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.

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

August 30, 2005

Top news of the day

Police – Abuse / Human Rights
Beijing Police Raid Rights Group Office
New York Times, 30/08/2005
Beijing police raid the office of a US-funded human right group Empowerment and Rights Institute on the same day when UN High Commissioner for Human Rights started her China visit. The director of the Institute feared that police may take further action in preventing her from meeting the UN Commissioner.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/30/international/asia/30
china.html?ex=1283054400&en=a07cba94
c15d73f2&ei=5088
&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss



News

Border Territories/Issues-Taiwan
Lien Chan to set up Cross-Straits Peace Foundation
Xinhua, 30/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/29/content_34
19423.htm


Bilaterals-Other
China says WW2 victory celebrations not anti-Japan
By Benjamin Kang Lim, Reuters, 30/08/2005
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=world
News&storyID=2005-08-30T090232Z_01_DIT032565_RT
RIDST_0_INTERNATIONAL-CHINA-JAPAN-DC.XML


Death Penalty
Drug trafficker sentenced to death for selling drug on probation period
假釋期間又販毒 貴州毒犯被處死刑
CRI Online, 30/08/2005
http://big5.chinabroadcast.cn/gate/big5/gb.chinabroadcast.cn
/3821/2005/08/29/1566@677393.htm


Education
Ministry of Education to abandon fees on school selection to make basic education genuinely free in rural areas
教育部称择校费将取消 农村义务教育将全部免费
Xinhuanet.com, 30/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/edu/2005-08/30/content_3419
661.htm


Environment - Disasters
Over 1,000 die in floods in China so far this year, government says
AFP via YahooNews.com, 30/08/2005
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/
20050830/sc_afp/chinaweatherfloods_050830133051


Gender - Gender equality
China vow to make gender equality a basic principle of national policy
中国坚持男女平等基本国策
The Beijing News, 30/08/2005
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/2005/0830/11@0236
53.html


Enforcing the Law on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests is not only a government effort, but also a collective social responsibility
贯彻实施妇女法是全社会共同责任
Legal Daily, 30/08/2005
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2005-08/30/content_187
775.htm


Why we need to place gender equality as the basic principle of national policy?
为什么要把男女平等提到国策高度
Xinhuanet.com, 30/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2005-08/30/content_3420
706.htm


Gender - Domestic violence
Hotline hears a litany of women's tragedies
SCMP, 30/08/2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ2NDS0YCE.html

Gender - Sexual harassment / Law
NPC may clarify the scope of "sexual harassment"
全国人大官员称:不排除进一步界定性骚扰行为
EastDay.com, 30/08/2005
http://china.eastday.com/eastday/news/node37955/node37957/
node37979/node83253/userobject1
ai1393243.html

Hong Kong - Human Rights
Protesters allege HK Disney abuses
AP via CNN.com, 30/08/2005
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/08/30/hongkon
g.disney.ap/


Hong Kong - Politics
H.K. opposition lawmakers allowed to visit mainland China
Kyodo via YahooNews.com, 30/08/2005
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/050830/kyodo/d8ca3qu02.html

Human Rights / UN
UN Human Rights Commissioner: China commit to improve human rights with international cooperation
联合国人权高专:中国致力于人权领域国际合作
People's Daily, 30/08/2005
http://world.people.com.cn/GB/1029/42408/3653158.html

UN rights chief's China trip focuses on abuses
Reuters via YahooNews.com, 30/08/2005
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/050829/3/26f2p.html

UN rights chief to push for reforms
SCMP, 30/08/2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ8SNT0YCE.html

Families of detained dissidents urge UN High Commissioner to pressure China on improving human rights conditions
公开信吁UN官员促中国改善人权
Voice of America, 29/08/2005
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2005-08-29-voa48.cfm

Human Rights - Bilateral ties
China open to dialogue on human rights, NPC vice chairman
People's Daily, 29/08/2005
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200508/29/eng20050829_20
5097.html


Labor - Industrial accidents / Government -Governance and accountability
Governor in self-criticism over mine deaths
SCMP, 30/08/2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZYG3S0YCE.html

Law / Protests and Petitions
Changes to protest law put organizers 'at greater risk'
SCMP, 30/08/2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ8JNT0YCE.html

Media - Internet
Beware of nude web chats
News24.com, 30/08/2005
http://www.news24.com/News24/Technology/News/0,,2-13-
1443_1761904,00.html


Multilaterals - UN
UN: China on track to meet all MDGs
China Daily, 30/08/2005
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-08/30/content
_473317.htm


Olympics-Security
China, Greece to set up joint committee on Olympic security
Xinhua, 30/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/30/content_342
3008.htm


Poverty / Government
Amendment to the law on personal income tax may not bridge the income gap between the rich and the poor in the short-run
个税法修正:不能对短期缩小贫富差距抱过高希望
Xinhuanet.com, 29/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2005-08/30/content_34
19593.htm


Protests and Petitions
Some 70,000 protests in China this year
中国一年发生七万多次民众抗争
Voice of America, 29/08/2005
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2005-08-29-voa39.cfm

Public Health / Law
An unsettled medical dispute for 12 years
一起十二年未了的医疗纠纷
Legal Daily, 30/08/2005
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/misc/2005-08/30/content_187
815.htm


Public Health - HIV AIDS /STDs
U.S., China AIDS Researchers Sign Pact
AP via YahooNews.com, 30/08/2005
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050829/ap_
on_he_me/us_china_aids_1


China, US cooperate in AIDS fight
AP via China Daily, 30/08/2005
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-08/30/content
_473484.htm


Public Health - Other
Gov't provides free health check-up for married rural women
Xinhua, 30/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/30/content_3423
209.htm


600,000 Beijingers feel depressed
China Economic Net, 30/08/2005
http://en-1.ce.cn/Life/social/200508/30/t20050830_455670
3.shtml


Rural Issues-Poverty
Female suicides happen most often in rural areas
Xinhua, 30/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/29/content_3416
895.htm


Society
Awkward beggars
SCMP, 30/08/2005
http://focus.scmp.com/focusnews/ZZZXCMT0YCE.html

State Security – Terrorism / Police
Ministry of Public Security said China is under threat of terrorism
公安部称恐怖主义出现新特征 中国面临恐怖威胁
People's Daily, 30/08/2005
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1027/3652526.html

Women
Trafficking of women, children on rise worldwide-UN
Reuters, 30/08/2005
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=world
News&storyID=2005-08-30T080315Z_01_YUE028817_RTR
UKOC_0_UK-RIGHTS-TRAFFICKING.xml