24 Years Later, Found at Last

Guo was reunited with his son 24 years after searching for him

Guo Gangtang finally found his son after searching for him for 24 years. They along with Guo's wife had a tearful reunion in Liaocheng, Shandong province on Sunday after DNA samples confirmed the 26-year-old man was Guo Xinzhen. 

The child was only two years and five months old when he was abducted outside his home in a village in Liaocheng on September 21, 1997.

Guo distributed flyers with photos of his son

The shock of losing the boy resulted in Guo Gangtang losing weight from 80kg to 60kg and his hair turned white in the first month of the abduction.

He then went on a mission to find his son, printing pictures of him and basic information about the boy on leaflets he distributed, hoping to find clues of his whereabouts.

Guo also made banners of the boy's photo and information and put them on his motorcycle that he rode all over the mainland -- some 500,000km -- and wearing out 10 motorcycles -- in the hopes of finding his son.

"Only on the road, I felt I am a father," he told a Shandong-based newspaper in 2015. "I have no reason to stop [searching]. And it's impossible for me to stop."

Andy Lau played Guo in Lost and Love

His plight inspired the movie Lost and Love starring Andy Lau Tak-wah that year, and Lau waived his fees to play the part of Guo.

The film featured many incidents he faced, from road accidents, battling highway robbers, and sleeping near bridge pillars when he ran out of money for accommodation.

"Many people say I am a great father. But I am not great at all," said Guo. "I am helpless. I just lack the courage to restart life after experiencing tremendous hardship. Therefore I kept on searching."

A few years ago he set up a website to help other parents find their missing children. This led to the police finding over 100 abducted children. 

Apparently the couple that abducted Guo Xinzhen have been arrested.

The family is reunited but what are the next steps?

While this story is heartwarming, it is interesting to note this story came out today -- the fourth anniversary of Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo's death. 

He died in 2017 of complications from liver cancer in a Shenyang hospital in Liaoning province and was carefully by state security.

The last time a Nobel Peace laureate died in state custody was in 1938, when pacifist Carl von Ossietzky died of tuberculosis under guard in a hospital in Nazi Germany.

June 4 Vigil Remains a Memory

The group that held the annual June 4 vigil has let go its staff

Due to "fierce and political oppression", the group that organized the annual Tiananmen Square candlelight vigil has dismissed its entire staff, while half of the committee members have resigned.

In a statement on Saturday, the 32-year-old Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China said only seven committee members remain, including chairman Lee Cheuk-yan, and vice chairmen Albert Ho Chun-yan, and Chow Hang-tung, who are currently in jail.

"The political environment in Hong Kong has deteriorated sharply in the past year, while the alliance has been challenged by increasingly fierce and obvious political repression. After evaluating the political situation and holding repeated discussions, we have decided to adopt relevant precautions," the statement said.

Three of the committee members are in jail

All staff would be dismissed by the end of July and compensated accordingly, the group said, and they would continue to operate despite drastically less manpower.

"We hope to protect our staff as much as we can," the statement said. It is understood there are less than 10 full-time and part-time staff working for the alliance.

"It is true that the drastic reduction of committee members, the dismissal of all the staff, and the withdrawal of some member groups in recent months will have an impact on our future operations... yet despite all the difficulties and challenges, we will keep going, step by step."

The group's secretary, Richard Tsoi Yiu-cheong said he struggled for a long time deciding to step down.

"It is a tough decision, but we have decided to take this collective action after considering all the potential threats we are facing," he said, adding the alliance would still continue to organize activities, including commemorating Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo on Tuesday. 

"Some of us may work as volunteers when necessary. The alliance still exists, but on a smaller scale. Currently we also have no plans to change any of our operational goals," he said.

The museum was forced to close before June 4

The "operational goals" are: the release of dissidents, vindication of the 1989 pro-democracy movement, accountability for the Tiananmen crackdown, an end to one-party rule in mainland China, and the building of a democratic country.

However, pro-establishment figures say calling an end to Beijing's "one-party rule" would be an act of subversion under Hong Kong's national security law .

