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, January 04, 2008

January 4, 2008

Top News of the Day
Protests and Petitions

湖北访民郑大靖遭截访后被私自关押并殴打 (Hubei Petitioner Beaten in Secret Detention Center)
Radio Free Asia, January 03, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/03/
zheng/

Hubei petitioner Zheng Dajing (郑大靖) was beaten in a secret detention center after he was "retrieved" in Beijing last September, his wife told Radio Free Asia on January 3. China law expert Ong Yew-kim commented that Zheng's secret detention is illegal because the detention has not gone through proper procedures. In related news, petitioner Liu Jiamei (刘佳美) said she saw local "retrievers" inside the office of the State Bureau for Letters and Calls. She suspected the Bureau colludes with local "retrievers."

News
Children

12-Year-Old Used as Bait in China Kidnapping Ring: State Media
Agence France-Presse (via YahooNews), January 03, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080103/wl_asia_afp/china
traffickingchildren_080103063005;_ylt=ArxXbShA81IyQN
MdN5oBD51PzWQA
005;_ylt=ArxXbShA81IyQNMdN5oBD51PzWQA

Economic Development
Income Gap to Widen, Think-Tank Predicts
South China Morning Post, January 04, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62e
cb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=7dfc9db3110
47110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=China&s=News


Gender
A Voice for Rural Women of China
Los Angeles Times, January 02, 2008
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-w
omen2jan02,1,3436981.story


Human Rights Defender - Hu Jia (胡佳)
中方称依法抓捕胡佳 暗地严控质疑之声 (Chinese Authorities Say Hu Jia Is Arrested According to Law, Covertly Monitor Critics)
Radio Free Asia, January 03, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/03/
hujia/


Human Rights Defender - Li Jianhong (Xiao Qiao) (李剑虹(小乔))
上海异见作家小乔再次被当局软禁 (Shanghai Dissident Writer Placed Under House Arrest Again)
Radio Free Asia, January 03, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2008/01/03/china_
dissident_detain/


Labor
1m Who Graduated Last Year Still Jobless: Study
South China Morning Post, January 04, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62
ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=775d9db311047
110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=China&s=News


Land Policy
China Faces a Second Land Revolution
Asia Times Online, January 03, 2008
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/JA03Ad01.html

Media
“响水经验”:防堵记者、控制舆论 (Xiangshui County Government, Jiangsu Province, Proudly Reports Work on Media Censorship)
Radio Free Asia, January 03, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/03/jizhe/

Olympics
中国社科院:北京奥运面临十大风险 (CASS Sees Ten Risks for Beijing Olympics)
Radio Free Asia, January 03, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/03/
aoyun/


Population
Rich 'Flaunt' One Child Law
Shanghai Daily, January 03, 2008
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200801/20
080103/article_343782_1.htm


Poverty
Discontent 'Grips Chinese Cities'
British Broadcasting Corporation, January 03, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7170438.stm

Protests and Petitions
汪洋上任首遇徵地示威 (Wang Yang Encounters His First Land Grab Protest As Party Secretary of Guangdong)
Ming Pao, January 04, 2008
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20080104/cab1.htm

官方劝说访民返原籍 专家建议软手段处理问题 (Beijing Officials Advise Petitioners to Return to Hometowns; Experts Recommend Soft Tactics Against Petitioners)
Radio Free Asia, January 03, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/03/
fangmin/


访民之女突然死去 寻找死因却遭拘留殴打 (Sichuan Petitioners Detained and Beaten for Demanding Justice for Daughter's Sudden Death)
Radio Free Asia, January 03, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/03/
nanchong/