Government/Politics - 329. page

Four human rights activists from U.K. and U.S. were arrested and expelled from China today. On August 6 at 5:47 a.m., three men and one woman managed to hang two banners on light posts. One banner said “Tibet will be Free”; the other said “One World One Dream Free Tibet”. Per Xinhua News, police arrived within 12 minutes and arrested them.

A spoke person of the Beijing Olympics Committee said: “their behavior is unacceptable and illegal.”

The two British citizens have boarded a Frankfurt-bound plane; the two Americans were flying to San Francisco.

Source: BBC, August 7, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7540000/newsid_7544400/7544429.stm

Under widespread complaints from foreign reporters, Beijing opened up a few blocked websites, including Amnesty International, Voice of America, Radio Free Asia and the BBC. This privilege is only for foreigners, not Chinese citizens.

Other sensitive websites such as those of Falun Gong or the Tibetan government in exile remain blocked.

Source: Boxun, August 1, 2008
http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2008/08/200808020125.shtml

Security surveillance equipment are being installed on board a total of 68 bus lines with more than 1,620 buses in Shanghai, Xinhua reported. The system has real-time monitoring functions with two infrared cameras at each end of the bus. The installation will be completed on August 5, in time for the Beijing Olympics on August 8.

Source: Xinhuanet, July 25, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/auto/2008-07/25/content_8764876.htm

China issues rebuttal on report issued by Amnesty International (AI) “Human Rights in China Declining Ahead of Olympics”.

“AI was wearing tinted glasses. None of those who understand China would agree with AI” stated the Foreign Ministry. Liu Jianchao, the spokesperson from the Foreign Ministry warned that: “no one should interfere with China’s internal affairs.” Xiong Lei, Executive Director of the state-run China Society for Human Rights Studies claimed that: “China has never broken its commitments. AI has made its conclusion based on random cases and its conclusion is different from most of the Chinese people.”

Source: BBC, July 29, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7530000/newsid_7530800/7530830.stm

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

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

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

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