Top news of the day
Detention – Li Baiquang (李栢光)
Rights activist Li Baiquang released from detention but not ‘free’
中国释放维权人士李柏光，但仍限制其行动
Radio Free Asia, March 8, 2005
Rights activist Li Baiquang was freed on January 21, 2005 since he was detained by the police last December on allegation of fraud. Yet, Li has been warned not to provide legal aid to workers and farmers and not to leave Beijing without notification the police.
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2005/03/08/libeguang/
News
Corruption
Fujian corruption fighter to face charges
SCMP, March 9, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ3I2K985E.html
Officials targeted in revived crackdown
SCMP, March 9, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZXAKA585E.html
Death penalty
Death penalty to undergo stricter review
Xinhuanet.com, March 9, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-03/09/content_2671
706.htm
Detention Cases
China arrests 800,000 people in 2004
Agence France Presse, 9 March 2005
China arrested over 800,000 people last year for a variety of crimes including endangering state security and being involved in separatist and terrorist activities, a top official said Wednesday.
http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=2731
Environment
NPC Deputy Seeks Rural Environment Legislation
China Daily, March 9, 2005
Lawmaker Jiang Deming wants to make sure that rural areas are not left behind when the country takes action to ensure people have clean water, fresh air and a better environment in which to live.
http://china.org.cn/english/2005/Mar/122251.htm
Gender
Ten Years After Beijing, Asian Women Have Far To Go
Radio Free Asia, March 7, 2005
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/social/2005/03/07/asia_
women/
Gender – law / sexual harassment
Sexual harassment should be clearly defined in law and punished, says Congressman
人大代表：必须从法律上界定和惩治“性骚扰”
People’s Daily, March 8, 2005
http://legal.people.com.cn/GB/42734/43193/3227231.html
Women representatives urge legislation on domestic violence
我国三成妇女遭受过家庭暴力 代表呼吁立法
People’s Daily, March 8, 2005
http://legal.people.com.cn/GB/42734/43193/3227192.html
Government – governance and accountability
Stricter official accountability system promised
Xinhuanet.com, March 9, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-03/09/content_2670
916.htm
Human rights
Crackdown intensifying, says rights watchdog
SCMP, March 9, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ4Y9L985E.html
Bao Tong (Former secretary of CPPCC) petitions to NPC for condemning the government’s violation of human rights
鲍彤致信人大要求制裁党政侵权
Radio Free Asia, March 8, 2005
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2005/03/08/baotong/
Labour
Chinese Vendors Lose a Market They Built; Beijing's Silk Alley Is Gone; Sellers Cry Foul at Land Deal
The Washington Post, 9 March 2005
On a chilly morning last December, Zhu Dingya huddled with other merchants outside the Silk Alley market, one of the city's most prominent attractions, and inspected a notice tacked to the entrance.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18479-2005
Mar8.html
Law
NPC to debate draft law on emergency
Xinhuanet.com, March 9, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-03/09/content_2671
573.htm
Law – legal professions
Lawyer-judge relations under fire at legislature annual session
People’s Daily.com, March 8, 2005
http://english1.peopledaily.com.cn/200503/08/eng20050308_
176082.html
Politics
China's Other Political Parties Powerless
AP via YahooNews.com, March 8, 2005
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=516&am
p;amp;amp;ncid=731&e=10&u=/ap/20050308/ap_on_re_as/chin
a_the_other_ parties
Politics – NPC & CPPCC
NPC adopts new voting method to ensure "full democracy"
People’s Daily, March 8, 2005
http://english1.peopledaily.com.cn/200503/08/eng20050308
_176080.html
China's legislature to strengthen law-enforcement inspection on major issues
Xinhua News Agency, 9 March 2005
China's top legislature would strengthen law-enforcement inspection on major issues having a bearing on the country's reform, opening up and stability this year, top legislator Wu Bangguo said here Wednesday.
http://english.people.com.cn/200503/09/eng20050309_17617
4.html
Ethnic Minority CPPCC Members Panel
China Daily, March 9, 2005
About 100 ethnic minority members of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top advisory body, held a joint panel discussion meeting on March 7 about the 2004 work report of the State Council, China's cabinet.
http://china.org.cn/english/2005/Mar/122294.htm
Poverty
Beijing to Renovate 'Villages Within Cities'
China Daily March 9, 2005
Beijing plans to renovate nearly 100 "villages within cities" -- former suburban areas that have been swallowed up by urban sprawl -- by the end of the year. It is the most intense effort yet to tackle the city's chronic enclaves of poverty.
http://china.org.cn/english/2005/Mar/122254.htm
Protests and petitions
Increasing number of petitions reported in 2004
Xinhuanet.com, March 9, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-03/09/content_26
71719.htm
Migrant workers – children
Rising concerns over migrant children education, congressmen say government should take charge to ensure equal education opportunities
外来工子弟就学引关注 代表建议由中央埋单
EastDay.com, March 9, 2005
http://china.eastday.com/eastday/news/node37955/node37957/
node37979/node52490/userobject1ai921381.html
Hong Kong
Hong Kong courts have no power to consider successor's tenure, says scholar
SCMP, March 9, 2005
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZYMMA585E.html
Beijing may interpret Basic Law again when necessary
北京称如有必要人大将再次释法
Voice of America, March 8, 2005
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2005-03-08-voa68.cfm