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.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

January 20, 2009

News
Bilateral

美國要求澳門設領事館 (U.S. Requests Consulate in Macao)
Ming Pao, January 20, 2009
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20090120/caa1h.htm

Children
跨国绑架案受害人超50 (50+ Shanxi Youths Kidnapped in Myanmar over Past 5 Months)
The Beijing News, January 20, 2009
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/guonei/2009/01-20/042@071503.htm

Corruption
China Financial Cops Linked to Gome Tycoon Case
Associated Press (via Google), January 20, 2009
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j30l0ECBMeP_qdBoOAm3fLOmNK4QD95QPTQO0

Disasters
213 China Families Take Milk Case to Highest Court
Associated Press (via Google), January 20, 2009
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jL7mHkJcSHVOLlejms7eQS2xXDiwD95QFM1G0

Environment
China Plans 'Unthinkable' Water Diversion Project
Reuters (via China Post), January 20, 2009
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/china/business/2009/01/20/192803/China-plans.htm

Hong Kong
Rights Report Dismissed as 'Propaganda Booklet'
South China Morning Post, January 20, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=22e352c802fee110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Human Rights Defender - Wang Rongqing (王榮清)
王荣清“颠覆国家政权罪”判刑六年放弃上诉 (Democracy Activist Wang Rongqing Abandons Appeal of Six-year Sentence for "Subversion of State Power")
Radio Free Asia, January 19, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/minzhu-01192009091348.html

Human Rights Defender - Yao Lifa (姚立法)
姚立法被查问出席武汉美总统就职活动 (Democracy Activist Yao Lifa Disappears)
Radio Free Asia, January 19, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/China_dissident-01192009115338.html

Human Rights Defenders
郭起真病情恶化家人被监视 (Hubei Dissident Guo Qizhen's Health Worsens in Prison)
Radio Free Asia, January 19, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/China_Zhao-01192009120331.html

Internet Censorship
China Blocks 244 New Websites in Porn Crackdown
Reuters, January 19, 2009
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSTRE50F1MY20090120

徐州市人大常委会:“揭黑”不在“人肉搜索”禁令中 (Xuzhou Government: "Hackers" not Part of "Human Flesh Search Engine" Ban)
Yangcheng Wanbao (via Xinhuanet), January 20, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2009-01/20/content_10688065.htm

汪兆鈞就博客及文章被封杀状告新浪网 (Anhui CPPCC Standing Committee Member Wang Zhaojun Sues Sina for Deleting Blog and Essays)
Radio Free Asia, January 19, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/minzhu-01192009120802.html

Land Policy
贵阳数百人凌晨强拆民宅 (100+ Armed and Unidentified Thugs Tear Down Guiyang Homes Involved in Land Dispute under Night's Cover)
The Beijing News, January 20, 2009
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/guonei/2009/01-20/042@083853.htm

Law
非法售火車票逾2千人被拘 (2000+ Sellers of Illegal Train Tickets Arrested)
China Radio International (via Ming Pao), January 19, 2009
http://www.mpinews.com/htm/INews/20090119/ca10754k.htm

Media
新華社擴影響力 欲變身中國CNN (Xinhua News Agency Desires to Become China's CNN)
Ming Pao, January 20, 2009
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20090120/cab1.htm

Protests and Petitions
Police Tactics Risk Fuelling Unrest, Guangzhou Protesters Warn
South China Morning Post, January 20, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=aa9735139afee110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Public Health
China Announces Third Bird Flu Death This Year
Reuters (via ABC News), January 20, 2009
http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2009/01/20/asia/OUKWD-UK-BIRDFLU-CHINA.php

State Security
國防白皮書:奉行和平外交 (National Defense White Paper: Pursue Peaceful Diplomacy)
Xinhua (via Ming Pao), January 20, 2009
http://www.mpinews.com/htm/INews/20090120/ca21017w.htm

Related information:
国务院新闻办发布《2008年中国的国防》(全文)
Xinhua (via China.org.cn), January 20, 2009
http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2009-01/20/content_1210075.htm

Full Text of the White Paper on China's National Defense in 2008
China.org.cn, January 19, 2009
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-01/20/content_7413294.htm