Initiatives for China 11-03-2008
According to the report of  Mr. Mu Jiayu, a member of Initiaitves for China inside China, today the taxi drivers in Chongqing city are on strike to protest high gas prices and police traffic ticket abuses. In the major area of the city, more than eight thousand taxis have stopped service. The strike has caused a serious transportation problem. In the grand city, only two or three hundred taxis are still rolling.

Friday, October 31, 2008
Contact: Linda Mancini   Conference Coordinator of Initiatives for China/Boston Office
Phone: (617) 501-3724   E-Mail: mancinciart@mac.com
Or Contact: Jim Geheran   DC Office Director of Initiatives for China
Tel: 202-290-1423  Email: iinitiatives4china@gmail.com

Boston, MA- On November 6 through November 9, the Fourth Interethnic/Interfaith Leadership Conference held by Initiatives for China will take place at Harvard University. Dr. Yang Jianli of Initiatives for China continues the tradition of bringing together 60 representatives of various (ethnic, faith based and activist) groups to encourage mutual understanding and build trust. The presentations, workshops and panel discussions will include such speakers as Professor Padriag O’Malley, Dr. Yang Jianli, Göran Lindblad, Chairman of the Swedish Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Roberta Bonazzi, Executive Director of the European Foundation for Democracy, and many others.
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Tuesday, 28 October 2008
By Maggie Shiels
Technology reporter, BBC News, Silicon Valley

Microsoft, Google and Yahoo have signed a global code of conduct promising to offer better protection for online free speech and against official intrusion.

The Global Network Initiative follows criticism that companies were assisting governments in countries like China to censor the Internet.

The guidelines seek to limit what data should be shared with authorities, in cases where free speech is an issue.
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New York Times October 23, 2008
Chinese Activist Wins Rights Prize
By JIM YARDLEY

(Chinese civil rights advocate Hu Jia. Bill Austin/European Pressphoto Agency)

BEIJING — Hu Jia, a soft-spoken, bespectacled advocate for democracy and human rights in China, was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, Europe’s most prestigious human rights prize, on Thursday. The award was a pointed rebuke of China’s ruling Communist Party that came as European leaders were arriving in Beijing for a weekend summit meeting.

Mr. Hu, 35, was given the prize by the European Parliament despite warnings from Beijing that his selection would harm relations with the European Union. [Read more →]

October 21, 2008
U.S.—China Economic Dialogue: In Need of Tough Love
by Derek Scissors
Backgrounder #2200
Click here to read it on the original website of The Heritage Foundation

The end of 2008 could be a momentous time for Sino–American commercial relations. A new U.S. President will take the reins just after the 30th anni­versary of China’s market reforms. Natural attention is being given to what the new President plans for the Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) and other ele­ments of the economic relationship.

But the 30th anniversary marks a more important development to the future of these negotiations. Reform began 30 years ago—about three years ago, it stopped.
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Posted Oct 16 2008 by ChinaAid
Contact: Daniel Burton
(432) 689-6985
Photo: Bike Zhang and his elder son Zhang Jian

BEIJING – ChinaAid has learned that Zhang Jian, the elder son of Pastor “Bike” Zhang Mingxuan, was severely beaten by Public Security Bureau (PSB) officials while at home with his mother, Xie Fenglan, in Beijing on October 16. Xie Fenglan testified that at about noon Beijing time, 15 Beijing PSB officers entered their residence and secured the exits before severely beating Zhang Jian with iron bars for 25 minutes. As Zhang Jian lay bleeding profusely, his mother called an ambulance, but the receptionist told her that a higher government authority gave a directive not to dispatch any ambulance to rescue her son because he is related to Pastor Bike Zhang. Zhang Jian’s mother then called her younger son, Zhang Chuang, who rushed to the house where he was also beaten by the same authorities. After some time, a personal friend of the Zhang family was able to take Zhang Jian to the Beijing Min Hang (Aviation) Hospital emergency room where Zhang Jian remains now. His doctor said Zhang Jian’s right eye may lose sight forever because of the severe damage resulting from the repeated beating. Pastor Bike Zhang, who was traveling in Yunnan province at the time, is currently unable to be contacted. It is assumed that he has been detained by authorities.
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10-15-2008 Issued by Initiatives for China
Contact: Jim Geheran Tel: 202-290-1423
initiatives4china@gmail.com
www.initiativesforchina.org

Congressman Smith of New Jersey and Congressman Wolf of Virginia join effort on behalf of ailing founder of overseas Chinese Democracy Movement

With growing concern for the health of Dr. Yang Bingzhang, his 19 year old daughter is urgently asking  the U.S. Congress for its support in determining the status of Dr. Wang Bingzhang who is currently in his seventh year of a life sentence in a Chinese prison for his lifelong pro-democracy writings.

After receiving an update on Dr. Wang’s situation from Dr. Wang’s daughter,  Ti-Anna Wang, Congressman Wolf of Virginia wrote a letter to Secretary of State Rice asking her to make Dr. Wang’s case a priority for the State Department. “I urge you to raise this case at the highest levels in the Chinese government. No child should have to grow up bearing the burden of her father’s wrongful imprisonment upon her shoulders.” wrote Congressman Wolf.
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