Blogs » Politics » Translation: “Inexplicably Made Happy”

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• Translation: “Inexplicably Made Happy”
• Women Protest Gynaecology Checks for Civil Servants
• South China Sea or Austronesian Sea?
• Ministry of Truth: Unexpected Emergencies
• China Recharges Nuclear Power Ambitions
• Is Xi’s Wife a New Kind of First Lady?
• 88th, 89th Self-Immolations Reported, as Protests Strain Middle Way
• Digital Generation in Papua New Guinea Emerges
• Chinese AIDS Patient’s Concealment of Condition Sparks Debate
• Two-Child Policy?
• Ministry of Truth: Paeans to Kim Jong-Un and More
• Activists: China at Center of Illegal Timber Trade
• Censorship Vault: Beijing Internet Instructions Series (22)
• Will China’s New Leadership Loosen Its Grip on Mainstream Media?
• Chinese Shareholders Trapped in the Stock Market's “Fraud”
• Politically-Charged Questionnaire Triggers Tibetan Student Protest in China
• Role of Criminal Defense Lawyers in China’s Judiciary System
• IP Litigation in China: Any News Is Good News

Translation: “Inexplicably Made Happy” Posted: 29 Nov 2012 03:42 PM PST Here are the results of a recent survey that has been passed around in China; "The Happiest Professions in the Eyes of the People." (It's not clear how many people participated.) Public servants Government officials Teachers Artists Executives Self-employed Bankers Actors Pilots Entrepreneurs (The list goes on from there, but the first couple are really all that's relevant here). From Southern Weekend, "Inexplicably Made Happy": Recently a survey called "The Happiest Professions in the Eyes of the People" has been being passed around. I couldn't help but feel curious when I saw it. Government officials are public servants, so how did "public servants" and "government officials" get the number one and number two spots on the list? I also couldn't help but think of my classmate Ah Fan, who holds a provincial-level official position making 2,600 RMB a month [$412]. Ah Fan hasn't experienced the so-called high life [of officials]. High housing prices have forced his whole family to squeeze into a shantytown. The guy renting the place next door dropped out of middle school and went to work making doors and windows of aluminim alloy; he makes 8,000 RMB a month [$1,269]. The comparison horrifies Ah Fan, but the neighbor is very respectful of Ah Fan and often tells his children that Ah Fan is a role model. This only deepens Ah Fan's sense of guilt; he doesn't dare admit his real salary to the neighbor. What is happiness? Some say it's having enough not to worry about material life, and lacking burdens so you can enjoy a spiritual life. How can Ah Fan, who hasn't achieved either of these, become a happy person? Housekeeping announcement: I'm getting sick of my own opinions, and I get the impression some of you are getting sick of reading them too, so no more. We're going back to basics; from now on ChinaGeeks will just be translations, with maybe a little analysis from time to time. I will also be cross-posting future 2Non.org articles here so that people have a place to comment on them if they want. Speaking of 2Non, we need your help to and support to continue producing these articles and to continue paying for film festival applications for Living with Dead Hearts. Everybody says they want content like this, so if you like what we're doing, please show your support with a tax-deductible donation. VN:F [1.9.10_1130] Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast) Tags: Happiness, Officials, Translations

Women Protest Gynaecology Checks for Civil Servants Posted: 29 Nov 2012 09:43 PM PST This week in Wuhan, a handful of female college students protested against invasive gynecological tests required for civil service jobs. From Jonathan Kaiman at The Guardian: A picture of the protest on Monday, which appeared in the state-run Legal Daily newspaper, shows seven women standing outside a provincial government office, arms crossed defensively. They wear what look like giant underpants, each emblazoned with the Chinese character meaning "examine" – struck through with a red line. The regulations that provoked the protest have been in force since 2005, and require women applying for civil service jobs to undergo invasive testing for sexually transmitted diseases and malignant tumours. Applicants have also been asked to provide information on their menstrual cycles. [...] In March, the Beijing-based non-profit social justice group Yirenping Center sent an open letter to government agencies including the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security protesting against the gynaecological examinations, but it received no reply. Earlier this year, some female activists in southern China occupied men's stalls to protest against the shortage of public female restrooms. See more on women's rights in China via CDT. © Mengyu Dong for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: civil service, Gender discrimination, gender equality, protests, women's rights Download Tools to Circumvent the Great Firewall

South China Sea or Austronesian Sea? Posted: 29 Nov 2012 06:08 PM PST Le Minh Khai thinks that "Austronesian Sea" or "Nusantao Sea" are more appropriate names for the South China Sea referring to Austronesian peoples who navigated the territory in the past. There are maritime disputes in the area involving China and several Southeast Asian countries. The Philippine government has recently renamed it as West Philippine Sea. Written by Mong Palatino · comments (0) Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

Ministry of Truth: Unexpected Emergencies Posted: 29 Nov 2012 07:39 PM PST The following examples of censorship instructions, issued to the media and/or Internet companies by various central (and sometimes local) government authorities, have been leaked and distributed online. Chinese journalists and bloggers often refer to those instructions as "Directives from the Ministry of Truth." CDT has collected the selections we translate here from a variety of sources and has checked them against official Chinese media reports to confirm their implementation. Since directives are sometimes communicated orally to journalists and editors, who then leak them online, the wording published here may not be exact. The original publication date is noted after the directives; the date given may indicate when the directive was leaked, rather than when it was issued. CDT does its utmost to verify dates and wording, but also takes precautions to protect the source. Guangdong Propaganda Department: The Qingyuan Discipline Inspection Committee has publicly announced they are examining former Yingde vice-mayor and Public Security Bureau director Zheng Beiquan, who is suspected of bending the law for personal gain and serious economic problems. Zheng has recently accepted an investigation by the Party organization. This case may be formally reported. (November 26, 2012) 广东省委宣传部：广东清远市纪委通报，英德市人民政府原副市长、公安局原局长郑北泉，因涉嫌徇私枉法和严重经济问题，被清远市纪委立案检查，目前正在接受组织调查。此案可以正式报道。 Guangdong Propaganda Department: All media are not to investigate or report on the November 26 protest in Dongyong Town, Shanwei against the private sale of land. (November 27, 2012) 广东省委宣传部：对26日汕尾东涌镇村民游行抗议村官私卖土地一事，各媒体不采访报道。 Guangdong Propaganda Department: For the time being, all media are to refrain from reporting or commenting on the issues that have recently come up with Guangdong's electric bicycle annual pass program. (November 27, 2012) 广东省委宣传部：近期对广东省机动车年票制相关问题，各媒体暂不做报道、评论。 Guangdong Propaganda Department: The Guangzhou Sports Administration has recently issued notices about the unexpected emergency situations involving two participants in the Guangzhou Marathon. If reporting on the incidents, all media are to strictly adhere to the information issued by the Sports Administration, and must downplay the news. Do not lure readers to the story or put it on the front page. Do not make replays of the incidents. (November 28, 2012) 广东省委宣传部：广州巿体育局近日将陆续对外通报有关广州马拉松赛两名选手发生意外相关抢救情况，各媒体如作报道，严格按巿体育局发布的内容刋播并淡化处理，不上导读和头版，不做事件回放。 Guangdong Propaganda Department: Adhere to authoritative notices when reporting on the online discussion of the Shenzhen village official with 2 billion yuan in net assets and the case of Vincent Wu and the mafia in Huizhou. (November 28, 2012) 广东省委宣传部：对网传深圳20亿村官、惠州胡炜升涉黑案的报道按权威发布刊播。 © Anne.Henochowicz for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: censorship, Directives from the Ministry of Truth, Guangdong, Guangdong Propaganda Department, Guangzhou, huizhou, land protests, Ministry of Truth, official corruption, propaganda, Shenzhen Download Tools to Circumvent the Great Firewall

