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, February 15, 2008

February 15, 2008

Top News of the Day
Olympics

EU President Advises Against Protests
Associated Press (available at YahooNews), February 14, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080214/ap_on_sp_ol/oly_eu_beijing_human_rights
Milan Zver, the sports minister of Slovenia, which currently holds the EU presidency, urged EU athletes not bring up human rights issues at the Games this summer in Beijing. However, he thinks that international companies that operate in China do have a duty to bring up human rights issues.

News
Civil Society

Around the Nation: Community Groups Axed
South China Morning Post, February 15, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=6e7143db25818110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Corporate Social Accountability
Chinese Factory Linked to Drug Under Inquiry in U.S.
New York Times, February 15, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/business/worldbusiness/14heparin.html

Corruption
呼和浩特一公安局长枪杀市委副书记王治平 (Huhhot Official Murders City's Vice-Party Secretary)
Radio Free Asia, February 13, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2008/02/13/china_government_official/

Freedom of Association
泛蓝联盟长沙聚会遭冲击 羁押传唤三人强行遣返 (Changsha Pan-Blue Alliance Meeting Broken Up; Three Non-locals Detained, Forcibly Sent to Hometowns)
Radio Free Asia, February 14, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/02/14/fanlan/

Human Rights Defender - Zheng Enchong (郑恩宠)
郑恩宠周三被国保传唤长达十二小时 (Human Rights Defender Zheng Enchong Gets Summoned)
Radio Free Asia, February 14, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2008/02/14/china_rights_lawyer/

Land Policy
China Releases Land Survey Ordinance
Xinhuanet, February 14, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/14/content_7604649.htm

China's Infrastructure Splurge: Rushing on by Road, Rail and Air
The Economist, February 14, 2008
http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10697210

This Land Is My Land
The Economist, February 14, 2008
http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10696084

Multilateral Relations
China Studying WTO Interim Ruling on Auto Parts Dispute
Xinhuanet, February 14, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/14/content_7605669.htm

China Suffers First Defeat at WTO
British Broadcasting Corporation, February 13, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7244027.stm

Olympics
北京城管将建跨区域支援应急队 应对突发事件 (Beijing Urban Management Authorities to Help in Dealing With Public Emergencies During Olympics)
Beijing Youth Daily (available at Xinhuanet), February 15, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/sports/2008-02/15/content_7608687.htm

Olympics-China "Regrets" Spielberg's Darfur Decision
Reuters, February 14, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/africaCrisis/idUSSP242531

Population
434 Wuhan Officials Dismissed for Exceeding Birth Limits
Xinhuanet, February 14, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/14/content_7603137.htm

Protests and Petitions
哈尔滨姑娘南下广东寻访维权被捕男友 (Harbin Woman Goes to Guangdong to Meet Online Lover for Valentine's Day; Finds Lover Detained)
Radio Free Asia, February 14, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2008/02/14/china_rights_detain/

辽宁蚁民欲参加债权人大会遭大批警察驱赶 (Liaoning Ant Raisers Blocked from Attending Creditors' Meeting)
Radio Free Asia, February 14, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/02/14/liaoning/

乌鲁木齐市市委书记:八成上访者是有道理的 (Urumqi Party Secretary: More Than 80 Percent of Petitioning Cases Have Merit)
Xinhuanet, February 14, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-02/15/content_7606514.htm

Religion
留美归国基督徒白成博士和当地教徒被刑事拘留 (Upon Returning from the U.S., Christian Man Detained, Along with Two Others)
Radio Free Asia, February 14, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/02/14/religion/

Tibet
确吉杰布预计将被增选为人大副委员长 (Panchen Lama Recognized by Beijing Set to Be Vice-Chairman of NPC)
Radio Free Asia, February 14, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/02/14/renda/

XUAR
乌鲁木齐上周一爆发激烈枪战 据称18人被击毙 (Eighteen Shot Dead in Anti-Terrorism Raid in Urumqi)
Radio Free Asia, February 14, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2008/02/14/china_xinjiang/