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.

Sunday, February 27, 2005

February 26-28, 2005

Top news of the day

Detention – Chen Xiaoming (陳小明)
Shanghai rights activist Chen Xiaoming detained before US Consulate visit
上海一维权者(陳小明)在见美领事前被截
Voice of America, February 26, 2005
Shanghai resident, Chen Xiaoming (陳小明), is reported taken away by the police on his way to an appointment at the U.S. Consulate to speak with a consular official about the case of detained petitioner Mao Hengfeng (毛恒鳯).
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2005-02-26-voa41.cfm




News

Corruption
Wen in new salvo against corruption
SCMP, February 28, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZH8KK985E.html

International anti-corruption group Transparency International talks about corruption in China
国际反腐组织谈中外腐败
Voice of America, February 27, 2005
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2005-02-27-voa33.cfm

Environment - disasters
Yellow River Ice Thaw a Threat
China Daily, February 28, 2005
http://china.org.cn/english/China/121368.htm#

Human rights
China, Egypt, Sudan among countries cited for human rights abuses
Associated Press Newswires, 28 February 2005
The U.S. State Department in its annual report on human rights found systematic torture in Syria, serious abuses in China and the killing of civilians by government-backed militia in Sudan's troubled Darfur province.
http://www3.cjad.com/content/cp_article.asp?id=/global_feeds/CanadianPress/WorldNews/w022835A.htm

Labour – employment market
Officials refuse to admit labour crisis
SCMP, February 26, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ1KIK985E.html

'We just can't find suitable candidates'
SCMP, February 26, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZXJIK985E.html

Labour – industrial accidents
Coal mine accident kills 4 in Shaan'xi
Xinhuanet.com, February 26, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-02/26/content_262
2083.htm

Law
12 new laws to take effect on March 1
从3月1日起12项新法律法规新春添暖意
Xinhuanet.com, February 28, 2005
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1026/3206118.html

Criminal Law Amended to Curb Credit Card Crimes
Xinhua News Agency, February 26, 2005
http://china.org.cn/english/government/121244.htm

Law – judicial system
UN hits out at China's judicial system for political and arbitrary bias
AFP via YahooNews.com, February 25, 2005
http://au.news.yahoo.com/050225/19/t8mn.html

Expert Witness System to Be Changed
Xinhua News Agency February 26, 2005
China's expert witnesses, who are currently employed by judicial or other public departments, will soon be independent civil agents, according to a draft decision on appraisal of justice submitted to China's top legislature Friday.
http://china.org.cn/english/government/121247.htm

Natural resources and energy
Seasonal blackouts expected instead of major power cuts
SCMP, February 26, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZJTS9585E.html

Police – administrative detention (labour camp)
UN urges China to review labour camps system
ABC via YahooNews.com, February 26, 2005
http://au.news.yahoo.com/050226/21/t8ya.html

Politics
Jiang's departure will complete transition of power
SCMP, February 28, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZW3X9585E.html

Population – one-child policy
Tougher line sought on aborting girl fetuses
SCMP, February 28, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ0TU9585E.html

Political dissidents – Hada (哈達)
US congressman urges China to release Mogol dissident Hada
美议员促胡锦涛释放蒙古族异议人士哈达
Chinesenewsnet.com, February 25, 2005
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/SinoNews/Main
land/2005_2_25_18_26_31_422.html

Protests and petitions – UN
Full text of an open petition letter to UN submitted by 106 Chinese dissidents
附件：中国106人致联合国公开信
Voice of America, February 26, 2005
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2005-02-26-voa7.cfm

Public health
New Henan Health Checks Prove Controversial
China Daily, February 26, 2005
When compulsory HIV/AIDS and venereal disease testing became a must for all public entertainment employees in Henan Province four days ago, officials were not banking on the public debate which followed.
http://china.org.cn/english/China/121254.htm

Reform - population control
Criminal Penalties Mulled for Gender-based Abortions
China Daily, February 28, 2005
Members of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) called on Saturday for a new criminal law prohibiting gender-based abortion and fetal gender identification for non-medical purposes.
http://china.org.cn/english/2005/Feb/121283.htm

Rewards Give Impetus to One-child Policy
Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2005
Zhang Jianli and Wang Shulian, an old couple in a village of Chengde in north China's Hebei Province, recently received 1,200 yuan (US$144) in rewards from the local government for sticking to the government's one-child policy.
http://china.org.cn/english/China/121371.htm

Religion
China to enact new regulations on religious freedom
Associated Press Newswires, 28 February 2005
China is implementing new religious regulations that the government says will protect freedom of faith. Critics complain that the broad guidelines could instead be used to persecute religious groups.
www.ap.org

Society
Seeking a modern role for ancient values
SCMP, February 26, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZAM9J985E.html

Society – ethnicity
China publishes white paper on regional autonomy for ethnic minorities
Xinhuanet.com, February 28, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-02/28/content_262
7889.htm

Hong Kong – the Basic Law
Think-tank to study HK-Beijing ties
SCMP, February 28, 2005
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZ98KK985E.html

Tibet
China says minority separatists still active
Associated Press Newswires, 28 February 2005
China condemned alleged ethnic minority separatists Monday, saying they're backing independence for Tibet and the country's far western Muslim region.
www.ap.org