August 19, 2008

Top News
Protests and Petitions
77 Applications, No Protests at Beijing Games
Xinhua (via China Daily), August 19, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-08/19/content_6948065.htm

According to a Public Security Bureau spokesperson, Beijing authorities have received 77 applications for protests. Of those, 74 were withdrawn voluntarily “after amicable settlements between the parties and authorities,” two were suspended, and one was denied due to violating the Law on Assembly, Demonstration, and Protest. Authorities have established three protest parks during the Olympics – Zizhuyuan Park, Ritan Park, and World Park. They have yet to host officially-sanctioned protesters.

Related news:
北京市公安局负责人就申请集会游行示威问题答问 (Beijing Public Security Bureau
Official Responds to Questions on Protest Applications)
Xinhuanet, August 18, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-08/18/content_9469687.htm

奥运游行申请人否认自行撤回申请 (Applicants for Olympic Park Protests Deny Voluntarily Withdrawing Applications)
Radio Free Asia, August 18, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/youxing-08182008112649.html

Human Rights Defender - Zeng Jinyan (曾金燕)
Attention on Olympics, Dissident Goes Missing in China
ABC News, August 18, 2008
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5603830

Beijing-based rights defender Zeng Jinyan (曾金燕) and her daughter have still not been in contact with their family, friends, or lawyer since their disappearance on August 7 according to Zeng's lawyer, Li Fangping (李方平). Li suspects that she and her daughter have been removed from Beijing by the police until the end of the Olympic period. Zeng Jinyan is married to prominent HIV/AIDS activist Hu Jia (胡佳). Hu was convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” in April 2008; he is currently serving his sentence of three and a half years.

News
Corruption
最高检检察长曹建明：推进惩治和预防腐败体系建设 (Procurator-General Cao Jianming: Establish a System to Promote the Punishment and Prevention of Corruption)
Legal Daily, August 18, 2008
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/0705/2008-08/18/content_926541.htm

Related information:
建立健全惩治和预防腐败体系2008-2012年工作规划 (2008-2012 Work Plan to Establish a System to Strength the Punishment and Prevention of Corruption)
Xinhuanet, June 22, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-06/22/content_8417974.htm

Disasters
Quake Victims in China Rally From Painful Losses
New York Times, August 19, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/19/world/asia/19quake.html

四川死者家属抗议遭驱逐 地震三月停救济捐助未到灾民手 (Emergency Relief Halted Three Months after Quake; Funds Seemingly Have Not Reached Affected Families)
Radio Free Asia, August 18, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/dizhen-08182008123523.html

Food Security
Latest Serving of Food Safety Law Ready for Review
China Daily, August 19, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-08/19/content_6948062.htm

Labor
Two Dead, 23 Trapped in China Coal Mine Blast: State Media
Agence France-Presse (via Google), August 19, 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jqeFACbJMSs_h1n0cA-vl9RT4vww

Land Policy
China to Launch Controversial Maglev Extension in 2010
Agence France-Presse (via Google) , August 18, 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gqAfhOzHvrCCKkVe2B_kti5TqAxA

土地违法问责制正式启动 国土资源部：宣传重点是政府 (Land Violations Accountability System Officially Launched)
Legal Daily, August 19, 2008
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/0705/2008-08/19/content_926736.htm

Olympics
Olympic Terror Clampdown Targets Beijing Uighurs after Attacks
Bloomberg, August 18, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=aP4aHyvKMYWg

游客超1.8万前门将禁入 (Olympics Security: No One Allowed to Enter Qianmen Avenue if Crowd Exceeds 180K)
The Beijing News, August 18, 2008
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/beijing/2008/08-18/008@020520.htm

Politics
China's Top Legislature Starts Five-Day Session on Aug. 25
Xinhuanet, August 18, 2008
http://rss.xinhuanet.com/newsc/english/2008-08/18/content_9475585.htm

Protests and Petitions
Demonstrator Tells of 9-Hour Interrogation
Boston Globe, August 18, 2008
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2008/08/18/demonstrator_tells_of_9_hour_interrogation/

US Christian Group Leaves Chinese Airport After Standoff
Voice of America, August 19, 2008
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4555116.ece

Would-Be Protesters Detained in China
New York Times, August 19, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/19/sports/olympics/19protest.html

数千名黑龙江拆迁户包围信访办专车 (Thousands of Heilongjiang Evictees Surround Petitioning Office Vehicle)
Radio Free Asia, August 19, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/petition_clash-08182008111236.html

武汉教师因拒绝承诺不上访被扣押逾月 (Wuhan Teacher Detained for over a Month for Refusing to Promise to Not Petition in Beijing)
Radio Free Asia, August 19, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/petitioner_abuse-08182008122326.html

Taiwan
Taiwan's U.N. Bid Called 'Thoughtless'
China Post, August 19, 2008
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/int'l%20%20community/2008/08/19/170717/Taiwan%27s%2DU%2EN%2E.htm

XUAR
Pilots from Rebel Uighur Region Grounded over Chinese Terror Fears
Times Online, August 18, 2008
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article4552992.ece

The 'Hanification' of Xinjiang
Asia Times Online, August 18, 2008
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/JH19Ad02.html