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.

Thursday, August 07, 2014

Corruption (腐败)

中国全国裸官摸底结束十余省市拒透露数据 (Over a dozen provinces refuse to disclose result of investigation into “naked officials”)
Radio Free Asia, August 6, 2014
www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/zhengzhi/hc-08062014133230.html

中国报业协会秘书长被带走调查 (General Secretary of China Newspaper Association under investigation)
The Beijing News, August 7, 2014
www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2014/08/07/328754.html

It's time to tear up China's “get out of jail free” cards
Foreign Policy, August 6, 2014
www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/08/06/tear_up_china_s_get_out_of_jail_free_cards_zhou_yongkang_corruption_reform

For Chinese officials at risk of corruption, a view of life behind bars
中国“高风险”岗位官员的监狱行
The New York Times, August 7, 2014
http://cn.nytimes.com/china/20140807/c07corruption/dual/

Cyber Security (网络安全)

Chinese officials fear Apple products may be tools for U.S. espionage
Washington Post, August 6, 2014
www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/08/06/chinese-officials-fear-apple-products-may-be-tools-for-u-s-espionage/

Disasters (灾难)

China quake reignites debate on country’s rush to build large dams
Washington Post, August 6, 2014
www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-quake-reignites-debate-on-countrys-rush-to-build-large-dams/2014/08/06/9f72a087-27d3-48d5-b26f-435de700e04c_story.html

Human Rights Defenders (人权卫士)

Prominent rights lawyer is freed from Chinese prison, his brother says
The New York Times, August 7, 2014
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/08/world/asia/prominent-rights-lawyer-is-freed-from-chinese-prison-his-brother-says.html

Related:
A newly released Chinese dissident may be doomed to a different kind of prison
Quartz, August 7, 2014
http://qz.com/246084/a-newly-released-chinese-dissident-may-be-doomed-to-a-different-kind-of-prison/

Wife of jailed dissident Gao Zhisheng: “I hope he can give our son a birthday present this year”
The Telegraph, August 6, 2014
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/11015918/Wife-of-jailed-dissident-Gao-Zhisheng-I-hope-he-can-give-our-son-a-birthday-present-this-year.html

Information Control (信息控制)

中国颁令限制微博微信公众账号发时政新闻 (China imposes new restrictions on political news distribution by public accounts on Weibo and WeChat)
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 7, 2014
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2014/08/140807_china_limited_wechart_account.shtml

Related:
China tightens grip on instant messaging services
Associated Press, August 7, 2014
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/china-tightens-control-mobile-internet-24875795

See regulations:
授权发布:即时通信工具公众信息服务发展管理暂行规定 (Authorized announcement: Provisional Regulations to Manage the Development of Public Information Services by Instant Messaging Tools)
Xinhua, August 7, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-08/07/c_1111979566.htm

Tencent to clean up its WeChat service amid crackdown rumours
South China Morning Post, August 6, 2014
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1567586/zhaoqing-city-orders-wechat-users-register-accounts-police

China’s propaganda war over a bowl of muddy water noodles
Offbeat China, August 6, 2014
http://offbeatchina.com/chinas-propaganda-war-over-a-bowl-of-muddy-water-noodles

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

Hundreds of Chinese workers are evacuated from Libya
利比亚冲突持续 中国撤侨“至少878人”
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 6, 2014
EN: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-28684555
CH: www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2014/08/140806_china_evacuation_878.shtml

英任命新驻华大使 强调中英经贸往来 (UK appoints new ambassador to China, trade will be priority)
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 6, 2014
www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2014/08/140806_uk_amb_china_new.shtml

Labor (劳工)

China suspends work at 214 factories after deadly blast
Reuters, August 6, 2014
www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/06/us-china-factory-blast-idUSKBN0G60YU20140806

Related:
After China factory explosion, workers petition for more rights
The Wall Street Journal, August 7, 2014
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/08/07/after-china-factory-explosion-workers-petition-for-more-rights

Media (媒体)

A Weibo spat hints at the battle brewing over journalism's future in China
Global Voices, August 7, 2014
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2014/08/07/a-weibo-spat-hints-at-the-battle-brewing-over-journalisms-future-in-china

Political and Economic Reforms (政治经济改革)

The casualties of China's economic reforms
The Diplomat, August 7, 2014
thediplomat.com/2014/08/the-casualties-of-chinas-economic-reforms/

Communist Party leaders gather in Beidaihe for annual policy summit
South China Morning Post, August 6, 2014
www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1567908/communist-party-leaders-gather-beidaihe-policy-summit

Religion (宗教)

China plans its own “Christian theology”
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 7, 2014
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-28687520

Opinion (观点)

怎样才算是“法治国家”? (What is a “country under the rule of law”?)
Financial Times, August 7, 2014
www.ftchinese.com/story/001057585

Effective rule of law must be end goal of China's corruption fight
South China Morning Post, August 6, 2014
www.scmp.com/comment/article/1567644/effective-rule-law-must-be-end-goal-chinas-corruption-fight

Reflections on lecturing in China
Washington Post, August 6, 2014
www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/08/06/reflections-on-lecturing-in-china/

China's pollution control yields wrong question on coal cuts
Reuters, August 7, 2014
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/07/column-russell-china-coal-idUSL4N0QD1KW20140807