China Human Rights and Rule of Law Update - No. 4 - April 21, 2010

China's hukou (household registration) system imposes strict limits on where Chinese citizens may legally reside. Since access to social services is tied to household registration, some migrant workers are more likely than local residents to face discrimination in areas such as education, healthcare, and housing. On March 1, 13 mainland newspapers, apparently echoing recent statements by several high-level Chinese officials, jointly published an editorial calling on People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference delegates to inquire about a timetable for hukou system reform. Just one day after its publication, however, the joint editorial―originally co-authored by Zhang Hong, a top editor at the Economic Observer―was removed from many of the news sites. And on March 9, Zhang was forced to resign.

An official from the far western region of Xinjiang announced in March that 198 people have been sentenced for crimes committed in July 2009, a period when demonstrations and rioting took place in the region. The number appears to exceed the total reported to date in Chinese media and points to a lack of transparency in the proceedings, in violation of both Chinese and international law. Chinese media reporting on the trial also has been marked by discrepancies between English-language reports for international audiences and Chinese-language reports for domestic readers. Chinese-language reports have described more details on detentions and trials, in at least one case indicating higher detention figures than reported in English, and in some cases suggesting some criminal charges could be of a political nature.

A high-level official at the General Administration of Press and Publication, the Chinese government's main regulator of the press, said on March 10, 2010, that aspiring journalists in China will be required to pass a new qualification exam that will test them on their knowledge of "Chinese Communist Party journalism" and Marxist views of news. Journalists who do not pass the exam will not be allowed to apply for a job in the news industry. This development comes amid continued efforts by the Chinese government to restrict media coverage of events deemed politically sensitive, such as major political meetings in March and the Google controversy, as well as official concern over unregulated news reporting on China's fast-growing Internet.

Local authorities in the far western region of Xinjiang have implemented measures to curb citizen petitioning to higher levels of government over grievances connected to a demolition and resettlement project in the Old City section of Kashgar. Local officials say that they have resolved residents' problems and that no households have taken their grievances to higher administrative levels. Information from non-Chinese sources indicates the project has drawn opposition from Uyghur residents and other observers for requiring the resettlement of residents and for undermining heritage protection. At the same time, Xinjiang officials continue to assert that the project adheres to international standards. As demolition work continues, authorities say they will hire some workers locally, in accordance with a government directive, but also will look outside Xinjiang to recruit half the workers needed.

Chinese authorities have announced they will implement new initiatives to speed up development in the far western region of Xinjiang. Authorities will address the development work, along with stability concerns in the region, at a central work forum on Xinjiang later in the year. To date, authorities have provided limited details on the upcoming initiatives. Past development efforts have brought some benefits to Xinjiang but also have exacerbated inequalities and denied local residents meaningful input into such projects. Development efforts remain tightly connected to political controls in the region.