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, March 02, 2007

March 2, 2007

Top news of the day
Protests and Petitions

北京公安深夜大搜捕 访民呼吁国际社会关注 (Petitioners Call for International Concern over Massive Arrests Ahead of NPC and CPPCC Sessions)
Radio Free Asia, March 01, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/03/01/shangfa
ng/

Beijing authorities have stepped up action against petitioners ahead of the NPC (National People’s Congress) and CPPCC (Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference) meetings. More than 500 hundred petitioners were taken away on the night of February 28. Petitioner Zhou Li (周利) said the local authorities had offered her a free trip to Hainan Province if she would not petition in Beijing during the meetings.

News
Death Penalty
新受案均派人赴当地提讯被告人 (Supreme People's Court to Send Officers to Talk to Defendants in Person in Death Penalty Review Cases)
Legal Daily, March 02, 2007
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/misc/2007-03/02/content_547929.htm

Disasters
湖北煤改:市场的诞生 (China's Coal-Related Reforms Also Shape Market Development)
Nanfang Weekend, March 01, 2007
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/zmzg/200703010486.asp

Environment
Silver Bullet to Be Aimed at China's Energy Woes
Financial Times, March 02, 2007
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/3c95140c-c863-11db-9a5e-000b5df1
0621,dwp_uuid=9c33700c-4c86-11da-89df-0000779e2340.html


Human Rights Defenders
简要新闻: 维权律师唐荆陵再次被警方传唤 (Brief News: Human Rights Lawyer Tang Jingling Summoned Again)
Radio Free Asia, March 02, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2007/03/01/

Human Rights Defender – Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚)
Chinese Activist's Wife to Visit Him
Associated Press (via YahooNews), March 01, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070301/ap_on_re_as/china_bli
nd_activist_1;_ylt=AkiFsrC
qYlDqgdFogqkljCBPzWQA

Human Rights Defender - Hu Jia (胡佳)
胡佳在港接受本台专访 谈重获自由 (Hu Jia Talks About Regaining His Freedom in Hong Kong Interview)
Radio Free Asia, March 01, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/03/01/hujia/

Labor
No Labour Shortage, Official Says
South China Morning Post, March 02, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZQPND0PYE.html

Law
Doubts on Labour Camp Law Revamp
South China Morning Post, March 02, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZO1J70PYE.html

China Issues New Legal Interpretation to Improve Coal Mine Safety
Xinhuanet, March 01, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-03/01/content_5789957.
htm


China to Pass First Private Property Law
Financial Times, March 01, 2007
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/1b26d35c-c81b-11db-b0dc-000b5df106
21,dwp_uuid=9c33700c-4c86-11da-89df-0000779e2340.html


Migrant Workers
外交部驳牺牲农民工利益说法 (Foreign Ministry Rebuts Amnesty's Migrant Worker Report)
The Beijing News, March 02, 2007
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0565/2007/03-02/014@041148.htm

Olympics
Beijing to Persevere with Plan to Evict Beggars Ahead of Olympics
South China Morning Post, March 02, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ4DD40PYE.html

Politics
HK Delegate Wants New Approach to CPPCC
South China Morning Post, March 02, 2007
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZ2QND0PYE.html

两会保安动员50万人 (NPC and CPPCC Sessions Employ 500,000 Security Officers)
Ming Pao, March 02, 2007
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20070302/caa1.htm

NPC Briefs
South China Morning Post, March 02, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ2ED40PYE.html

Population
One-Child Crackdown Looms for Elite
South China Morning Post, March 02, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZXBJ70PYE.html

Protests and Petitions
Cat-and-Mouse Game Begins for Petitioners
South China Morning Post, March 02, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZYDD40PYE.html

Children Pay Hefty Price as Parents Wage Weary Battle to Correct Injustices
South China Morning Post, March 02, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZDDJ70PYE.html

Public Health
Rural Chinese Glad to Earn Cash for Blood
Boston Globe, March 02, 2007
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2007/03/01/
rural_chinese_glad_to_ear
n_cash_for_blood/

云南省成立防治艾滋病局 加大对艾滋病防控力度 (Yunnan Authorities Establish AIDS Prevention Bureau)
Legal Daily, March 02, 2007
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/misc/2007-03/02/content_547880.h
tm


Religion
Academic Demoted for Bible Study
South China Morning Post, March 02, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZK1J70PYE.html

Rural Issues
2010年西部基本解决温饱 (China's Rural West to Solve Basic Needs by 2010)
The Beijing News, March 02, 2007
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0546/2007/0302/014@245360
.htm


'Go West' Drive Slowed by Lack of Funding
South China Morning Post, March 02, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZMPND0PYE.html

Social Security
Pensions Just a Dream for China's Aging Villagers
Reuters (via YahooNews), March 02, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070302/lf_nm/china_parliament
_pensions_dc_1;_ylt=Aq
7M2OBMEKW_U58I09lv4E5PzWQA

Three Gorges
China to Use 55 Bln Yuan to Settle Problems in Three Gorges Region
Xinhuanet, February 28, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-02/28/content_578103
2.htm