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, March 21, 2008

March 21, 2008

Top News of the Day
Tibet
China Blankets Tibetan Areas With Troops
AP (available at YahooNews), March 21, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h5Z6bJwtN_roG
SIUQiQnfbf2NkhgD8VHP8RO0

On Friday, the government sent in thousands of troops on foot, trucks, and helicopters to areas of western China with large Tibetan populations. In addition to the protests in Tibet, demonstrations have arisen in neighboring provinces sympathetic to the Tibetan protestors. The government is increasing its hunt for individuals involved in last week’s Lhasa riots and has posted photos on Chinese Internet sites of 21 protestors wanted by officials.

News
Corporate Social Accountability
Tibet adds pressure for Olympic sponsors
AP (available at YahooNews), March 21, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080320/ap_on_re_as/oly
_beijing_uneasy_sponsors;_ylt=AvWL2.QdiPVumknLY4Z
0dk4Bxg8F
=Av WL2.QdiPVumknLY4Z0dk4Bxg8F

Environment
Drought continues in N, NE China
Xinhuanet, March 20, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/20/conten
t_7828786.htm


Labor
Dozens of slave workers freed in China: report
Reuters (available at YahooNews), March 21, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?articleId=USPEK3
2547520080320


Media
China may extend eased press rules
The Guardian, March 21, 2008
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,
-7400681,00.html


China Orders Video Web Sites to Close
AP (available at YahooNews), March 21, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5icR8HXvp5Ke6b1A
VqREmk_chVWYAD8VHLCQ80


China sidesteps internet criticism
The Guardian, March 21, 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/20/china.
internet?gusrc =rss&feed=media


YouTube Unplugged
Wall Street Journal, March 21, 2008
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB12060565150035
3307-WOsKkvzqpYxSH4Fi1XXpN_ouSfE_20080420.ht
ml?mod=tff_main _tff_top


Olympics
Mayor hints at torch route; Chinatown unlikely
San Francisco Chronicle, March 21, 2008
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/
03/20/MNIGVNFO7.DTL&tsp=1


Germany warns China Olympics at risk
AP (available at YahooNews), March 21, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080321/ap_on_re_as/
germany_tibet;_ylt=Arap6aJAnEgyGMvNM.KorxNvaA8F


Tibet crisis won't dissuade Bush from attending Olympics
AFP (available at YahooNews), March 21, 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i3hPNxWVeKCL
Cn6-Tc0vltpkOwlQ


Protests and Petitions
China locks down restive regions
BBC, March 21, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7308107.stm

Public Health
S. China province reports 747 flu cases
China.org.cn, March 21, 2008
http://www.china.org.cn/health/2008-03/21/content_
13208179.htm


Religion
Persecution of Catholics in China focus of Vatican's Good Friday prayers
International Herald Tribune, March 21, 2008
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/20/europe/E
U-GEN-Vatican-China.php


Taiwan
China Tensions Could Sway Vote in Taiwan
New York Times, March 21, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/world/asia/19cn
d-taiwan.html?em&ex=1206244800&en=379523896781
9f1d&ei=5087%0A


Taiwanese secessionist moves spark tension in China
Canwest, March 20, 2008
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?
id=a43e269a-65d2-4f6c-9128-24908ee458e5&k=48750


Tibet
Last foreign reporters forced from Tibet
AP (available at YahooNews), March 21, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080320/ap_on_re_as/
china_tibet_journalists;_ylt=AjoxmIXt1mICdVMGdjux
PxIBxg8F


China condemns assault on diplomatic missions overseas
China Daily, March 21, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-03/21/cont
ent_6555189.htm


Dalai Lama says he's willing to meet China's president
International Herald Tribune, March 21, 2008
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/20/asia/AS-
GEN-India-Dalai-Lama.php


US lawmaker demands Tibet inquiry
BBC, March 21, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7308169.stm

Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh support China's actions to stabilize Tibet
Xinhuanet, March 21, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/21/content
_7832281.htm


藏人骚乱官方版本渐出台 一言堂难服众 (Officials' Rule by Dictate over Tibetan Protestors)
Radio Free Asia, March 20, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/03
/20/tibet_riots/


2,000 Tibetans Defy Crackdown as China Admits Shooting
Radio Free Asia, March 20, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/2008/03/20/tibet_pro
tests/


Tibet party chief calls on citizens to maintain social order
Xinhuanet, rch 20, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/20/content
_7829049.htm


XUAR
China: Separatists behind jet crash plot
AP (available at YahooNews), March 20, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080320/ap_on_re_as/
china_terror;_ylt=Aqpv9R.eRGFTTsOwyVzGfDIBxg8F