June 6, 2008

Top News of the Day
June 4th
十五名民间人士发表声明抗议警方对刘晓波施暴 (Fifteen Public Figures Issue Public Letter Protesting Force Used against June 4th Commemorators)
Radio Free Asia, June 05, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/liuxiaobo-06052008103457.html

Several rights defenders faced harassment whilst commemorating the June 04, 1989 crackdown. Amongst these, rights defense lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强) was forcibly returned home from Tiananmen Square by police, and prominent writer Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) was dragged into a small guard post when he refused to stop "for a chat" with the police. In response, fifteen public figures, including Ding Zilin (丁子霖) of the Tiananmen Mothers, issued an open letter protesting this harassment. In the letter, they called the authorities' behavior in "blatant neglect of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights" and an "open blasphemy against the Olympic Charter."

Related information, including an English translation of the open letter:
June Fourth Memorial Activities Closely Monitored in China
Human Rights in China, June 05, 2008
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/55854

News
Disasters
Experts Warned of Quake Risk in China
New York Times, June 05, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/world/asia/05quake.html

Economic Development
China's Food, Fuel Costs Soar
Radio Free Asia, June 05, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/english/energy_watch/China-Food-06052008153423.html

Related information:
商品市场总体平稳 食用农产品价格继续呈下滑走势 (Commodity Market Generally Calm; Price of Food and Agricultural Continues to Decline)
Ministry of Commerce, May 27, 2008
http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/aarticle/ae/ai/200805/20080505557535.html

Hong Kong
Hong Kong citizenship: Thou shalt have no other
The Economist, June 05, 2008
http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11508269

New Team Nationality Row 'Underestimated'
South China Morning Post, June 06, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=38ff30e62695a110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

June 4th
Hong Kong Vigil for Tiananmen Square Protesters Low-Key This Year
International Herald Tribune , June 04, 2008
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/04/asia/hong.php

Land Policy
常州市拆迁户潘雪昌因反抗强拆被起诉 (Family and Friends Forbidden from Hearing Judgment as Relocated Jiangsu Sentenced to 10 Years for Aggravated Assault; Four Arrested)
Radio Free Asia, June 05, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/demolishing_clash-06052008110300.html

江苏省南通市居民被强迫签字搬迁 (Nantong, Jiangsu Residents Forced to Sign Relocation Agreement)
Radio Free Asia, June 05, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/nantong-06052008125642.html

Media
Media Banned from Quake School
Radio Free Asia, June 06, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/quakeparents-06052008164405.html

Olympics
Beijing Approves Olympics 'Cheer'
BBC, June 05, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7438367.stm

China's Wacky But Worrisome Olympic Rules
canada.com, June 05, 2008
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=ff2895fc-f36f-4638-bac8-614f7973ebb0

Related information:
Legal Guidelines for Foreigners—Olympic Traps for Foreigners?
Human Rights in China, June 05, 2008
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/55647

IOC Plays down Broadcasters' Fears over Games Security
Reuters (via Guardian), June 05, 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/feedarticle/7564831

Politics
Cadres Chastised for Spreading 'Political Rumours'
South China Morning Post, June 06, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=4df730e62695a110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Religion
US Lawmakers Blame Chinese Government for Falun Gong Attack
Agence France-Presse (via Google), June 05, 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iFibnzllydzNtM-ZWvKLW70odg2w

Tibet
16 Tibetans Held on Bombing Charges
Xinhua (via China Daily), June 06, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-06/06/content_6740519.htm

Dalai Lama Document Aims to Ease Beijing Fears
South China Morning Post, June 06, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=52f530e62695a110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

格德寺二千多名僧人离寺回乡以示抗议 (Over 2000 Tibetan Monks Leave Geti Monastery in Protest)
Radio Free Asia, June 05, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/tibetan_monks-06052008111316.html