But some legal experts disagree, saying subversion has only been committed if a person resorts to the "use of force or threat of force or other unlawful means" to achieve their goal.

The group has been under pressure since the police banned the candlelight vigil in Victoria Park on June 4 for the second year in a row due to the coronavirus pandemic, and on the same day, Chow Hang-tung was arrested and later charged with knowingly taking part in an illegal assembly.

The alliance's June 4 museum was also forced to shut, following a licensing complaint.

It seems it may only be a matter of time before the group may have to completely disband, with collective memories only being individual ones the government intends to extinguish.

Counting Coronavirus Cases

China tested 4.75 million people in Kashgar in two days

 

Did you know the Chinese government counts coronavirus cases differently from everyone else in the world? It does not follow the World Health Organization definition of a confirmed case as someone who tests positive.

Kashgar is now in lockdown with five cases?

Instead China will only count cases of those who show symptoms, not those who are asymptomatic or presymptomatic but test positive.

That is why the cases in Kashgar, Xinjiang are counted as five confirmed cases, but 178 without symptoms but are positive. As a result these 178 people are not counted as confirmed cases, though they will be included if they later show symptoms.

China only began releasing figures counting asymptomatic cases from April, but they were only counted as confirmed cases if they developed symptoms or their lung imaging was abnormal.

By late February, one-third of the positive cases were silent carriers or presymptomatic. But it is unclear how many asymptomatic cases China has had so far because accumulated figures were never released.

China counts cases differently from the WHO

It is the only country in the world to have a different definition of what a positive case is. Is it any wonder the numbers since late December are not correct and we may never know what they really are?

Chinese officials argued early in the pandemic that the number of true asymptomatic cases was small, and "there was no evidence" they could spread the disease.

But 10 months on this conclusion does not hold water. Data shows asymptomatic cases comprise a significant percentage of the total positive ones and these patients can spread Covid-19.

For example, the Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported up to 40 percent of Covid-19 patients in South Korea were asymptomatic.

In the case of Kashgar, 4.75 million people were tested in two days. So if testing is so crucial, then the counting of positive asymptomatic cases is too and should be included in the total tally. Positive is positive whether they develop symptoms or not.

Xi says China will be more open to cooperation

Earlier today Chinese President Xi Jinping said the country will adopt a more open and inclusive strategy towards international scientific cooperation. He said this during the World Laureates Forum in Shanghai, an online forum attended by hundreds of scientists including dozens of Nobel Prize laureates.

"China is ready to work with top scientists around the world and international science and technology organizations to implement a more open, inclusive and mutually beneficial international scientific strategy," he said.

The country can start by being more honest with its numbers; if the number of confirmed cases is so low now, why are Chinese residents not allowed to fly directly to Beijing but instead quarantine in another city for 14 days first?

 

 

A Slew of News Today

Joshua Wong handily won for Kowloon East in the primaries

Lots of things happened today: the results of the primaries this past weekend thanks to 610,000 voters, the announcement of more social-distancing measures, and today is the third anniversary of Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo's death, and 27th birthday of former lawmaker Nathan Law Kwun-chung.

Gwyneth Ho was a former Stand News reporter

Firstly, mostly big names were the big winners in the primaries that were held this weekend. Eddie Chu Hoi-dick, Joshua Wong Chi-fung, Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit, and Ted Hui Chi-fung. Newcomer Gwyneth Ho Kwai-lam swept New Territories East with Ventus Lau Wing-hong; Ho was previously a reporter with Stand News and was best known for continuing to record men attacking her in the Yuen Long MTR station last July 21.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was asked for her comments about the results at a press conference this evening. She immediately described them as "so-called primaries" and added there is no such thing in Hong Kong elections, as a way to imply they were illegal.

Lam announced more stricter measures tonight

Then she added that if more than 35 pan-democrats make up the Legislative Council and oppose the government's proposed policies, then they would be breaching the national security law.

"I am not saying they have breached the law, but I have to put forward a warning," she said.