China Recharges Nuclear Power Ambitions Posted: 29 Nov 2012 07:11 PM PST After defrosting its nuclear plans earlier this year, and amid ongoing questions over its safety in the aftermath of Japan's Fukushima disaster last year, a nuclear official predicted on Wednesday that China's nuclear power installed capacity will hit 42 gigawatts by 2015. From Xinhua News: There will be 41 operating nuclear power units in China by 2015 or a little later, Zhang Huazhu, chairman of the China Nuclear Energy Association, told a seminar in Zhuhai City of south China's Guangdong Province. "At that time, China will be building nearly 20 extra nuclear power plants," he said at the seminar under the theme of "Nuclear Power and Environment" co-sponsored by two universities in Beijing and Hong Kong. China now has six power plants and 15 working nuclear power units, producing nearly 3.5 percent of the world's total electricity generated by nuclear power, which also accounts for 1.85 percent of China's total electricity generation. "With their good performances and the carefully chosen locations of the sites, China's nuclear power plants have little chance of repeating what happened in Fukushima," Zhang said, referring to the Japanese nuclear plant that was hit by massive earthquake and tsunami last year, resulting in meltdowns and the release of radioactivity. Official media reported in September that China would resume building nuclear reactors in the fourth quarter of this year, and the latest estimate would account for 10 percent of the world's total output of nuclear power. The Diplomat's Zachary Keck points out that the 42 gigawatt figure exceeds the 40 gigawatt target indicated in a white paper published by the government last month, but is still significantly lower than the target referenced in the initial draft of China's current 5-year plan: The failure to meet the 50 GW target is due in large part to Japan's Fukushima nuclear meltdown in March 2011. Since then the Chinese government has treaded carefully on nuclear energy, including instituting an initial six-month moratorium on the construction of nuclear power plants in the wake of Fukushima. When the suspension was first lifted in October 2011, China appeared to embrace nuclear energy as eagerly as before, with one Chinese official telling the New York Times at the time that China would still meet the highly ambitious 50 GW target. It has since scaled back this estimate. Besides reducing the pace of its nuclear expansion, the Chinese government has been careful to emphasize it has learned the right lessons from Japan's nuclear tragedy. "With their good performances and the carefully chosen locations of the sites, China's nuclear power plants have little chance of repeating what happened in Fukushima," Zhang said on Wednesday. This comment seems puzzling given that the State Council said last month that it would only approve the construction of nuclear power plants in coastal regions in the years ahead. This makes complete sense from an economic standpoint given the greater demand for electricity in China's economically dynamic coastal regions compared with more inland parts of the country. However, as Fukushima and Hurricane Sandy more recently (and less dramatically) demonstrated, nuclear power plants located in coastal regions are vulnerable to weather related disasters like tsunamis and hurricanes. © Scott Greene for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: energy, Five-Year Plan, Fukushima, nuclear energy, nuclear power Download Tools to Circumvent the Great Firewall

Is Xi’s Wife a New Kind of First Lady? Posted: 29 Nov 2012 06:08 PM PST NPR's Louisa Lim profiles Peng Liyuan – the wife of new Chinese leader Xi Jinping, one of China's most famous singers, and an AIDS activist – and explores whether she will pull out of the public spotlight now that her husband has ascended to the top: In June 2011, she stepped up her role, becoming a World Health Organization ambassador for tuberculosis and AIDS — even as her husband was heading for the top. Hood says it would be a loss of face for her to step down now. But China's first ladies have traditionally played a supporting role not much seen in public. So could China be paving the way for a new kind of first lady? "I really do hope so," Hood says. "[Peng] is an incredibly talented woman. She's very well-educated, she speaks well, she's knowledgeable, she's powerful. And she's one of the perfect people to pave the way for a new role model." But there is official nervousness about Peng already. Her name has become a forbidden search term on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, and several online stories about her have been deleted recently. Given China's recent history, Peng's cultural and artistic background doesn't necessarily work in her favor. The last high-profile spouse in recent memory was Madame Mao — or Jiang Qing — the wife of Chairman Mao Zedong who dictated the country's cultural life for a decade, limiting cultural fare to a series of "revolutionary operas" and "revolutionary songs." Jiang was subsequently blamed for the decade-long Cultural Revolution, and sentenced to a suspended death sentence as a member of the "Gang of Four." She committed suicide in prison in 1991, but her legacy is one that hangs over all subsequent first ladies, consigning them to the background. Most have assumed that Peng would take on a more subdued role during Xi's tenure as China's leader, and Newsweek's Melinda Liu writes that she has scaled back her profile ever since her husband was tagged as the Communist Party's heir apparent: In that sense, Peng, despite her celebrity status, is no different from previous political wives in post-Mao China who have largely shunned the limelight. This trend partly reflects a visceral backlash against the toxic legacy of Mao Zedong's last wife, Jiang Qing, a former B-grade Shanghai starlet who has been blamed for the bloody excesses of China's Cultural Revolution. It also partly reflects a longstanding Chinese tradition, which discourages women from dabbling in politics. "In ancient times, the empress was never allowed to cultivate her own supporters," said Li Yinhe, a sociologist and gender studies expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing. "And communist culture hasn't given official roles to first ladies." Peng has yet to appear in public since Xi was annointed earlier this month as China's new leader; there was no highly publicized "victory embrace" between China's new power couple, like the one Americans witnessed between Barack and Michelle Obama. Yet ordinary Chinese like the Xi-Peng narrative, especially her admission that Xi knew he wanted to marry her just 40 minutes after they met—even though her parents initially opposed the match. "They married for love; it wasn't arranged. And that's romantic," says Li. "Communist cadres are often seen as robotlike, but Peng is warmly accepted by people." That acceptance has bolstered Xi's popularity at a time of considerable uncertainty in China. Perhaps politics in the East and West aren't so different after all.   © Scott Greene for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: Jiang Qing, leadership transition, Mao Zedong, Peng Liyuan, pop music, Xi Jinping Download Tools to Circumvent the Great Firewall

