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Briefings - 1199. page

Newspaper Recalled Tiananmen Massacre photo

Beijing News recalled its July 24th edition because of a photo taken on the street of Beijing during June 4th 1989 democratic movement appeared in section C15 of the newspaper.

Beijing news has been carrying series coverage on China’s open door policy adopted 30 years ago. Its July 24th edition published an interview with Liu Xiangchen, author of the photo and former Beijing correspondent of AP.  The interview was titled “I use photos to record my journey in China.” The photo displayed an injured man being rushed to the hospital, which has been used by numerous worldwide news media in the past.

Source: BBC, July 25, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7520000/newsid_7524900/7524975.stm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Curbing Road Traffic and Factory Productions Helped in Reducing Air Pollution over Beijing

Curbing the road traffic and suspension of some factory productions have helped in bringing in down the Air Pollution Index (API) by 20%, according to the announcement made by the official from the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau today on July 25. Since July 1, the road traffic has been reduced by 25.1%. All construction works over the city involving cement and concrete have been suspended starting July 20. The four big coal-burning power plants have reduced the emission by 30%. Other major factories involving metallurgy, raw building materials, and petrochemical will either reduce emission or suspend production during the Olympic game.

Source: People’s Daily, July 25, 2008
http://society.people.com.cn/GB/41158/7566998.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Hu Jintao: Strive for a Successul Olympics is the Top Priority

On July 26, during the Communist Party’s group study held by the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, Hu Jintao is calling the various levels of Communist Party bureaus and municipal bodies to place the goal of hosting a successful Beijing Olympics and Paralympic Games as the top priority. He said: “as the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic is around the corner, the world’s attention is here. Various party bureaus and municipal bodies need to unite and form one understanding among each other. They need to coordinate well to further place the Olympics at its utmost important position.

Source: Xinhua, July 27, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mrdx/2008-07/27/content_8779856.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Olympics Security Driving People Out of Beijing – Example

As the Olympics is approaching, Beijing authorities has set up schemes that trap those who come to appeal in Beijing, reported Ming Pao on July 24, 2008 of the story from a reader, Mr. Fan Dingxian. 

Fan, a 68 year old retiree from Chongqing, Sichuan, waited for 4 hours before he was interviewed by a staff at the State Petition Bureau in Beijing. He complained about insufficient pension. He was then escorted into an enclosed area in the back of the government building, where armed police surrounded four to five hundreds of people like Fan. An officer announced that all must be on board the government chartered buses heading out of Beijing. Fan refused to go on board and was beaten black and blue.  In the end police carried him on board the bus. It was only after he attempted suicide that he was finally released outside Beijing.

Source: Ming Pao, July 24, 2008
http://www.mingpaosf.com/htm/News/20080724/st1a.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Media in China Serving as Source of Military Intelligence

“China Threat” theory mostly originates from media inside China, says a Xinhua article on July 21, 2008. “Those in the West who advocate China Threat Theory quote largely the evidence from Chinese domestic media.” “To great extent, our own media has become the transmitter of foreign media disseminating others’ information.” The article warns that information posted at Chinese websites, once put together, can be very alarming intelligence on Chinese military, which include pictures of un-released munitions in transit and chattering by Internet users about military movement around their neighborhoods. The article posts online the cover of 2008 U.S. Annual Report to Congress on Chinese military power.

Source: Xinhua, July 21, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-07/21/content_8706892.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-07/21/content_8706892_3.htm

 

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Sino-Japan Human Right Dialogue Resumed before Olympics

To repair China’s shattered image during the Olympics, Beijing agreed to resume a Human Right Dialogue with Japan after eight years of break.

Human Right Dialogue was invented by China in early 1990’s to counter the Human Rights criticism by the West. The dialogue is a discussion between equal partners, while the criticism puts China at defense.

The Human Right Dialogue is not an admission of China’s human rights problem. Qin Gang, Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokes person made it very clear. In a recent press conference, Qin said: “The Chinese Communist Party has been working to improve human rights since Day One of its founding. Human Rights always will be our sacred goal.”

The article blames Amnesty International, Reporters without Border and Human Right Watch for pressuring China to improve its human rights.

Source: Xinhua Net, July 23, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2008-07/23/content_8751211.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Beijing Opens Showcase Democracy Zones during Olympics

On July 23, Beijing Olympic Organization Committee announced that Beijing will designate three parks for free expression and demonstration. But demonstrators have to get government permission.

World Park in Fengtai District, Zizhuyuan Park in Haidian District and Ritan Park in Chaoyang District are selected to showcase China’s freedom.

Citizens are skepitcal of the government intention. Some said after the real dissidents were locked up, the demonstrators are probably arranged actors to boost China’s human right record.

Source: English Epoch Times, July 24, 2008
http://news.epochtimes.com/gb/8/7/24/n2203117.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Men’s Suicide in Tiananmen Linked to Forced Land Seizure by Government

On July 13, a man jumped off from Tiananmen Building and injured himself. Per eye witness, it happened at 4 p.m.. The man was later sent to a hospital for treatment and police investigation.

On June 28, Mr. Zhang from Changying Town, A suburb of Beijing’s Chaoyang District, set himself on fire in Tiananmen Square. The police put off the fire and arrested him. He was said to have suffered 3rd degree burn. Per source close to the case, Mr. Zhang and his family are under house arrest for security of Olympics.

Both cases are linked to injustice in forced land/housing seizure by the government.

Source: Boxun, July 24, 2008
http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2008/07/200807241033.shtml

Briefings | | |   Social Stability