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.

Friday, July 14, 2006

July 14, 2006

Top News of the Day
Human Rights Defender – Journalist - Li Yuanlong (李元龙)
China Sentences Net Writer to Two Years
Reuters, July 13, 2006
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=internet
News&storyID=2006-07-13T123129Z_01_PEK297128_RTR
IDST_0_OUKIN-UK-CHINA-MEDIA.XML
13T123129Z_01_
PEK297128_RTRIDST_0_OUKIN-UK-CHINA-MEDIA.XML

Reporter Li Yuanlong, who worked for Guizhou’s Bijie Daily newspaper, was sentenced to a two-year prison term yesterday. He was detained in September 2005 and charged in February 2006 with issuing essays by email that allegedly "fabricated, distorted and exaggerated facts, incited subversion of the state and (sought) to overthrow the socialist system.” Li’s lawyer stated that international outcry over Li’s case may have been a factor in his relatively light sentence.

News
Death Penalty
广西杀死杀伤7名儿童、妇女的犯罪分子被判死刑 (Guangxi Man Sentenced to Death for Murdering Five Children and Women)
Xinhua, July 14, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2006-07/14/
content_4831871.htm


涉案3千余万 四川犍为原县委书记田玉飞判死缓 (Former Sichuan Cadre Tian Yufei Sentenced to Death with Two-year Reprieve for Corruption)
Xinhuanet, July 13, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2006-07/
13/content_4827226.htm


Economic Development
Middle Class Segment on Mainland Set to Rise
Xinhuanet, July 13, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-07/13/content
_4825294.htm


Education
Number of Elementary Schools Shrinks in China
People's Daily, July 13, 2006
http://english.people.com.cn/200607/13/
eng20060713_282486.html


Government
有些基层政府侵害农民权益 (Some Local Governments Violating Farmers' Rights)
China Youth Daily, July 14, 2006
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2006-07/14/content
_1446726.htm


Human Rights
干部举报局长招致报复 独立意见人士联署声援 (Signature Campaign Launched for Detained Cadre Who Reported on Boss at Zhejiang Water Bureau)
Radio Free Asia, July 13, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/07
/13/yangchunhong/


Human Rights Defender – Zhang Qi (张起)
泛蓝联盟重庆成员张起获释回家 (Chongqing Member of "Pan-blue Alliance" Zhang Qi Released)
Radio Free Asia, July 13, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/07/13
/zhangqi/


Labor
China Urged to Improve Emergency Response System for Chemical Accidents
People's Daily, July 13, 2006
http://english.people.com.cn/200607/
13/eng20060713_282555.html


Land Policy
Plea to Stop 'the Mindless Pursuit of Urbanization'
SCMP, July 14, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZV6BY51PE.html

权威专家数次上书国务院 直陈城市化大跃进隐忧 (Expert Writes to State Council on Problems of Rapid Urbanization)
Nanfang Weekend, July 13, 2006
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/zm/20060713/xw/
tb/200607130003.asp


Media
Media Scrutiny Intensifies in Key Year
SCMP, July 14, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZM6YLUAPE.html

文革出版品须备案 (Publications on Cultural Revolution Must Be Reported Under New Notice)
Ming Pao, July 14, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060714/cah1.htm

中国少年网上集体反抗父母专制 (China's Youth Protest Against Authoritarian Parents Online)
Voice of America, July 13, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-07-13-voa81.cfm

Politics
中国评论﹕党內民主呼声渐强 (Commentary: Calls for Intra-party Democracy Increasing)
Ming Pao, July 14, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060714/cai1.htm

Drive to Repair Image Leads to Expulsion of 45,000 Party Members
SCMP, July 14, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZG7CAP7PE.html

地方党委換届增加民主 (Local Party Elections Becoming More Democratic)
Ming Pao, July 14, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060714/cab1.htm

河南省南街村的共产主义 (The Practice of Communism in a Henan Village)
Ming Pao, July 14, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060714/msa.htm

Business and Politics Converge in China
Financial Times, July 13, 2006
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/61850bf8-12a8-11db-
aecf-0000779e2340.html


Population
More Boys than Girls Worries North China Province
EastDay.com, July 13, 2006
http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/
nation/userobject1ai2177587.html


Public Health
China Sets up Mechanism to Fight Climate-related Health Emergencies
People's Daily, July 13, 2006
http://english.people.com.cn/200607/13/eng20060713_
282591.html


Intestinal Disease Cases Rise in June
People's Daily, July 12, 2006
http://english.people.com.cn/200607/12/eng20060712
_282161.html


Rural Issues
专家呼吁尽快出台农民权益保护法 (Expert Calls for Quick Passing of Legislation to Protect Farmers' Rights)
China Youth Daily, July 14, 2006
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2006-07/14/
content_1446731.htm


农民维权远离诉讼 (Farmers Won’t Sue to Protect Rights)
China Youth Daily, July 14, 2006
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2006-07/14/content
_1446716.htm


后农业税时代一些地方农民负担反弹 (The Agricultural Tax is Gone, but New Fees are Taking its Place)
China Youth Daily, July 14, 2006
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2006-07/14/content_
1446721.htm


城乡二元结构是农民权益受损的制度根源 (Urban-rural Divide Is Main Cause of Farmers’ Financial Hardships)
China Youth Daily, July 14, 2006
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2006-07/14/content_
1446711.htm


Tibet
Tourism Threatening Tibet's Sacred Spaces
The Globe and Mail, July 12, 2006
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC
.20060712.TIBET12/TPStory/TPInternational/Asia/

ational/Asia/

Hong Kong
Opt-out Clause in Cross-border Courts Pact
SCMP, July 14, 2006
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZ08CAP7PE.html