88th, 89th Self-Immolations Reported, as Protests Strain Middle Way Posted: 29 Nov 2012 03:51 PM PST Dharamsala-based Phayul.com reports that the 88th and 89th Tibetan self-immolations since 2009 took place on Wednesday and Thursday respectively, bringing the total for November to 27. Sources have identified the Tibetan man as Wangdhen Khar, 21 years of age. "Martyr Wande Khar set himself on fire on Wednesday, November 28 at around 7 pm (local time) in Tsoe region of Kanlho, eastern Tibet," Zoegey Kangtsa Jampa, an exiled Tibetan told Phayul citing sources in the region. "He later succumbed to his injuries," […] Also yesterday, around 500 Tibetans in Tsolho, eastern Tibet, publicly displayed a photograph of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and carried out a mass prayer service for the Tibetan spiritual leader's long life and for all the Tibetans who have self-immolated. Sources have identified the Tibetan as Tsering Namgyal, 31, a father of two, from Zamtsa Lotso Dewa region of Luchu. "Tsering Namgyal set himself on fire near the local Chinese government office in Luchu earlier today for the cause of Tibet," Sonam, a Tibetan monk living in south India told Phayul, citing sources in the region. "Tsering Namgyal passed in his fiery protest." […] Tsering Namgyal is survived by his wife Choekyong Tso, their two children, Dorjee Kyi, 7, and Kalsang Dolma, 3, and his parents. As in previous cases, sparse coverage by state media and government restrictions on foreign reporters stand in the way of independent verification. The total of 89 excludes five self-immolations carried out in India and Nepal and two disputed cases in Sichuan. The protests have placed a growing strain on the Central Tibetan Administration's (or government in exile's) 'Middle Way' approach of seeking genuine autonomy rather than full independence. U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher wrote in a letter to prime minister Lobsang Sangay last week that "the 75 Tibetans who have self-immolated did not do so for the right to become a minority group within Communist China; the policy you are advocating. They are killing themselves for their right to freedom and self-determination and the end of the illegal Chinese occupation." The congressman is otherwise known for his advocacy of measures to limit the number of U.S. visas granted to journalists for Chinese state media. The controversy has been further stirred up by the removal of Ngapo Jigme as head of U.S.-funded Radio Free Asia's Tibetan service on November 1st. Critics, including Rohrabacher, say that this was engineered by the CTA in order to stifle dissent, charges the Tibetan Parliament has described as "baseless". Influential Tibetan writer Woeser also responded that she was "shocked" by Rohrabacher's criticisms, and hoped that he would redirect them. From Chander Suta Dogra at The Hindu: The crux of the dispute lies in the increasing discomfort within the government-in-exile over the self-immolations by Tibetans inside Tibet (almost 80 till the beginning of this week) that has triggered a debate in the exile community about the usefulness of continuing with the Dalai Lama's middle way approach. Most of those who immolated themselves had been demanding complete independence and the Dalai Lama's return to Tibet. Those opposed to the Dalai Lama's policy said Mr. Ngabo irked the government-in-exile by encouraging open discussions on various options for Tibet's future, including outright independence. His removal was preceded by several interactions between government-in-exile officials and RFA head Libby Liu. Jamyang Norbu, a prominent Tibetan intellectual whose contract with the RFA was also cancelled, wrote in his blog this week: "It is an article of faith in the Central Tibetan Administration that if somehow all independence activism and discussion were halted or contained, then Beijing would agree to the "genuine autonomy" solution proposed in the Dalai Lama's Middle Way policy; or would, at least, resume the negotiations it terminated two year ago." He went on to say that given the extremely sensitive situation prevailing in Tibet as a result of the immolations "it would not be unreasonable to assume that Beijing wants Dharamsala to stop the "splittist" messaging from exile, particularly from RFA broadcasts, which it firmly believes is fuelling the immolations and protests within Tibet. Dharamsala in turn probably shares Beijing's concerns as the self-immolation crisis in Tibet and the resignations of the Tibetan envoys have placed extreme pressure on the TGIE leadership's signature Middle Way policy." © Samuel Wade for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: Dalai Lama, independence, self-immolations, Tibet, Tibetan exiles, U.S. Congress, Woeser Download Tools to Circumvent the Great Firewall

