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Large Banners with Slogans: ‘Illegal’ Petitions Will Be Sentenced and Penalized’

A Boxun (U.S.-based independent Chinese news website) reader posted pictures of  large Chinese character  slogans hung in various cities in mainland China. The slogans are being hung up as banners over the streets as part of a campaign to suppress petitions ahead of the Olympics. The slogans use wording such as “’Illegal ‘ Petitions Will Be Sentenced and Penalized;” “Firmly Crack Down on Criminal Activities Committed in the Name of Petitioning.” The author describes his anger at seeing a board saying “striking against illegal petitions” in front of a municipal government office.

Source: Boxun, July 14, 2008.
http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/pubvp/2008/07/200807141034.shtml

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Increased Armed Police and Travel Requirements in Beijing

Xinhua reports that passengers traveling in and out of Beijing during the Olympics need to use their real names to purchase tickets. The Ministry of Transportation issued a notice requiring strict checkups on passengers traveling via land and water. The news report is provided with photos showing police with heavy firearms standing at checkpoints along a main road.[1] In a separate picture report, armed police are patrolling Beijing’s Capital Airport. [2]

Source: Xinhua, July 11, 2008
[1]. http://news.xinhuanet.com/photo/2008-07/11/content_8528263.htm
[2]. http://news.xinhuanet.com/photo/2008-07/01/content_8467743.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Senior Citizen Population to Reach 250 Million by 2020

China’s population of senior citizens will reach 250 million or 17 percent of the total population by 2020 and 400 million or 30 percent of the total population by 2050. This fast growing aging population will have an impact on the country’s economic and social development. It will also pose challenges for the existing inadequacy of the country’s pension and medical care system.

Source: BBC, July 11, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7500000/newsid_7502900/7502988.stm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Front Page Coverage: Media Publicity Campaign to Boost Hu

On July 10th, both the People’s Daily and Guangming Daily devoted the entire front page to an identical layout setting featuring the news, speech, and photos of Hu Jintao at the G8 Summit.  It was viewed as a media campaign effort to improve Hu’s image before the Olympics.

Source: Secret China, July 10, 2008
http://www.secretchina.com/news/253637.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Five Celebrity Movie Stars Labeled Ugly Five for Criticizing Rights Record

An article posted by Xinhua named Richard Gere, Bjork, Mia Farrow, George Clooney and Ben Affleck as the "Ugly Five". It charged the five actors with criticizing China’s human rights.

In addition, Gere was blamed for his friendship with the Dalai Lama; Bjork for shouting loud “Tibet!” at a Shanghai concert in March; Farrow was singled out for her leading role in linking Darfur with China; Clooney was attacked for linking the Beijing Olympics with human rights; Affleck was listed for his comment: “be careful of communist China invading Taiwan.”

Source: Xinhua, July 11, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/overseas/2008-07/11/content_8530584.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Foreign Owned Enterprises Approaching 300,000

As of the end of June 2008, China had 8.6 million domestic enterprises, 280,000 foreign-owned enterprises and 27.28 million small businesses (“individual industrial and commercial households”), according to a recent release by the China State Administration of Industry and Commerce.

Source: Xinhua, July 10, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-07/10/content_8524946.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

15,000 Sign Petition to End Forced Labor Camp System

On Monday July 7, more than 15,000 Chinese scholars and experts signed a petition, calling on the government to end China’s forced labor camp system. They believe that the forced labor camp lacks legality, and it may lead to administrative power abuse. They also pointed out that the system failed to protect citizen’s rights.

The forced labor camp system was introduced in 1956 from the Soviet Union. Under the system, the government can send undesirables to do hard labor in a concentration camp without any trial. The Chinese government uses it to punish Christians, Buddhists, pro-democracy activists and Falun Gong practitioners.

Fan Yafeng, a sponsor of the petition and a Beijing-based social scientist said that the petition was intended to ease the worsening tension between the people and the government.

Source: Voice of America, July 8, 2008 
http://voanews.com/chinese/w2008-07-08-voa67.cfm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

250 Million Unemployed in China

2008 was a record year for China’s unemployment rate. A total of 250 million people are currently out of a job. Many of the 6 million college graduates will find it harder to find work this year. Affected by a strong Chinese Renminbi and rist in the cost of materials, many export-oriented companies have gone bankrupt. Due to a central government policy of eliminating ‘backward’ businesses, state owned companies were being closed at a peak rate.

In a recent estimate by Tian Chengping, former minister of China Labor and Social Security Ministry, in 2008, China’s unemployed population will reach 50 million in urban areas and 200 million in rural areas.

Source: China New Digest, July 9, 2008 
http://www.cnd.org/my/modules/wfsection/article.php%3Farticleid=20038

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources