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.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

August 16, 2006

Top News of the Day
Human Rights Defender – Journalist - Ching Cheong (程翔)
程翔案一日审結未宣判 王友金料3日內有結果 (Ching Cheong's Trial Finished; China Researcher Expects Verdict in Three Days)
Ming Pao, August 16, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060816/gak1.htm
Ching Cheong’s trial on espionage charges concluded yesterday but no verdict has yet been announced. China researcher Ong Yew-kim expects a verdict within three days, but Ching's lawyer believes it will not be that quick. Ching was reportedly allowed to briefly defend himself during the closed trial. According to court officials, the court room was “so small” that only family members could attend.

Human Rights Defender – Lu Jianhua (陆建华)
Chinese Sociologist on Trial over State Secrets
Reuters, August 16, 2006
http://go.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&s
toryID=1408702§ion=news&src=rss/uk/worldNews
ws&s
rc=rss/uk/worldNews

Lu Jianhua (陆建华), an academic with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), went on trial in Beijing today. His wife said she was not clear about the specific charge against him but said it involved state secrets, which is why she and the public were barred from the courtroom. She also believed her husband's case was related to that of Ching Cheong, who was tried on espionage charges yesterday.

News
Bilateral Ties
Freed from Guantánamo but Stranded Far from Home
New York Times, August 15, 2006
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/15/washington/15gitmo.html?
_r=2&ref=washington&or
&oref=slogin

Civil Society
京封杀声讨小泉记者会 (Beijing Shuts Down NGO's Anti-Koizumi Press Conference)
Ming Pao, August 16, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060816/caa2.htm

Corruption
Corruption Is Getting Worse, Says Court
SCMP, August 16, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZV76E1VQE.html

Death Penalty
昆明市政协司机闹市致26人伤亡一审被判死缓 (Man Sentenced to Death with Two-year Reprieve for Vehicular Manslaughter in Yunnan Province)
Xinhuanet, August 16, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2006-08/16
/content_4967892.htm


Disasters
Frustration Wells up in Typhoon-hit Town
SCMP, August 16, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZNUBVWUQE.html

Environment
国家林业局否认将租赁俄森林” (State Forestry Bureau Denies China Will Rent Russian Forests)
The Beijing News, August 16, 2006
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0567/2006/08-16/
015@202024.htm


Human Rights Defender – Lawyer - Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚)
失明维权人士案后天开审 (Blind Rights Defender to Go on Trial August 18)
Ming Pao, August 16, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060816/cac1.htm

Human Rights Defender – Ching Cheong (Trial Development)
The Waiting Ends with a Swift Trial for Ching Cheong
SCMP, August 16, 2006
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZHGBVWUQE.html

Spy Trial Puts Beijing in the Dock of Public Opinion
SCMP, August 16, 2006

审讯程翔只是搭台唱戏 (Trial for Ching Cheong a Mere Formality)
Apple Daily, August 16, 2006
http://appledaily.atnext.com/template/apple/art_main.cfm?iss_id=
20060816&sec_id=4104&subsec_id=15337&art_id=6222701
04&sub
sec_id=15337&art_id=6222701


程太烛光晚会开腔 促尽快放人 程翔首日受审讯息大混乱 (Wife Hopes Ching Cheong Will Be Released Soon; Situation Chaotic on First Day of Trial)
Apple Daily, August 16, 2006
http://appledaily.atnext.com/template/apple/art_main.cfm?
iss_id=20060816&sec_id=4104&subsec_id=11867&art_id=6223
465
04&subsec_id=11867&art_id=6223465

Labor
沃尔玛中国工会十年破茧” (Wal-Mart Trade Unions Set up After 10 Years of “Incubation”)
The Beijing News, August 16, 2006
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0547/2006/0815/015@
201708.htm


Land Policy
Thugs Accused of Eviction-row Killing
SCMP, August 16, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZTFBVWUQE.html

Media
Censors Set Sights on Net Spoofs
Reuters (via SCMP), August 16, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ976E1VQE.html

China to Regulate Internet Video
China Daily, August 16, 2006
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-08/16/content
_666210.htm


No Laughing Matter
SCMP, August 16, 2006
http://focus.scmp.com/focusnews/ZZZSFVE1VQE.html

Olympics
11万保安奥运守卫 (Beijing to Deploy 110,000 Security Officers During Olympic Games)
Ming Pao, August 16, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060816/ccb1.htm

Politics
Hu Upholds Jiang's Work as Key to Party Future
SCMP, August 16, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZJUBVWUQE.html

Poverty
中国农民增收难,返贫易 (China's Farmers Can Easily Return to Poverty Level)
Radio Free Asia, August 15, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/08/
15/nongmin/


Protests and Petitions
深圳街头反日抗禁令 警員阻止捱骂 电视刪抗议画面 (Anti-Japanese Protests Take Place in Shenzhen Despite Ban; TV Reports on Protests Pulled)
Ming Pao, August 16, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060816/caa1.htm

Chinese Chat Rooms Flooded with Boycott Calls
SCMP, August 16, 2006
http://asia.scmp.com/asianews/ZZZHSCVWUQE.html

中国评论﹕民间反日 宜纾不宜压 (Commentary: Anti-Japanese Sentiment Should Be Released, Not Suppressed)
Ming Pao, August 16, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060816/cad1.htm

Public Health
上半年药监部门处理的突发事件 (Public Emergencies Handled by State Food and Drug Administration in First Half of 2006)
China Youth Daily, August 16, 2006
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2006-08/16/content
_1480356.htm


国务院部署药品市场秩序整治行动 (State Food and Drug Administration to Take One Year to Implement New Drug Safety Rules)
China Youth Daily, August 16, 2006
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2006-08/16/content_1480391.htm

医院死亡病例网络直报缺漏严重 (Survey: Death Cases Underreported in Hospitals)
The Beijing News, August 16, 2006
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0565/2006/08-16/015
@023808.htm


Religion
阆中、萧山家庭教会遭打压 (Protestant House Churches Persecuted in Sichuan and Hangzhou)
Radio Free Asia, August 15, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/08
/15/zongjiao/


Bilateral Ties – China/Africa
UN Advisor Says China Can Help Africa Escape Poverty
Voice of America, August 15, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-08-15-voa46.cfm