Digital Generation in Papua New Guinea Emerges Posted: 29 Nov 2012 03:30 PM PST Memo #194 By Danielle Cave - (For questions, contact Jenny Hayward-Jones jhayward-jones [at] lowyinstitute.org) Next month, Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr will make his maiden visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG), Australia's nearest neighbour and second largest recipient of Australian foreign aid. This visit comes 10 months after the then brand-new foreign minister threatened PNG with sanctions following suggestions from within the PNG government that national elections might be delayed. Not surprisingly, these threats did not go down well with Papua New Guineans. But ironically, Foreign Minister Carr can take partial responsibility for inspiring a new, digital generation of Papua New Guineans to engage in public discussion. Carr's threats to "condemn and isolate" PNG on March 14, 2012 created a social media storm on Facebook and Twitter (using hashtag #PNG). Australia's foreign minister had unwittingly triggered probably the most inclusive public policy debate in PNG on PNG's relationship with Australia. PNG, along with other countries in the Pacific Islands region, is in the midst of a digital revolution. Telecoms reform has led to a mobile phone explosion. In 2007 there were only 160,000 mobile phone subscriptions in PNG. Today that figure is approaching 2.5 million subscriptions, dispersed across seven million people, meaning that more than one in three Papua New Guineans have mobile phone access. Five years ago only one in 20 people in PNG had mobile phone access. What makes PNG's digital revolution so exceptional is that the country's influx of mobile phones has coincided with the global rise of social media. Internet-enabled mobile phones are leapfrogging traditional barriers to communications technology such as remoteness, cost, and availability. Affordable mobile phone access is fuelling social media growth and allowing Papua New Guineans to engage in public discussions and form online networks. PNG's blogosphere is filling the gap left by a tiny and poorly resourced newspaper industry in holding institutions accountable for their actions. Unprecedented access to conversation and debate through social media is enabling people to influence and promote political and social change. This was on display earlier in April when an estimated 10,000 people marched to a stadium in PNG's capital, Port Moresby, to protest proposed delays to the national election. The public protest was largely coordinated and sustained using Facebook and Twitter. Danielle Cave - Research Associate, Myer Foundation Melanesia program, Lowy Institute for International Policy If you enjoyed this memo, subscribe to our e-newsletter for free and receive new memos 2+ times per week via email. Mobile telephone service in a place where not everyone has electricity in their house. (Source: kahunapulej, Flickr) Woman on Phone (Source: The World Bank, Flickr) Links: 'Digital Islands: How the Pacific's ICT Revolution is Transforming the Region', the Lowy Institute for International Policy. (By Danielle Cave) Politics in PNG: It's a man's world, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute for International Policy. (By Danielle Cave) Australia's Pacific Strategy (part 2), The Interpreter, Lowy Institute for International Policy. (By Danielle Cave) Why Australia's Security Council bid was a mistake, Inside Story. (By Danielle Cave) Related Memos: Our other Memos about Australia

Chinese AIDS Patient’s Concealment of Condition Sparks Debate Posted: 29 Nov 2012 07:57 AM PST (iStock Photo) In late October and early November, a 25-year-old man sought treatment for lung cancer at two hospitals in Beijing and the northeastern Chinese city of Tianjin. After a blood test, he was found to be HIV positive. Doctors at both hospitals refused to treat him and turned him away. This type of discrimination against AIDS patients may be common in China. but there is a twist to this story. The young man went to a third hospital in Tianjin, only this time he changed his own medical records to avoid a blood test, and concealed the fact that he has AIDS. He received the operation to treat his lung tumor in mid-November and is now reportedly recovering at home. When this story circulated on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, it sparked intense debate. The tweet from Li Hu, an HIV carrier in Tianjin, that broke the story has attracted more than 6,100 retweets and 4,800 comments on Weibo. While some microbloggers demonstrated sympathy, using "in his shoes" arguments, a surprisingly large number were angry about the young man's concealment and concerned that his actions put others in danger. @虎式坦克568 commented angrily, "The concealment is quite malicious. Can he endanger public safety just because his personal rights were trampled on? It's like those HIV-carriers who use needles with their blood to stab passers-by to infect them on purpose. The victims of this man's actions could be anyone who comes into contact with the hospital, and most likely other patients. Can he undermine our faith in society just because he is discriminated against? Can he put others' lives in danger just because he is discriminated against?" Another microblogger, @羽曦最爱杰伦 wrote, "This guy is like a tumor, living at the hospital for ten days…His behavior was selfish and despicable. Where did he put the health and safety of others?" Others were however more sympathetic, if in the minority and softer in their fury. @夜D百合 argued, "It's not like people want to have AIDS. I do not believe if you were in the situation you would not do the same thing?!" One censored post from @爪机杀手天师露 that appears on Free Weibo, a new web tool that is able retrieve censored posts, revealed the user's anger toward the lack of transparency in hospitals, of the way the AIDS epidemic has been routinely covered up by the government: "It's not rare for surgeons to pierce their hands and becoming accidentally infected. Concealing the AIDS epidemic is tantamount to murder … So only the doctor's and the patient's rights to know aren't human rights?" The state-run CCTV, on the other hand, wrote a sympathetic synopsis of the story via their Weibo account, arguing that the young man acted out in desperation. They quoted a disease specialist as saying that occupational exposure from HIV is very rare, with only 500 to 700 reported cases each year. The government too has expressed a different viewpoint from that of its netizens. Li Keqiang, China's second most-powerful man, who was a top official in Henan Province in late 1990's and early 2000's when one of the most serious AIDS outbreak in China took place, was quick to intervene in the Tianjin hospital case. By his request, China's Ministry of Health issued an emergency announcement that banned hospitals from turning away patients infected with HIV. Li also met with AIDS rights activists on November 28. The incident occurred, however, days before International AIDs Day on December 1, making Li Keqiang's intervention and the Ministry of Health's announcement a preemptive response to curb international criticism. What makes the government's move unusual is that, in the West, the government usually enters the AIDS conversation after a swell of public discourse. In the U.S., it wasn't until activists and writers like Randy Shilts debunked AIDS as a "gay man's cancer" that Ronald Reagan made his first public statement about the epidemic–a decade after it first broke. Here in China, the government has moved first, while its people are still discussing whether the hospital should have treated the young man at all. In China, the discrimination is caused in part by poor educational campaigns about AIDS, as well as a lack of NGO culture that makes it difficult for nonprofits to dismantle myths about AIDS. It is not clear which method will work best, and whether China's usual top-down approach will quell discrimination among its people and close the gap between government action and public discourse. However, without better educational campaigns and a stronger civil society, the government's new initiatives may be in name only.

Two-Child Policy? Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:35 PM PST The former head of China's National Population and Family Planning Commission suggests that the government is considering a relaxation of its one-child policy in the face of an ageing population. From Reuters: Proposed changes would allow for urban couples to have a second child, even if one of the parents is themselves not an only child, the China Daily cited Zhang Weiqing, the former head of the National Population and Family Planning Commission, as saying on Wednesday. Under current rules, urban couples are permitted a second child if both parents do not have siblings. Looser restrictions on rural couples means many have more than one child. […] President Hu Jintao dropped a standard reference to maintaining low birth rates in his work report to the ruling Communist Party's five-yearly congress in early November, a break which some experts see as evidence of an imminent change to the one-child policy. Demographers warn that the policy has led to a rapidly graying population that could hamper China's economic competitiveness. See more on the one-child policy and China's demographics via CDT. © Mengyu Dong for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: aging populaion, demographics, gender imbalance, one-child policy, population, population control Download Tools to Circumvent the Great Firewall

