Human Rights Defender
China Arrests a Signer of a Freedom Charter
Los Angeles Times, December 10, 2008
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-chinarights10-2008dec10,0,1100481.story
Beijing police detained Independent Chinese PEN Center President and prominent activist Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) in the evening of December 8, after Liu signed a public appeal calling for legal reforms, democracy, and the protection of human rights. Liu has yet to be released. The public appeal, “08 Charter,” was released today, Human Rights Day, and signed by over 300 activists, lawyers, civil servants, former party officials, and other concerned Chinese citizens. Another activist and signatory, Zhang Zhuhua (张祖桦), was also detained; Zhang was later released on December 9.
Related information:
Independent Scholars Detained: Start of 2009 Crackdown?
Human Rights in China, December 09, 2008
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/85186
08 Charter (English Translation)
December 10, 2008
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/85717
News
Bilateral Ties
China Wants Strong Ties with U.S. — as Long as They Don't Interfere with Tibet's Future
Associated Press (via Fox News), December 09, 2008
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,464604,00.html
Death Penalty
淮南原市委书记被判死缓 (Former Huainan, Anhui Municipal Party Secretary Given Suspended Death Sentence)
The Beijing News, December 10, 2008
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/guonei/2008/12-10/008@021155.htm
Environment
环保部：部分水源地不合格公众饮水存隐患 (Ministry of Environmental Protection Warns of Hidden Dangers in Drinking Water, Says that Certain Water Sources Are Sub-standard)
China News (via Sina), December 10, 2008
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2008-12-10/161016821326.shtml
Human Rights Defenders
三十八名上海访民在香港注册冤民大同盟（系列视频） (38 Shanghai Petitioners Form the "Chinese Alliance of the Aggrieved" in Hong Kong)
Radio Free Asia, December 09, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shangfang-12092008090746.html
民主党人士王荣清被控三大罪状杭州开审 (Trial for Democracy Activist Wang Rongqing Opens in Hangzhou)
Radio Free Asia, December 09, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/minzhu-12092008134054.html
Media
China about to Complete Its Online 'Golden Shield' Monitoring Project
Taiwan News, December 10, 2008
http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=807946
Migrant Workers
中国失业农民工返乡潮带来新挑战 (Return of Unemployed Migrant Workers to Countryside Brings New Challenge)
Radio Free Asia, December 09, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/immigrants-12092008093824.html
Politics
China Sacks Officials for Overseas Holidays Disguised as Study Tours
Shanghai Daily, December 10, 2008
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=383983
Protests and Petitions
Petitioners Held for Being Obsessive, Says Official
South China Morning Post, December 10, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=8d046cf602c1e110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD
Protest of 1,000 Migrant Workers Turns Violent, Says Rights Group
South China Morning Post, December 10, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=f4c36cf602c1e110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD
上訪人士到外交部靜坐抗議 (20+ Petitioners Hold Sit-in Demonstration outside Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Ming Pao, December 10, 2008
http://www.mpinews.com/htm/INews/20081210/ca31501i.htm
Rural Issues
30 Years after Reform, China Farmers once Again Hope for Change
Agence France-Presse (via YahooNews), December 09, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081209/wl_asia_afp/chinaeconomy30yearsfarmerscorrection
Taiwan
Shanghai-Taiwan Direct Flight Date Set
China Daily, December 10, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-12/10/content_7288135.htm