workers
国务院拟改革户籍制度 将民工转为城市产业工人
EastDay.com, January 27, 2005
According to a study conducted by the Development Research Centre of the State Council, it suggests to change the registration status of rural migrant labour to city industrial workers, a key area for reforming the hukou system.
http://china.eastday.com/eastday/news/node37955/node37957/
node37979/node48257/userobject1ai830330.html

Capital acts to scrap law on migrant restrictions
SCMP, January 27, 2005
Beijing’s municipal government considers abandoning restrictions on migrant residents, which have long been considered discriminatory in nature and unable to meet the development needs of the city.
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZFKZCHJ3E.html

Human Rights-reforms

China rejects US prod on democracy and human rights
Agence France Presse, 27 January 2005
China on Thursday rejected the United States' call for it to speed up democratic reforms and improve human rights, insisting great improvements have already been made at its own pace. www.afp.org

. . . But Don't Forget Democracy
The Asian Wall Street Journal, 27 January 2005 (Hu Ping)
U.S. President George W. Bush declared war on tyranny last week, and Condoleezza Rice branded six countries as "outposts of tyranny." But missing from this list was China. www.wsj.com

June 4th - EU arms embargo
Arming China, and Not
The Wall Street Journal, 27 January 2005
We thought the West had decided that the best way to deal with China is to increase commerce to encourage economic and political liberalization, while discouraging nationalist forces that would threaten such a peaceful evolution. www.wsj.com

June 4th – prisoners – Zhao Ziyang (趙紫陽) / Media – press freedom
Zhao’s death and its implications on Beijing’s control on the media
从赵紫阳去世看政府对媒体控制
Voice of America, January 27, 2005
Beijing’s shut down on news coverage on Zhao’s death well reflected the lack of independency of Chinese media.
http://www1.voanews.com/Chinese/article.cfm?objectID=115000
26-CFC6-423A-AE69CB9EF70D39F2&title=%B4%D3%D5%D4%D 7%CF%D1%F4%C8%A5%CA%C0%BF%B4%D5%FE%B8%AE%B6%
D4%C3%BD%CC%E5%BF%D8%D6%C6%2805%C4%EA1%D4%C22
6%C8%D5%29&catOID=C283D8A3-4AB3-11D5-8EC2009027A
CC5C2&categoryname=National%20News

Labour – industrial accidents
Firework blast in Guangxi leads to 18 death and injuries
广西一爆竹厂爆炸，死伤18人
Radio Free Asia, January 26, 2005
4 died and 14 injured in an illegal firework factory in Guangxi, with most of the victims women workers in the factory.
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2005/01/26/baozha/

Law- legal rights
Some good news out of China
South China Morning Post, 27 January 2005
The Communist Party has traditionally intruded deep into people's personal lives. But now, we are told, there is draft legislation, entitled, Law for personal information protection of the People's Republic of China. www.scmp.com

Migrant workers- law
XIN ZHIMING
China Daily, 27 January 2005
It was astonishing to hear a Beijing policy adviser proposing an "access system" for the inflow of labourers from other parts of the country into the capital. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/home/index.html

Public health / Environment
Waste trade a far bigger threat than ants, say villagers
SCMP, January 27, 2005
Villagers in Wuchuan, Guangdong blamed the booming waste trade in the province lead to outbreak of red-ants infestation in villages and that caused substantial harms to the villagers.
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZUJQ6HJ3E.html

Public health
Regulations on nutrition to be drafted the first time in China
居民营养令人忧 我国拟制定首部营养条例
Xinhuanet.com, January 27, 2005
China attempts to make the first set of regulations on nutrition in response to growing attentions on poor nutrition conditions in the society.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/food/2005-01/27/content_2512873.htm