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.

Monday, August 31, 2009

September 1, 2009

News
Environment
Air Pollution Reducing 'Good' Rains in China: Study
Agence France-Presse (via YahooNews), August 31, 2009
Taiwan
China Fine-tunes Taiwan Protest in Dalai Lama Row
Reuters, August 31, 2009
Human Rights Defender -- Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波)
刘晓波再次获准会见律师 (Liu Xiaobo Allowed to Meet Lawyer Again)
Radio Free Asia, August 31, 2009
Police
Smokers May Face Five Days in Jail
South China Morning Post, September 01, 2009
Protests and Petitions
广西南宁征地纠纷 警方暴力镇压抗议农民 (Guangxi Police Crack down on Protest over Land Grab Dispute)
Radio Free Asia, August 31, 2009
杭州江干区数百公安武警强拆一户居民 (Zhejiang Police Sent to Carry out A Forced Demolition)
Radio Free Asia, August 31, 2009
西安地铁暴力征地 致一老人死亡(图) (A Villager Killed over Land Dispute in Xi'an City)
Radio Free Asia, August 31, 2009
云南陆良一煤矿发生警民冲突 18人受伤 (Villagers in Yunnan Clash with Police over Land Grab)
Radio Free Asia, August 31, 2009
Labor
Privatisation Plan Prompts Strike by 5,000 Workers
South China Morning Post, September 01, 2009
Public Health
Parents Fume at Factories After 200 Kids Sickened
China Daily, August 31, 2009
Corruption
All Industries to Have Bribery 'Black List' in Zhejiang
China Daily, September 01, 2009

August 29-31, 2009

Top News
Multilateral
UN Urges 'Humane Treatment' for Tibet, Xinjiang Detainees
Agence France-Presse, August 28, 2009
http://www.sinodaily.com/2006/090828133804.0edtzlhl.html

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination issued its concluding observations on China’s compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination on Friday, August 28, 2009. The Committee said that China must “carefully consider the root causes” of inter-ethnic tensions within its borders, and identified a range of legislative and policy recommendations. Amongst the recommendations includes the adoption of a comprehensive definition of racial discrimination and the impartial investigation of all allegations of harassment, intimidation, and other acts impeding the work of lawyers.

Related information:
Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, August 28, 2009
http://www.unpo.org/images/reports/cerdaugust2009.doc

UN Expert Body Calls for Greater Protections for Ethnic Groups, Rural Inhabitants, and Rights Defenders in China
Human Rights in China, August 28, 2009
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/171896

Related news:
联合国促中国给予少数民族、农民和维权律师更大的保护 (UN Urges that China Give Greater Protection to Minorities, Peasants, and Rights Defense Lawyers)
Radio Free Asia, August 29, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/Xinwen/un-08292009193852.html

News
Bilateral Ties
China Issues Rare Rebuke after Burma Border Clashes
Christian Science Monitor, August 30, 2009
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0830/p99s01-duts.html

China Urges U.S. to Halt Surveillance near Its Shores
Reuters, August 27, 2009
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE57Q1ZU20090827

Environment
China's Legislature Endorses Climate Change Resolution
Xinhua News Agency, August 27, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-08/27/content_11953722.htm
Related information:
全国人民代表大会常务委员会关于积极应对气候变化的决议 (Resolution of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Actively Responding to Climate Change)
National People's Congress, August 27, 2009
http://www.npc.gov.cn/npc/xinwen/rdyw/wj/2009-08/27/content_1516165.htm
Following the Trail of Toxic E-Waste
CBS News, August 30, 2009
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/19/60minutes/main4579229.shtml

Hong Kong
UN Calls for Rule on Helpers to Be Scrapped
South China Morning Post, August 29, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=aac8ba1950263210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Human Rights Defenders – Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波)
美国前司法部长要求旁听刘晓波案庭审 (Former U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh Requests to Attend Liu Xiaobo's Hearing)
Radio Free Asia, August 28, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/dissident_liuxiaobo-08282009124648.html

Law
China's Legislature Updates Laws
Xinhua News Agency, August 27, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-08/27/content_11954498.htm

政强制法草案、可再生能源法修正案草案向社会全文公布征求意见 (Draft Government Functions Law and Draft Amendment of the Renewable Energy Law Released to Public for Consultation)
Xinhua News Agency, August 28, 2009
http://www.jfdaily.com/a/318186.htm
Related information:
行政强制法草案、可再生能源法修正案草案向社会全文公布征求意见 (Full Text of the Draft Laws for Public Consultation)
National People's Congress, August 28, 2009
http://www.npc.gov.cn/npc/xinwen/lfgz/lfdt/2009-08/28/content_1516563.htm
Media
Peasants Harness Power of Net in Battle for Justice
South China Morning Post, August 30, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=2bfdbcd321663210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

云南省委宣传部:禁止媒体随意给民众贴“不明真相”等标签 (Propaganda Department of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee Bans the Use of Certain Phases by Media)
Radio Free Asia, August 29, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/yun-08282009233735.html

Public Health
97%中国人患口腔疾病 (97A% of Chinese Suffer from Oral Disease)
Radio Free Asia, August 29, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/97-08282009231432.html

Lead Poisons Third of Children in Yunnan
South China Morning Post, August 29, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=0d4cf1864f163210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Society
China's 'Unluckiest Generation' Reflects on Cost of Revolution
USA Today, August 31, 2009
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-08-30-chinageneration_N.htm

Taiwan
Dalai Lama Distances Himself from Politics before Trip to Taiwan
Central News Agency, August 30, 2009
http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1044663

Tibet
四名因示威被捕的藏民被秘密判刑 (Four Tibetans, Arrested for Protesting, Secretly Sentenced)
Radio Free Asia, August 28, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/tibet_humanrights-08282009125406.html