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, December 19, 2007

December 19, 2007

News
Bilateral Ties
China to Play Greater Role in World Bank
Associated Press (via YahooNews), December 18, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071218/ap_on_bi_ge/china_zoellick_2

Death Penalty
Triad Leader Executed for Drugs and Organized Crime
South China Morning Post, December 19, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=1a4e63122ade6110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Ex-official to be Executed for Killing Deputy
South China Morning Post, December 19, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=7c1c63122ade6110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

宜宾原政协常委买凶杀人获死刑 (Former Yibin CPPCC Standing Committee Member Sentenced to Death for Murder)
The Beijing News, December 19, 2007
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/guonei/2007/12-19/018@081916.htm

Teachers Who Forced 23 Schoolgirls to Work As Prostitutes Given Death Sentences
South China Morning Post, December 19, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=7b2c63122ade6110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Economic Development
China, India Economies ‘40% Smaller’
Financial Times, December 18, 2007
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/36a2d566-ad82-11dc-9386-0000779fd2ac.html

Environment
鄱阳湖水域缩80倍 (Capacity of China's Largest Freshwater Lake Reduced to 1.25 Percent)
The Beijing News, December 19, 2007
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/guonei/2007/12-19/018@081800.htm

Chemical Plant Plan Not Dead Yet, Officials Say
South China Morning Post, December 19, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=89ed63122ade6110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Web Site Tracks China's Pollution Levels
ABC News, December 18, 2007
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=4018827&page=1

Food Security
China Food Safety Seen Mired in Economic Transition
Reuters, December 18, 2007
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN18521474

Human Rights Defenders - Yan Zhengxue (严正学)
严正学在狱中被打 生命受到威胁 (Dissident Yan Zhengxue Beaten in Prison)
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/12/18/
yan/


Human Rights Defenders - Xiao Qingshan (肖青山)
广东维权人士肖青山被国保人员禁锢审问 (Labor Activist Interrogated by State Security Personnel for Nearly 11 Hours)
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2007/12/18/China_Dissident/

Human Rights Defenders - Guo Feixiong (郭飞雄)
郭飞雄妻子张青于绝食抗议日致国家主席胡锦涛先生的公开信(四)(Zhang Qing's 4th Open Letter to China's President)
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/12/18/guofeixiong/

Media
成都业主不满当局私自卖地 网上讨论帖子被删 (Internet Postings on Disputed Land Sale Removed)
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/12/18/chengdu/

中国自由作家个人博客接连被封闭 (Two Dissident Writers' Blogs Recently Shut Down)
Voice of America, December 18, 2007
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2007-12-18-voa30.cfm

Migrant Workers
中国农民工文化生活贫乏 面临边缘化危机 (Report Says Migrants Face Marginalization)
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/12/18/nong/

Olympics
More Media Services Promised
Xinhuanet, December 19, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-12/19/content_7278787.htm

北京市规范手机短信散布谣言将被查处 (Beijing to Punish Individuals Who Spread Rumors by SMS)
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2007/12/18/Briefing/

Politics
《瞭望》文章:政改指向权力过分集中 (Political Reform to Change Centralization of Power)
Xinhuanet, December 19, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2007-12/19/content_7278579.htm

Population
Report: China Population Aging Rapidly
Associated Press ( via YahooNews), December 18, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071218/ap_on_re_as/china_aging

Protests and Petitions
深圳地鐵清拆糾紛 (Villages Dispute Compensation for Land Confiscated for Shenzhen New Metro)
Ming Pao, December 19, 2007
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20071219/ccb1.htm

浙江慈溪上访农民代表被刑事拘留 (Jiejiang Petitioner Detained After Clash with Police over Land Dispute)
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2007/12/17/china_rights_rural/

再有三门峡库区维权农民被逮捕 (Shaanxi Resettlement Representative Detained for Criminal Investigation)
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2007/12/17/china_rights_land/

湖北再次抓捕上访民办教师 (Hubei Teachers Detained After Petitioning)
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/12/18/minban/

Rural Issues
Rural issue, anti-corruption high on CPC meeting agenda
Xinhuanet, December 18, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-12/18/content_7276263.htm