Ministry of Truth: Paeans to Kim Jong-Un and More Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:11 PM PST The following examples of censorship instructions, issued to the media and/or Internet companies by various central (and sometimes local) government authorities, have been leaked and distributed online. Chinese journalists and bloggers often refer to those instructions as "Directives from the Ministry of Truth." CDT has collected the selections we translate here from a variety of sources and has checked them against official Chinese media reports to confirm their implementation. "May the radiant sun General Kim Jong-un shine forever!" Since directives are sometimes communicated orally to journalists and editors, who then leak them online, the wording published here may not be exact. The original publication date is noted after the directives; the date given may indicate when the directive was leaked, rather than when it was issued. CDT does its utmost to verify dates and wording, but also takes precautions to protect the source. Central Propaganda Department: Use only Xinhua wire copy in reporting North Korea labelling Ri Yong-ho a counter-revolutionary. Do not make other reports or commentary. (November 26, 2012) 中宣部：对朝鲜将李英浩定性为反革命分子，只用新华社通稿，不作其他报道评论。 Central Propaganda Department: Use only Xinhua wire copy with regards to Vietnam passing an anti-corruption bill. Do not make other reports or commentary. (November 26, 2012) 中宣部：对越南通过反腐法案，只用新华社通稿，不作其他报道评论。 Central Propaganda Department: Use only Xinhua wire copy with regards to the reopening of the investigation of the cheap sale of Wu Ying's property. (November 26, 2012) 中宣部：对英财产贱卖案重审及相关问题只采用新华社通稿。 Once one of China's richest business people, Wu Ying was detained in 2007 and eventually convicted of illegal fundraising. Sentenced to death in 2009, a retrial in May changed this to a two-year commuted death sentence, a punishment which often ends with the convicted averted execution. Meanwhile, Wu Ying argued for herself in court on Tuesday concerning the cheap sale of 14 of her companies' properties, which she claims was fraudulent [zh]. Central Propaganda Department: Do not reprint, report, or comment on the female Heilongjiang TV anchor reporting a People's representative to the authorities. (November 27, 2012) 中宣部：对黑龙江女主播举报人大代表一事不转不报不评。 On November 23, anchor Wang Dechun revealed that she has been sexually assaulted by a representative of the National People's Congress. Central Propaganda Department: In reports and commentary on the mine explosion in Xiangshui, Guizhou, do not implicate the system. (November 27, 2012) 中宣部：对贵州响水煤矿爆炸事故的报道评论不联系体制。 Central Propaganda Department: Do not reprint, report, or comment on the paean to Kim Jong-un carved into a mountainside by North Korea. (November 27, 2012) 中宣部：对网上有关朝鲜刻写歌颂金正恩大幅标语一事不转不报不评。 A 548-meter slogan in praise of Kim Jong-un has been carved into a mountain in North Korea. Each word is 20 meters high, spelling out the slogan, "May the radiant sun General Kim Jong-un shine forever!" Central Propaganda Department: With regards to online discussion of the vulgar Chongqing photos implicating six other officials, use on information issued by authoritative departments, and do not exaggerate. (November 27, 2012) 中宣部：对网传重庆不雅照还涉及其他6名官员，只采用权威部门发布的信息，不炒作。 Central Propaganda Department: All media are to maintain a positive spin on the national civil service examination. Do not independently report or comment on the situation surrounding test-taker Xuan Hai (who is visually impaired). (November 27, 2012) 中宣部：对国家公务员考试，各媒体要坚持正面宣传，对考生宣海（视力有障碍）参加考试相关情况，不单独报道评论。 Central Propaganda Department: Traditional media are not to reprint, report, or comment on online rosters of CCP Central Committee member posts. (November 28, 2012) 中宣部：网上关于中央委员现任职务的盘点，传统媒体不转载不报道不评论。 Central Propaganda Department: Do not reprint or report on Larry Hsien Ping Lang's idea of China's economy facing eight major crises [zh]. (November 28, 2012) 中宣部：对郎咸平有关中国经济面临八大危机的观点不转载不报道。 Central Propaganda Department: All media are not to report, reprint, or comment on the State Council "plan for organizational reform" spread online [zh]. (November 28, 2012) 中宣部：对网传的国务院机构改革方案，各媒体不报道不转载不评论。 Central Propaganda Department: All media are to report in accordance with the scope of Xinhua copy the death of J-15 Chief Designer Luo Yang. (November 28, 2012) 中宣部：对歼-15飞机总设计师罗阳逝世一事，各媒体按新华社稿的口径报道。 © Anne.Henochowicz for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: CCP Central Committee, censorship, central propaganda department, Chongqing, civil service, civil service examination, Directives from the Ministry of Truth, Heilongjiang, Kim Jong-un, Larry Hsien Ping Lang, media censorship, Ministry of Truth, North Korea, propaganda, Ri Yong-ho, State Council, Vietnam, Wu Ying, Xinhua, Xuan Hai Download Tools to Circumvent the Great Firewall

Activists: China at Center of Illegal Timber Trade Posted: 29 Nov 2012 10:54 AM PST The London-based group Environmental Investigation Agency has issued a report which says that China's voracious demand for wood is being met by countries which illegally log timber for export, and that China's government is turning a blind eye to the practice. From ABC News: Countries as far away as Mozambique in Africa and the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific as well as Myanmar, Laos and other Chinese neighbors are felling rare hardwoods and other trees at unsustainable rates to fulfill Chinese demand, said the report from the Environmental Investigation Agency, a London-based activist group. In some countries, the EIA found that Chinese buyers were undermining international agreements to stop illegal logging and the exports of rare species by making payoffs and using smuggling networks. "These investigations reveal how Chinese traders thrive on crime, corruption, the purchase of political patronage and poor forest governance in the producer countries from which they source," said the report. It later said "China's government has done virtually nothing to curb illegal imports, while putting in place policies to ensure supply from some of the worst illegal logging hotspots in the world." Chinese government agencies declined initial comment, saying they had not seen the report and asking for questions be submitted in writing. In the past, the government has responded to criticisms that China is preying on developing nations' raw materials by saying the trade is mutually beneficial, generating income and jobs for the suppliers. Logging in Myanmar by Chinese companies who dodge environmental restrictions at home has been cited as a source of tension between the two countries. The full EIA report can be downloaded here. They have also produced a video on this topic: This is not the first time that China has been accused of enabling illegal logging practices. In 1995 the WWF issued a report which claimed Chinese demand was decimating forests around the world. Read more about logging and deforestation in China and globally, via CDT. © Sophie Beach for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: Download Tools to Circumvent the Great Firewall

