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, October 27, 2009

October 24-27, 2009

Top News

Human Rights Defender
“零八宪章”签署人之一的段春芳被判处一年半徒刑 ("Charter 08" Signer Duan Chunfang Sentenced to One Year And Six Months)
Radio France Internationale, October 24, 2009
http://www.rfi.fr/actucn/articles/118/article_17011.asp

Duan Chunfang (段春芳), a Shanghai petitioner and Charter ’08 signer, was sentenced by a Shanghai court to one year and six months in prison for “obstructing official business” on October 23, 2009. Since 2000, Duan had petitioned the authorities for her demolished home and justice for her brother death. On June 23, 2009, Duan and her husband were beaten by policemen; she was detained and accused of assaulting policemen on July 3, 2009.


Related information:
Petitioner Gets One Year and Six Months for “Obstructing Official Business”
Human Rights in China, October 23, 2009
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/172212

News
Bilateral Ties

Australia Declares End to China Tensions
Reuters (via South China Morning Post), October 26, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0

Beijing Hides North Korea Trade Statistics
Reuters (via South China Morning Post), October 27, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0

Myanmar, China to Boost Trade, Ties: State Media
Xinhua News Agency (via China Daily), October 24, 2009
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-10/24/content_8844061.htm

China, Switzerland Vow to Tighten up Law Enforcement Collaboration
Xinhua News Agency, October 26, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/26/content_12332348.htm

China's Top Legislator Pledges to Advance Relations with Kenya
Xinhua News Agency, October 23, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/23/content_12311209.htm

Chinese Vice President Meets Senior Vietnamese Official
Xinhua News Agency, October 26, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/26/content_12331573.htm

Corruption
Shenzhen Sacks Two More Officials in Corruption Probe
Shanghai Daily, October 26, 2009
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2009/200910/20091026/article_417516.htm#ixzz0V6rdhAMV
Chongqing Billionaire on Trial over Crippling Taxi Strike, Bribery
South China Morning Post, October 27, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0

Disasters
Drought in South And Central Areas to Continue
South China Morning Post, October 24, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0

Environment
Bloggers Map China’s Pollution
Radio Free Asia, October 26, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/google-10252009155101.html

Internet Censorship
《南风窗》网站突然停止运作 (Guangzhou-based Magazine "Nanfeng Chuang" Site Suspended)Radio Free Asia, October 26, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/china_magzine-10262009123741.html?encoding=simplified

Labor
3 Trapped Chinese Coal Miners Rescued After 8 Days
Associated Press (via Yahoo! News), October 24, 2009
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091025/ap_on_re_as/as_china_miners_rescued

Factory Fire Kills Two, Injures Four in E China
Xinhua News Agency (via China Daily), October 26, 2009
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-10/26/content_8846626.htm

Military
PLA Commander Begins Tour of US Military Sites
Agence France-Presse (via South China Morning Post), October 25, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0

China 'Developing Cyber Warfare Capability'
Associated Press (via South African Press Association), October 23, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0

Multilateral
84 Countries And Regions Converge on Beijing for Int'l Fiscal Summit
China Daily (via Xinhua News Agency), October 26, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/26/content_12327786.htm

Sixth China-ASEAN Expo Closes, Bringing Closer Ties
Xinhua News Agency, October 24, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/24/content_12315584.htm

Protests and Petitions
西安盐西村非法拆迁数名村民被打伤,一人生命垂危(图) (Villagers in Xian Beaten After Protesting against Illegal Eviction, One Severely Injured)
Radio Free Asia, October 24, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/xi-10232009233349.html

Fourteen Arrested over China Mine Dispute: Govt
Agence France-Presse (via Yahoo! News), October 23, 2009
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091023/wl_asia_afp/chinaminingcrime

300名复员军人在北京总政示威 (300 Retired Military Officials Demonstrate in Beijing)
Radio Free Asia, October 26, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/petition_veterans-10262009112125.html?encoding=simplified

Religion
美指華續打壓疆藏宗教自由 (China Continues to Suppress Religious Freedom in Tibet and Xinjiang: US)
Ming Pao, October 27, 2009
http://inews.mingpao.com/htm/INews/20091027/ca20850i.htm

Society
How Burying A Tradition Fuelled Black Market in Corpse-selling
South China Morning Post, October 24, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0

Taiwan
Taiwan Leader Ma Calls for Lasting Cross-Strait Peace
Xinhua News Agency, October 25, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/25/content_12324322.htm

Uygur Leader Kadeer Is No Terrorist: Ma
Agence France-Presse (via South China Morning Post), October 23, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0

Tibet
India to China: Dalai Lama An 'Honored Guest'
Associated Press (via Yahoo! News), October 25, 2009
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091025/ap_on_re_as/as_asean_india_china_dalai_lama

XUAR
China's Xinjiang Isolated by E-mail, Phone Cuts
Agence France-Presse (via China Post), October 25, 2009
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/china/local-news/other/2009/10/25/230059/Chinas-Xinjiang.htm