BOOK ON PEASANTS STIRS UP CHINESE LEADERS AS CONGRESS BEGINS  [RFA]

A recently published book detailing the systematic abuse of China's poorest peasants by local officials has cranked up political tensions ahead of this week's National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, RFA reports. The book, entitled The Situation of China's Peasants, is the product of three years' in-depth reportage by husband-and-wife team Chen Chuntao and Chen Guidi. Its grim portrayal of poverty, abuse, and official coverups has sent shockwaves through urban society, resulting in a storm of media coverage and Internet chatroom fervor.  [more]

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CHINA NODS TO HUMAN RIGHTS AS NEW LEADERS SEEK SUPPORT  [RFA]

China's parliamentary body, the National People's Congress (NPC), will enshrine a reference to human rights in the country's constitution, as the next generation of leaders makes a bid to win support as the champions of ordinary people, RFA reports. Legislators meeting from Mar. 5 in Beijing are set to amend the constitution with the phrase: "The state respects and guarantees human rights." While the move may reflect a genuine concern by the leadership of President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao that the Communist Party is failing the people, concrete effects are unlikely to be felt soon, however. [more]

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