Censorship Vault: Beijing Internet Instructions Series (22) Posted: 29 Nov 2012 07:56 AM PST In partnership with the China Copyright and Media blog, CDT is adding the "Beijing Internet Instructions" series to the Censorship Vault. These directives were originally published on Canyu.org (Participate) and date from 2005 to 2007. According to Canyu, the directives were issued by the Beijing Municipal Network Propaganda Management Office and the State Council Internet management departments and provided to to Canyu by insiders. China Copyright and Media has not verified the source. The translations are by Rogier Creemers of China Copyright and Media. 4 July 2006, 11:42, Network Management Department, Duty manager Everyone: the content of the Jinghua Times article concerning "Beijing Communications University Training Class Fakes Overseas Chinese Students" is untrue, everyone must not reprint this, where it has been reprinted, it must be immediately deleted. 4 July 2006, 15:42, Fan Tao All websites are requested to reprint the Qianlong Net article "5.1 Scale Earthquake in Wen'an, No Destruction or Damage Created in Beijing" in the middle or top part of the important news section (http://beijing.qianlong.com/3825/2006/07/04/134@3282333.htm), when reprinting, the title may not be changed, no news trackers may be opened, no short messages sent. Please immediately delete all articles related to the earthquake apart from Xinhua copy. No special subject sections may be set up for this matter. 4 July 2006, 16:50 Chen Hua: The publication of all blog commentaries is ceased. 8 July 2006, 17:20 Chen Hua: Do not play up the matter of the China International Trade Stimulation Association Vice-Chair and Party Group Vice-Secretary Zhang Zhou committing suicide, please put it in the domestic section, do not set up special subject sections, do not open trackers, use standard copy. 8 July 2006, 19:06 "Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau Requires that Internationally Networked Work Units and Individuals Must Conduct Filing" is false news, forums, channels, old and new communities, and special columns may not reprint or comment it; where it has been published, delete it without exception. 11 July 2006, 15:17, Chen Hua All websites are requested to make "Fire Phoenix," "World Connect" (software name), "Use News to Influence Today – A Chronicle of Freezing Point," and "A Record of the Storm" (book name) into keywords. Please make "12 Springs and Autumns" (book name) into a keyword, and strictly filter search results; It is stressed again: do not play up or speculate about the civil servant salary system reform, it is strictly prohibited to translate, edit, and transmit foreign media information and comment related to this reform and standardization work without authorization, strengthen management over forums, news trackers, blogs and other interactive columns, timely delete all sorts of harmful information not conform to requirements. Do not play up the two cases of Huang Jing and Gao Yingying, do not put news on the case process in the important news section, do not set up special subject sections, do not open two-sided debates, close attention must be paid to discussion trends in interactive segments, delete discourse attacking the judiciary and the cadre system. 11 July 2006, 17:34 Today, some websites issued the 21st Century Business Herald information "Anhui Vice-Governor He Minxu Put Under Shuanggui, Central Discipline Inspection Committee Enters Anhui for Inspection." At present, reports on this matter have not yet been approved by the relevant departments, websites may not publish this without exception, news articles and posts that have been published must be immediately deleted. All localities and all websites must strengthen management over forums, blogs and other interactive columns, and timely block and delete this kind of information. 11 July 2006, 21:08, Lu Chao News and posts that have emerged on Public Security Bureau investigation methods may not be uploaded. 2006年7月北京网管办发出的禁令（一） 2006年7月4日11时42分 网管办值班 各位：京华时报关于"北交大培训班伪造华侨生"一文，内容不实，大家不要转载，已转载的要立即删除 2006年7月4日15时42分 范 涛 请各网在要闻区中上部转发千龙网稿件《文安发生5.1级地震 对北京未造成破坏和损失》（http://beijing.qianlong.com/3825/2006/07/04 /134@3282333.htm），转发时不要改标题，不要开跟帖，不要发短信。请立即删除新华社以外有关地震的所有稿件。此事件不要开办专题。 2006年7月4日16时50分 陈华：每个博客的评论停止发表. 2006年7月8日17时20分 陈华：中国贸促会副会长、党组副书记张周自杀身亡一事，不炒作，请放国内区，不做专题，不开跟贴，用规范稿源。 2006年7月8日19时06分 "重庆市公安局要求国际联网的单位和个人必须进行备案"为不实新闻，论坛、频道、新老公社、专栏不转载、不评论；已经发现的一律删除。 2006年7月11日15时17分 陈华 请各网将"火凤凰"、"世界通"（软件名）、"用新闻影响今天——〈冰点〉周刊纪事"、"风波记"（书 名）设为关键词。请将"十二个春秋"（书名）设为关键词，并严格清理搜索结果； 再次强调：公务员工资制度改革不渲染、不炒作，严禁擅自编译转发境外媒体有关此次改革规范工作的消息和评论，加强对论坛、新闻跟帖、博客等互动栏目的管理，及时删除各类与要求不符的有害信息。 黄静、高莺莺两案，不要炒作，案件进程的新闻不放要闻区，不开设专题，不开正双方辩论，要密切注意互动环节的言论动向，删除攻击司法、干部制度的言论 2006年7月11日17时34分 近日，一些网站转发《21世纪经济报道》"安徽副省长何闽旭被双规 中纪委进驻安徽彻查"消息。目前，此事的报道尚未经有关部门批准，网站一律不得刊发，已刊发的新闻稿和帖文要立即撤除。各地各网站要加强对论坛、博客等互动栏目的管理，及时封堵删除此类信息。 2006年7月11日21时08分卢超 出现公安局侦查手段的新闻、帖子都不能上 These translated directives were first posted by Rogier Creemers on China Copyright and Media on November 29, 2012 (here). © Anne.Henochowicz for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: 21st century business herald, Anhui, Beijing, Beijing Internet Instructions, Canyu, censorship, Censorship Vault, Chen Hua, China Copyright and Media, Chongqing, Directives from the Ministry of Truth, earthquake, Fan Tao, Freezing Point, He Minxu, Internet censorship, Lu Chao, Ministry of Truth, Public Security Bureau, Shuanggui, Xinhua Download Tools to Circumvent the Great Firewall

