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.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Censorship and Surveillance (审查和监控)

青岛计划监控全市星级酒店“非法境外电视”设备 (Qingdao gov’t boasts its ability to block access to “illegal foreign TV stations” previously available in 5-star hotels)
Radio France Internationale, November 20, 2013
http://bit.ly/1dVNpU5

Consumer Product Safety (消费品安全)

Toxic toys seized at Port of Portland, dolls confiscated by U.S. Customs agents
KOIN, November 19, 2013
http://www.koin.com/news/portland/toxic-toy-bust-at-port-of-portland

Related:
消费品安全20万来自中国的有害玩具被美国海关查扣 (U.S. Customs seizes 200,000 toxic toys from China)
Radio France International, November 20, 2013
http://rfi.my/1atiA9t

Hong Kong (香港)

港大教授推网上设计普选平台
New online platform to rival government consultation on electoral reform
South China Morning Post, November 20, 2013
CH:http://www.scmpchinese.com/sc/hong-kong/16607/gang-da-jiao-shou-tui-wang-shang-she-ji-pu-xuan-ping-tai
EN:http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1360452/new-online-platform-rival-government-consultation-electoral-reform

“占中”忧中央预设港政改框架不利咨询(Occupy Central worries Beijing officials’ HK visit is aimed at undermining general elections in 2016)
British Broadcasting Corporation, November 20, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/11/131120_hk_occupy_central.shtml

Information Control (信息控制)

"中国防火长城并非无懈可击” (China’s firewall is not invulnerable)
British Broadcasting Corporation, November 20, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/11/131119_china_great_fire.shtml

International Human Rights (国际人权)

Syria, human rights on agenda for China-EU summit
Associated Press, November 20, 2013
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/regional_news/asia/article_c963c6af-cab0-578b-a73d-98c354e1d566.html

International Relations (Security, Trade and Investment), 国际关系(安全,贸易和投资)

China offers hospital ship to the Philippines
The New York Times, November 19, 2013
http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/china-offers-hospital-ship-to-the-philippines/

美国驻华大使骆家辉突然宣布明年初离职 (U.S. Ambassador to China, Gary Locke, suddenly announces departure early 2014)
Radio France Internationale, November 20, 2013
http://rfi.my/1bPPl1d

Full text: Gary Locke's statement
South China Morning Post, November 20, 2013
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1360991/full-text-gary-lockes-statement

Related:
U.S. Ambassador to China to step down next year
Voice of America, November 20, 2013
http://www.voanews.com/content/us-ambassador-to-china-to-step-down-next-year/1793727.html

Related Tencent Weibo posts:
作家崔成浩, November 20, 2013 【骆家辉大使在中国受尽委屈所以申请辞职】①坐经济舱来上任,被经济周刊主编田俊荣说是贪污剩下的差旅费;②不坐头等舱被芮成钢嘲讽欠中国钱所以才坐经济舱;③用优惠卷排队买咖啡被环球时报警告别作秀好好当大使;④平民作风被北京日报当头棒喝要求公布财产;⑤低调务实被光明日报说是新殖民主义应警惕。("Ambassador Locke resigns after being 'wronged' in China": 5 instances of official media attacking Locke for being a regular guy)
http://t.qq.com/p/t/318259048677034

解密哥, November 20, 2013 【别了,骆家辉】骆家辉要回美国了,不管他是以什么原因离开中国,估计全国官员都会长出一口气——麻烦终于要走了。有明珠在侧,假装"为人民服务"的官员们日夜坐卧不安,一颗明珠映衬出一堆垃圾!骆家辉在中国,是一堆垃圾中的明珠,形成强烈对比。他带给中国人的震撼,远超美国的航母编队!(Gary Locke is going back to the U.S. Regardless of the reason for his departure, I imagine officials nationwide are sighing relief—the problem is finally going away. Against the pearl, the officials who pretend to “serve the people” can’t be at peace. Locke in China is like a pearl in a pile of garbage—there is a sharp contrast. The shock he gave to the Chinese people is far more powerful than the U.S. aircraft carrier fleet!)
http://t.qq.com/p/t/316513083522889

Labor 劳工

Worker safety concerns linger 20 years after Shenzhen factory fire
Radio Free Asia, November 19, 2013
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/fire-11192013132650.html

Land, Property, Housing (土地、财产、房屋)

China’s farmers await revolution in land reform
South China Morning Post, November 20, 2013
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1361174/chinas-farmers-await-revolution-land-reform

Political and Economic Reform (政治经济改革)

Two children, no options: China’s limited reform
The New Yorker, November 20, 2013
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/11/two-children-no-options-chinas-limited-reform.html

内地首个商事调解庭上海自贸区揭牌 (China’s first court of arbitration opens in Shanghai Free Trade Zone)
South China Morning Post, November 20, 2013
http://www.scmpchinese.com/sc/china/16624/nei-di-shou-ge-shang-shi-diao-jie-ting-shang-hai-zi-mao-qu-jie-pai

Population (人口)

英媒:中国放宽一胎政策未必带来婴儿潮 (UK media: relaxed one-child policy may not induce a baby boom in China)
British Broadcasting Corporation, November 20, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/press_review/2013/11/131120_press_uk_china.shtml

Director Zhang Yimou sought over “violation” of China's one-child policy
The Guardian, November 20, 2013
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/20/director-zhang-yimou-china-one-child-policy

Society (社会)

Parents of gay children urge first lady Peng Liyuan to help fight gay discrimination
South China Morning Post, November 20, 2013
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1361178/parents-gay-children-urge-peng-liyuan-help-fight-gay-discrimination

Anger and angst in hospitals where doctors die
Caixin, November 20, 2013
http://english.caixin.com/2013-11-20/100607237.html

Tibet (西藏)

China dismisses as absurd Spanish arrest warrants over Tibet
Reuters, November 20, 2013
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/20/us-china-tibet-spain-idUSBRE9AJ06720131120

西班牙法院向数名前中共高官发出逮捕令 (Spanish court issues arrest warrants for former high-ranking Chinese officials including Li Peng)
British Broadcasting Corporation, November 20, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/11/131119_spain_china_jiangzemin.shtml

Opinion (观点)

Plenum pledge won't make scrapping China's labour camps any easier
South China Morning Post, November 19, 2013
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1360264/plenum-pledge-wont-make-scrapping-chinas-labour-camps-any

中国透明者
The transparent Chinese
The New York Times, November 20, 2013
http://cn.nytimes.com/opinion/20131120/c20murong/dual/

《决定》姓毛还是姓邓 (Do the Third Plenary decisions follow Mao or Deng?)
Deutsche Welle, November 18, 2013
http://bit.ly/1hXg4hB