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.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

February 22, 2007


Top News of the Day
Human Rights Defenders - Xu Zhengqing (许正清)
上海访民许正清在狱中被打 (Shanghai Petitioner Xu Zhengqing Beaten Up in Jail)
Radio Free Asia, February 21, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/02/21/xu/
Shanghai petitioner Xu Zhengqing (许正清) was reportedly beaten up in prison and subjected to generally abusive conditions. Xu was sentenced in October 2005 to three years in prison on charges of "disrupting public order." Until now, the authorities have yet to respond to his appeal to review his case. It is also reported that petitioners in Shanghai have been closely watched by police, preventing them from petitioning during the annual NPC and CPPCC conferences in early March.


Human Rights Defenders – Ching Cheong (程翔)
程翔妻子春節前獲准探監 (Wife Allows to Visit Ching Cheong for the Chinese New Year)
BBC, February 18, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/trad/hi/newsid_6370000/newsid_
6374100/6374185.stm

Imprisoned Straits Times journalist Ching Cheong (程翔) was finally allowed to receive a visit from his wife, his brother and sister on February 16, 2007, two days before the Chinese New Year. His wife was initially told by authorities at the Guangdong prison where he is being held that she would not be allowed to see him. This was the first time that Ching has been allowed a family visit since his arrest in April 2005. The visit lasted for 30 minutes. Ching's wife is still appealing to the Chinese authorities to provide medical treatment to Ching, who is suffering from stomach pains and insomnia.



News

Bilateral Ties
Beijing - Guardian of the Pacific?
South China Morning Post, February 22, 2007
http://focus.scmp.com/focusnews/ZZZUA4X3FYE.html

Education
MOE Promises Education in Poorest Areas in 2007
Xinhuanet, February 21, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-02/21/content_
5760998.htm


Environment
China Plans to Cut Water Consumption
Agence France-Presse (via YahooNews), February 22, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070222/sc_afp/
chinaenvironmentwater_070222040209


Warming Helps Cranes but Long-Term Danger Looms
The Standard, February 22, 2007
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=
3&art_id=38724&sid=12327500&con_type=1&d_str=20070222


Nation's Image at Stake in Fight to Cut Emissions
South China Morning Post, February 21, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZXDWYZ7YE.html

Human Rights Defenders
Scant Cheer for China's Dissidents at Lunar New Year
Radio Free Asia, February 17, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/english/china/2007/02/17/china_lunar/

Human Rights Defenders – Yu Huafeng (喻华峰)
南都案被告再减刑堅持无罪 (Former Nanfang Dushibao Editor Given Further Sentence Reduction, but Insists He Is Innocent of Corruption)
Ming Pao, February 22, 2007
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20070222/caa1.htm

Human Rights Defenders - Gao Yaojie (高耀洁)
高耀洁:要用奖金养活这些艾滋孤儿 (Gao Yaojie: I Will Use the Prize Money to Support AIDS Orphans)
Chinesenewsnet.com, February 21, 2007
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/EntDigest/
Life/2007_2_21_15_45_7_27.html


Human Rights Defenders - Zheng Enchong (郑恩宠)
郑恩宠:北京为其加速平反提出条件 (Zheng Enchong: Beijing Set Conditions for Expediting the Process of Reviewing My Case)
Radio Free Asia, February 20, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/02/20/zheng/

June 4th
New Li Peng Book Lacks Insights into Tiananmen
South China Morning Post, February 22, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZNTCY3FYE.html

Law
Kinder Face for Notorious Re-Education Camps
South China Morning Post, February 21, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZD6P408YE.html

Media
36人审查会掌控中国电影上映权 (A 36-Member Censor Committee Decides the Fate of Movies Screening in China)
Chinesenewsnet.com, February 21, 2007
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/EntDigest
/Showbuz/2007_2_21_17_4_16_885.html


我国提出"十一五"期间初步建立信息安全保障体系 (China Proposes Establishing an Information Security System in the Eleventh Five-Year Plan)
People's Daily, February 21, 2007
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1027/5409639.html

律师浦志强十天内两个博客被关 (Rights Lawyer Pu Zhiqiang's New Blogs Closed Again in 10 Days)
Radio Free Asia, February 21, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/02/21/pu/

Military
China Targets More Than a Satellite
Asia Times Online, February 22, 2007
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/IB22Ad01.html

Olympics
Beijing's Etiquette Campaign in the Running to Find Olympic Glory
South China Morning Post, February 21, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZANVYZ7YE.html

Politics
10th Anniversary of Deng's Death Passes Quietly in China
Agence France-Presse (via YahooNews), February 18, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070219/wl_asia_afp/chinadeng
politicsanniversary_070219043100;_ylt=ArhMDLlnuScAx5nFhZ
S3TTpPzWQA


建设和谐将是07两会主旋律 (Building a Harmonious Society to Be the Theme of NPC and CPPCC Conferences in 2007)
Tai Kung Pao, February 22, 2007
http://www.takungpao.com/news/07/02/22/MW-695508.htm

Chinese Police Launches Two-Week Clampdown on Drunken Driving for "Two Sessions"
People's Daily, February 21, 2007
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200702/21/eng20070221
_351474.html


中共改革派呼吁进行政治体制改革 (CPC Reformists Call for Greater Effort in Implementing Political Reforms)
Voice of America, February 21, 2007
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2007-02-21-voa1.cfm

Protests and Petitions
学者公开信请求特赦服刑的艾滋病犯人 (Scholars Call for Granting Amnesty to HIV-AIDS Prisoners in Open Letter)
Radio Free Asia, February 20, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/02/20/aids/

Public Health
China Steps Up Guard Against Major Public Health Emergencies
People's Daily, February 21, 2007
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200702/21/eng20070221
_351549.html


15传染病免费打预防针 (Ministry of Finance Plans to Extend Free Vaccine Program to Cover 15 Infectious Diseases)
The Beijing News, February 19, 2007
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0567/2007/02-19/015@
244150.htm