Will China’s New Leadership Loosen Its Grip on Mainstream Media? Posted: 29 Nov 2012 06:51 AM PST The Beijing headquarters of China Central Television. (Expectmohr/Flickr) For regular viewers of China Central Television (CCTV) who have grown used to its formulaic propaganda, the past week has brought refreshing changes to its news coverage, and China's astute online commentators are openly wondering–could this be a bellwether for reforms under China's new leadership? A popular joke summarizes the usual CCTV news coverage in three parts: Our leaders are busy, our people are happy, and foreigners live in complete misery. News items considered negative or sensitive are usually censored to present a "harmonious society." With the rise of social media in China, "negative" news emerges on a regular basis on the Internet because censors have trouble keeping up with the speed and reach of the powerful new medium. However, since censors still have full control over traditional Party mouthpieces like CCTV, any liberalization of CCTV's news coverage is seen by many as a sign of approval from the top. Some of the recent stories covered by CCTV include the case of Ren Jianyu, a young man sent to hard labor for Internet speech, the illegal detention of petitioners in Yunnan, the case of a man who resisted forceful demolition of his property, and the fact that Vietnam now requires its officials to publicize their asset holdings. Most of these stories broke on China's social media, and some were subsequently picked up by local newspapers. However, the coverage by CCTV is seen as significant because it is the official national channel that carries the Party's message to its rank and file, as well as ordinary citizens, in every corner of China. Signs of things to come? @贪玩砍脸 wrote on Sina Weibo, China's Twitter, "CCTV's recent news reports discussed what is usually considered 'negative news' and the coverage was quite sharp and deep. The 7 p.m. newscast even reported on public opinion on the Internet. Media is the Party's mouthpiece, so this is a sign of new policies under Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang." Noting the popularity of social media, @逆来顺兽 added, "Seems like CCTV's newscast wants to compete with Weibo for ratings!" @圆圈媛媛 agreed, "I've noticed the change in the editorial selection and coverage of news items on official media. Maybe it's opportunistic, but it is indeed a good thing." @ice_and_fire was hopeful that this heralds more to come: "A "New Deal" under Xi and Li, new policies  for CCTV. I'm waiting for the day that controls over Internet speech would be relaxed too." Not so fast Others are less impressed. @李小飞 cautioned, "Note that some of these reports are targeting local governments, so another interpretation is that the power of the local governments have grown and the power struggle between central and local governments has intensified." @贺延光 cited previous signs of liberalization that never amounted to much: "Need to wait and see. In 2003 [when Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao first took power], two top officials were fired over the SARS fiasco and CCTV reported on a Chinese navy submarine disaster." @yenlee remembered that high hopes for reform in Hu and Wen's early days were gradually extinguished over the years, writing in English, "The same speaking Hu Wen New Deal was told us in the before ten years , we must stop so trust CCP Party . It`s a trap. [Sic]" @海洋律师 was also pessimistic, "Recently the reports on CCTV and major newspapers are quite bold, and some think that's a positive sign. I don't really agree. Looking back, they often put out smoke screens before they do something and see how the public reacts. If the reaction is what they like, they will continue, but if the reaction is not to the taste of the decision-makers, they will tighten up immediately! And who knows who will get into trouble in the process. Let's wait and see!" Words of caution and history lessons have not dampened hopes of some Internet users. @Ly2046RQ wrote with enthusiasm, "I salute a 'New China' and the thriving new leadership. The Xi and Li leadership will bring us a different China. Believe, if we can only believe, that China will no longer be covered by a dark cloud in the near future, and instead thrives as a bamboo shoot after the rain. I believe I can see it. I believe it!" @同样的心123 was also hopeful, "A little spark of hope! Please don't let it go out in the wind."

Chinese Shareholders Trapped in the Stock Market's “Fraud” Posted: 29 Nov 2012 02:24 AM PST The Shanghai Stock Exchange composite index fell below 2,000 points on November 27, 2012, the lowest since 2009. According to a poll, 92% shareholders have lost money [zh] in their investment. A recent survey in Sina showed that more than 25% suffered from 50-80% loss and 24.2% suffered from 30-50% loss. Within 7 months, Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Market has vaporized RMB 4300 billions (approximately USD 700 billions), only 3.35% shareholder accounts are still active in the exchange market. On average each shareholder has lost RMB 76,800 yuan (USD 12,000). As China's economy has been growing, its stock keeps sinking. Why is that so? Many shareholders blame corruption. Below are some discussions in China's micro-blog [zh]: Chinese shareholders posed in front of the stock market curve to express their wish for a more healthy market. Screen capture from Anhui Star TV. 鼎鏊肖志军：这十年，我国的GDP与股市行情成反比，股市越跌越惨，股民损失惨重，国家收入虽然逐年增加了，而广大股民却血本无归，民生艰难，还有什么值得炫耀的呢？ Xiao Zhijun: In the past ten years, the stock market and our country's GDP have been moving in opposite directions. The stock market keeps sinking and shareholders are desperate. The country's income has grown, the shareholders have lost their investment. People's livelihood is difficult, there is nothing to be proud of. Corruption and fraud in the market 2012很疯狂：这是一个极少数人利用规则掠夺绝大多数人的地方，其黑暗，堕落之程度比之反腐前的中国足坛有过之而无不及 2012 is very crazy: This is a place where the extreme minority of people rob the majority by making use of regulations. The corruption and decadence is much worse that the China football sector before reform. Nanimina：中国股市不是投资市场是投机市场，某种意义上讲和花十几万买一注彩票一般，大骗子裹着一小撮二，三级骗子骗光中国股民的钱。觉悟吧！ Nanimina: The China stock market is not investment market but gambling market. It is like putting thousands of dollars onto the gamble table. The big fraud works with a bunch of deceivers cheating the Chinese shareholders' money. Wake up! pavage：包装上市，控制流通，高价发行，骗取钱财，造就亿万富翁；年复一年，编故事，造报表，骗取财政补贴；增发扩股，再融资，二次骗取股民钱财；不分红，、少分红，挨过三年，迅速套现。移民国外，丢下破烂企业。如此拙劣一套，外行人也看清，为何这10年不查，不惩，不改？利益共享，悬弄百性也！！！ savage: They repackage the corporation for the market, control the flow and push up their listing price to steal money and create new billionaires. One year after another, they fabricate stories and account details, cheat government's subsidies. Then they issue more shares and extract money from the market, cheat the shareholders again. They do not share profits by giving out dividends. After a few years, they cash out their shares and migrate out of the country, leaving the corporation behind. Even outsiders see such tricks, but nothing has been done to stop this. There is embedded interest in the fraud while ordinary people are doomed to be cheated. 老徐时评：沪深股市今天又创新低了。按理说股市是市场行为，赚了亏了和政府没什么关系。可是我要问了：是谁在党的政治报告中忽悠要增加人民的财产性收入？是谁要求股民们坚持价值投资？是谁鼓吹对中国的上市公司要有信心？中国的股民是全世界最好的股民，痴心不改矢志不移，最后落得连裤衩都输光了，责任在谁？ Lao Xu: The Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock market sinks to the lowest today. Common sense tells us that the stock market reflects the market and we should not blame the government for its behavior. But I have to ask: Who gave the instruction in the party [Chinese Communist Party] political report that the proportion of people's property income should grow? Who persuaded shareholders to stick to value investment? Who told people to have confidence in the listed companies? Chinese shareholders are the most innocent kind, they follow the advice and now have lost their underpants. Who should be responsible for their misery? 自成一段：1.3亿股民基本都受到股市严重的掠夺和损害，我敢肯定，他们从股市看到了中国的黑暗和腐败，他们对你们的看法和感受是不言而喻的，不管你们说的多么动人。 A single paragraph: The stock market has robbed and harmed 130 million shareholders. I am quite sure that they have experienced Chinese corruption through the stock market. No matter how flowery your speech is, they will judge by their own experience. Calls for finance regulation reform Although more than 60% of shareholders hope that the government can intervene and save the market, many professional commentators think otherwise. For example economist Hua Sheng believes [zh] the only solution to the current situation is finance regulation reform: 华生2010：参加财经年会记者问股市，我说任何市场下跌都是因为供求失衡，供大于求。改革就是最大的救市。大幅提高上市门槛，驱散前门排队的饿狼；调高后门退出的门槛，限制现股价远低于发行价包装上市的原始股东和高管套现离市，并追究相关保荐机构责任吊销几家执照，若此，今天宣布改革启动，股市明天就止跌回升 Some reporters asked me about the stock market at the annual finance conference. I explained that the main reason for the sinking stock market is that the current supply is much bigger than the demand. Hence, reform is the best measure to save the market. [The China Securities Regulatory Commission] should impose stricter requirements for corporate entry to the market so as to kick the wolves out of the queue. At the same time, impose restrictions for major shareholders cashing out their stock when the stock price is much lower than the initial listed price. [The authority] should also investigate fraud, make sure that the sponsor institution which gave recommendations and guarantees to the listed corporation have liability for the fraud. If such reform is put into practice, the stock market will stop sinking and rise again. Written by Oiwan Lam · comments (1) Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

