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Briefings - 1203. page

Man Who Killed Police Had Been a Victim of Police Brutality

On July 1, 2008, the 87th birthday of the Chinese Communist Party, Yang Jia, a 28 year old Beijing resident went to the Police Headquarters of Shanghai’s Zhabei District and killed six policemen and injured four with a knife.

According to stories posted on the Internet, Yang was tortured by the police last year over a bicycle theft charge. He was later found innocent and released. Later a doctor told him that his reproductive organ had been permanently injured by the police. After his attempt to seek compensation failed, he went on to the rampage. He was selective and targeted at middle aged men while sparing women and younger men. 

A majority of the Chinese Internet surfers cheered his action. They called him a hero who was seeking justice for the people. Some compared him to Rambo.

Source: China News Digest, July 7, 2008 
http://my.cnd.org/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=20022

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Ex-Security Chief: Wengan Security Agents Suppressed Protests on Five Earlier Occassions

Shen Guirong, the former chief of Wengan County Public Security Bureau, said in an interview after being demoted that his police forces were often pulled in to do non-police duties such as suppressing social unrest.  In the past several years, on five occasions Shen had to dispatch hundreds of police to suppress social unrest arising from public discontent over government abuses and corruption.

Shen was demoted on July 3 because of "serious dereliction of duty” during June 28 protests in which tens of thousands of local residents trashed and set fire to the buildings of the Party, the police, the courts and the secret police, over the death of a female middle school student.

Source: China Newsweek, July 9, 20008
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2008-07-09/040115896453.shtml

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: the Improvements on Human Rights are up to Chinese People to Judge

In speaking about the human rights issues in China during a regular press conference on July 8, Qin Gang, the spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “China’s human rights situation is making consistent progress. This is recognized by any of those who hold unbiased views (about China). China did not make the commitment to improve human rights because of the Olympics. The Chinese Communist Party was making effort to improve the human rights at the establishment of the Party. The Party will put this goal as the top priority and will not change under any circumstances. The effort of human rights improvements are not judged by the standards set by any foreign countries, forces, organizations or any individual views. It is up to 1.3 billion Chinese People to judge.”

Source: Xinhua, July 8, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-07/08/content_8511939.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Party Official’s Remarks On Freedom of Press and Publication in China

On July 3, during a chat discussion in the Qiangguo forum of the People’s Daily, Liu Binjie, director of General Administration of Press and Publication said: “There are misunderstandings around China’s freedom of press and publication… Some people think that China imposes strict control over the press and publication. It is absolutely impossible. Some research studies have suggested that there are over 60 million Chinese people who express their views through newspaper, magazine, radio, television, and internet everyday. This number has exceeded those countries such as United Kingdom, Germany, and France. How can people still claim that there is no press freedom in China?”

Source: People Daily, July 9, 2008
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1025/7486347.html

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Beijing Places its Main Focus of Olympic Security on Domestic Enemies

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua magazine Outlook Weekly, Tian Yixiang, chief of the Army Department of the Beijing Olympic Security Coordination Group, says that preventing terrorist attacks is the primary focus (of the security work). Tian says terrorist attacks are the main threat (to the Olympics) and names “East Turkestan,” “Tibetan Independence,” and Falun Gong groups as the sources of the threat.

Source: Outlook Weekly, Issue 27, 2008
http://lw.xinhuanet.com/htm/content_3492.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Beijing Hails Bush’s Decision to Attend the Opening Ceremony of Olympic Games

During G-8 summit meeting Bush restated that he will not miss the Beijing Olympic opening ceremony. Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fokuda also expressed his intention to attend the ceremony. After French President Sarcozy finally gives out words that he is going to Beijing for the event, Xinhua publishes an article claiming that “Anti-China Force Sighs Sadly the Total Failure of Boycotting Beijing Olympics. Bush’s picture in a posture with a thumb up was posted under the title of the article.

Source: Xinhua, July 7, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-07/07/content_8501136.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Qinghua University Establishes Marxism Institute

Qinghua University, one of China’s most prestigious universities, held a ceremony on July 6 to celebrate the establishment of a Marxism Institute. The aim of setting up the institute is to enhance the construction of Marxist theory and the training of Marxists. Xing Fensi was appointed as the director of the institute. Xing had been the director of the Institute of Philosophy in the Chinese Academy of Social Science, chief editor of Qiushi magazine (under Xinhua News Agency), and vice principle of the Central Communist Party School.

Source: China News, July 6, 2008
http://edu.chinanews.cn/edu/kong/news/2008/07-06/1303613.shtml

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Hu Instructs the Party Journal to Stick to the Party Line

On its 50th anniversary, Qiushi, an official publication of the Chinese Communist Party, received a greeting letter from Hu Jintao. Hu’s letter acknowledged the accomplishments that the journal has made on behalf of the Party since its inception. The letter asked the journal to “diligently implement the messages from the 17th National Congress of the Party and work closely on the strategic mission of arming the Party with socialist theory with Chinese characteristics”. Hu wished that the Journal “thoroughly fulfill the important role as the Party journal and contribute further to the realization of a well-off society and of building socialism with Chinese characteristics”.

Source: Xinhua, July 4, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-07/04/content_8491563.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics