Top news of the day
Detention – Sun Xiaodi (孫小弟)
Activist Disappears after Reporting Nuclear Contamination
Human Rights In China Press Release, 19/08/2005
Sun Xiaodi (孫小弟), an mine worker of Gansu No.792 Uranium Mine who had petitioned to the Beijing government over radiation poisoning in the working area, was reportedly taken away by public security police on April 28 and gone missing for 110 days. According to a friend of Sun, police accused Sun of engaging in a "very serious crime related to state secrets", as he had spoken to an AFP journalist.
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/press?revision%5fid=24102&item%5fid=24098
News
Border Regions - Xinjiang
China bans branch of Islam in Xinjiang and arrests 179
AFX News, 19/08/2005
http://www.forbes.com/home_asia/feeds/afx/2005/08/19/afx2185931.html
Detention
China holds US citizen accused of spying for Taiwan
Reuters, 19/08/2005
http://olympics.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-08-19T131654Z_01_DIT935711_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-CHINA-SPY-DC.XML
China arrests investor leader
Washington Post, 19/08/2005
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/12423050.htm
Education / Law
NPC deputies propose more education funding in a seminar on the revision of free education law 全国人大《义务教育法》修订座谈会聚焦教育经费投入机制--做大蛋糕并先切给义务教育
China Youth Daily, 19/08/2005
http://zqb.cyol.com/gb/zqb/2005-08/19/content_51294.htm
Three main concerns about the free education system: lack of government funding, right to access to education of migrant worker's children, expensive textbooks
拟解决三大问题： 义务教育经费 保障进城务工子女就学 教科书过厚过于豪华
Xinhuanet.com, 19/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2005-08/19/content
_3374123.htm
Gender - Domestic violence
Forum focuses on harmonious family
China Daily, 19/08/2005
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-08/19/content_470364.htm
Gender / Rural Issues - Credit/loans
Happiness Project helps needy rural mothers
Xinhuanet.com, 19/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/18/content_3373714.htm
Gender - Discrimination / Law
The scope of sexual harassment should be clearly defined in law
对性骚扰的范围应作出明确界定
Legal Daily, 19/08/2005
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2005-08/19/content_183
308.htm
Labor - Work safety / conditions
We're exploited, claim workers at Disney suppliers
SCMP, 19/08/2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZH4NURHCE.html
Disney probes China 'sweatshop' claims
Times Online, 19/08/2005
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9071-1742027,00.html
Law – legal rights
Different views over taking suspects to the streets for shaming and deterrence purposes
嫌犯“游街”：有人喝彩 有人质疑
Nanfang Weekend, 18/08/2005
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/zm/20050818/xw/fz/2005
08180013.asp
Media - Press freedom/censorship / Politics
High-profile journalists resign over direction of top paper
SCMP, 19/08/2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ83OURHCE.html
Newspaper kills plan to link pay with praise
SCMP, 19/08/2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZLY7VRHCE.html
The saga of China Youth Daily's appraisal scheme put Hu Jintao to a test
中青报事件考验胡锦涛
VOA via Dajiyuan.com, 18/08/2005
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/5/8/19/n1023765.htm
Media - Internet
14 Ministries and Commissions join forces to "clean up" web space
14部委联合“净化”互联网
Nanfang Weekend, 18/08/2005
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/zm/20050818/xw/szxw1/200
508180019.asp
China Tightens Grip on Cyberspace
Radio Free Asia, 18/08/2005
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/in_depth/2005/08/17/
internet_china/
Korea, China, Japan Agree to Tackle Internet Troubles
The Korea Times, 19/08/2005
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200508/kt2005081920503311910.htm
China tries to wipe Internet icon from Web
Reuters, 19/08/2005
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID=2005-08-19T020341Z_01_HO907436_RTRIDST_0_OUKIN-UK-CHINA-INTERNET.XML
Police / State Security - Terrorism
Special police units to counter protests and terrorism threats
SCMP, 19/08/2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZC3OURHCE.html
Poverty / Government - Governance and accountability
Doubtful statistics on poverty population hinder consistency of national poverty alleviation strategy
中国贫困人口知多少 统计差异使扶贫战略不确定
Chinesenewsnet.com, 18/08/2005
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/SinoNews/
Mainland/zxs_2005-08-18_613534.shtml
Protests and petitions
Public Security to implement "three-level hearing" process for protests and petitions
公安信访实行“三级终结”复核制
Legal Daily, 19/08/2005
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2005-08/19/content_18
3294.htm
New standing procedures for handling petitions institutionalize police chief's obligation to meet
petitioners
首部《公安机关信访工作规定》颁布实施，公安机关一把手接访将成为制度
Xinhuanet.com, 19/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2005-08/19/content_3374
859.htm
Four Henan peasants punished for setting themselves on fire in Tiananmen Square to protest over medical negligence
河南四农民天安门自焚被判刑
Chinesenewsnet.com, 19/08/2005
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/SinoNews/
Mainland/cna_2005_08_18_00_09_18_228.html
Public Health - Disability
More services to be provided for 60 mln handicapped
Xinhuanet.com, 19/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/19/content_
3374836.htm
Public Health
The root problems of health care reform
医改的死穴在哪？
Nanfang Weekend, 18/08/2005
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/zm/20050818/xw/sd/2005
08180033.asp
Hundreds fall ill from north China swimming pool
Reuters, 19/08/2005
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PEK204943.htm
Public Health / Protests and Petitions
China's problematic health care system: patients complaints accelerate, yet some tend to let out their grievances by violence
中國醫療系統病了：患者投訴激增，使用暴力者眾
Asia Times Online, 18/08/2005
http://www.atchinese.com/index.php?option=com_content&task
=view&id=5389&Itemid=28
Reforms - Corruption
Opinion: Corruption has to stay capital crime
China Daily, 19/08/2005
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-08/19/content_470384_3.htm
Religion - Christianity
China Reportedly Arrests Five American Church Leaders, Tortures Christians
Voice of America, 18/08/2005
http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-08-18-voa9.cfm
Beijing and the Vatican edge closer
International Herald Tribune, 18/08/2005
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/08/17/opinion/edpedrosa.php
Resettlement / Population - Urbanization
How to compensate the landless peasants in light of rapid urbanization in China?
城市化进程中如何解除失地农民的后顾之忧
People's Daily, 19/08/2005
http://cppcc.people.com.cn/GB/34961/45591/3627930.html
Society
Helping centers built for urban homeless
Xinhuanet.com, 19/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/18/content_3
372369.htm
China works to ensure drug safety in rural areas
Xinhuanet.com, 19/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/19/content_3377561.htm