Politically-Charged Questionnaire Triggers Tibetan Student Protest in China Posted: 29 Nov 2012 02:08 AM PST On November 26, 2012 about one thousand Tibetan students protested in Chabcha County, Qinghai Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (or Tsolho in Tibetan pronunciation) against a politically-charged questionnaire on a Medical School campus. According to VOA Tibetan, the students were "chanting slogans for equality of nationalities, freedom of language, respect for truth and establishment of new governance" during the protest. More than 20 students were injured and four were in critical condition. The school has been sealed off from outside contact. The video below shows the protest scene: According to the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), the protest was triggered by a questionnaire distributed to the students by the authorities for the purpose of stability control. TCHRD translated the document: The politically-charged questionnaire that triggered the protest on November 26, 2012. Image from Facebook user: Dossier Tibet 1. Economic development in Tsolho should be based on what? 1. Is Tibetan culture protected and developed? 2. Are environmental protection and urban construction in opposition to each other? 3. Does bilingual education mean the deterioration of minority language? 4. Who in authority is doing anything to ensure the equality of nationalities? 5. What is the reason behind self-immolation protests? 6. What harm is caused by illegal public protests? 7. Who is agitating for separatism and causing unrest? 8. How should the comprehensive and correct implementation of the freedom of religious belief policy be understood? 9. Is the present environment of development in tranquil harmony not something to be cherished? There are bits and pieces of information and photos about the protest in Facebook and Twitter. Dossier Tibet translated one of the protest banner slogans: "You can't arrest my brother and kill my friends!" One of the protest banner slogan: "You can't arrest my brother and kill my friends!" Photos from Facebook User: Dossier Tibet Lhase Sonam posted photos of the injured students in his Facebook: Three Tibetan students are critically injured in the protest. Photos from Facebook User: Lhase Sonam This is not the first time Tibetan students in Qinghai protested against the Chinese government's policy. Back in October 2010, about 8000 students protested in Tsolho against the language policy in schools. The Tibetan students fear that their culture, language and identity will be further eroded. Written by Oiwan Lam · comments (0) Share: Donate · facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper

Role of Criminal Defense Lawyers in China’s Judiciary System Posted: 29 Nov 2012 04:00 AM PST This is a Weibo post by Si Weijiang (斯伟江), a high-profile Chinese defense lawyer based in Shanghai. A lot is being said in 127 characters. –Yaxue From the beginning, China's criminal defense lawyers were merely the lasting party whom the Police, the Prosecution and the Court pulled in when the three had sat down for a Mah-Jong game but found they needed one more party to play. But the rule was that the lawyers must not be allowed to win. When there were occasions of lawyers actually winning, the other three would not accept it anyway. Then there came Weibo. Some lawyers, such as Yang Jinzhu (杨金柱), started shouting on Weibo when they won, "I won! They cheated!" As a result, the authorities everywhere have made arrangements to make sure that lawyers would not win; and even if they do, they must not shout it out loud. Thus begins the Harmony Mah-Jong. Hooray! Filed under: Uncategorized

IP Litigation in China: Any News Is Good News Posted: 28 Nov 2012 11:43 PM PST Just a quick comment regarding IP litigation statistics in China. What does it mean when we see an uptick in cases? According to one government official, this is very good news: Along with rising invention patents, holders are turning to the law to better protect their intellectual property rights, He Hua, vice director of the State Intellectual Property Office, said at a conference on intellectual property strategies in Nanjing. Legal cases in this area reached 5,942 in the first ten months of the year, surging 146 percent year on year. Rising lawsuits reflect China's resolution and its stepped-up efforts to create a better environment for patented inventions and application of them, He said. So a big increase in lawsuits is good news because it shows that more folks are using the system, have confidence in it, etc. That is a reasonable argument, I suppose. However, at some point those numbers have to come down, right? I don't know when that is, but if we still see a ton of IP lawsuits ten years from now, I hope the government is not still calling that evidence of success. By the way, my guess is that if we see some sort of drop in the number of lawsuits, say next year, then we will see similar statements made by folks like Mr. He crowing about how the decrease is evidence of effective overall enforcement efforts. In other words, any news can be seen as good news as long as you put the proper spin on it. © Stan for China Hearsay, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags:

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