Lam even added the government had received a number of complaints about the two-day primaries, as it may have breached the numbers for social-distancing, and breaching privacy, and that it was unfair for the upcoming elections.

At the same press conference, Lam announced stricter measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic, as there were 41 local cases today. These measures for one week include: no dining in from 6pm to 5am, only takeout; if dining in restaurants for breakfast and lunch, no more than four per table; masks are mandatory when taking any public transport; and 12 kinds of premises, including gyms and cinemas will shut down for a week.

Ocean Park, Disneyland will be closed again

One could have heard a collective groan from the entire city, especially those in the restaurant industry who depend on dinner service. Reporters repeatedly asked Lam and her cabinet why only dinner was restricted, and they replied several times that dinner was when people usually gathered to eat and spend more time than compared to breakfast and lunch.

Already there were comparisons of the virus to gremlins, as if they only came out to wreck havoc at night! The virus is everywhere all the time. We are still scratching our heads on not allowing dining in for dinner.

Lam also hinted the government was being kind to the catering industry for only shutting them down for dinner for one week.

Gym rats will be scratching at the walls desperate to get their workouts on a daily basis. Perhaps more will show up along the waterfront again and at Dr Sun Yat-sen Park. Disneyland and Ocean Park will be closed too.

Restaurants can only offer takeaway for dinner

We will all have to dig deep and try to keep infections numbers low.

Meanwhile today Nathan Law tweeted that he was in London, flying there with a backpack and a small suitcase, and is now living in a small apartment.

He also hints that the decision to leave was made rather quickly.

"As I turn 27 today, I can't say I'm anything but anxious and unsettled. I'm not one to celebrate my birthday, especially since Liu Xiaobo's passing on this very day three years ago. There's not much to be cheerful about," he tweeted. "My biggest wish is peace to Hong Kongers. We will keep our city and spirit alive."

It's a sad anniversary for sure. Liu died of liver cancer three years ago at the age of 61. His friends claim Liu would have been "heartbroken" to see Hong Kong being "mainlandized" and "communised".

Remembering Liu Xiaobo today

The statement added they believed Hongkongers would continue to put up resistance despite the new national security law.

Which brings us back to the massive turnout for the primaries; it's news he would probably like to hear.

US Brings Attention to Uyghurs

Academic Ilham Tohti said tensions needed to be reduced in Xinjiang

In a bipartisan effort not often seen these days in the US Senate, 13 lawmakers have signed a letter of nomination this year of Uyghur academic Ilham Tohti to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Oslo, Norway.

They hope this will put pressure on China to stop its crackdown of the minority group.

Tohti, an ethnic Uyghur economist, writer and professor at Minzu University in Beijing, has been serving a life sentence since 2014 on separatism-related charges.

However, he was vocal about the need to reduce tensions in Xinjiang, and asked Beijing to abide by the region's existing laws, reduce economic discrimination, and establish a legal system.

Tohti was sentenced to life in prison in 2014

"This nomination could not be more timely as the Chinese government and Communist Party continue to perpetrate gross human rights violations with over a million Uyghurs and other ethnic minority Muslims detained in 'political re-education' camps," said Republic Senator Marco Rubio of Florida.

It is believed more than a million Uyghurs are being held in extrajudicial internment camps in Xinjiang, a crackdown that started in 2017, that the government claims is an anti-terrorist measure. The authorities later claimed these camps help the ethnic minority to learn better job skills to make them more employable.

Two weeks ago, representatives Christopher Smith and Thomas Suozzi introduced a bill called the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, that empowers the State Department, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to hold accountable Chinese officials who intimidate Uyghurs overseas.

"It's encouraging to see that the issue is attracting more interest," said Sean Roberts, director of the International Development Studies Program at George Washington University.

Tohti was recently nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize

"For Congress, this could be a particular opportunity to highlight what's happening inside Xinjiang right now. It could also be used to apply pressure on China to respond why this person [Tohti], who certainly is anything but a separatist, was given a very extreme sentence."

If Tohti does win the Nobel Peace Prize, it would draw attention to his imprisonment and pressure on China to release him.

However, we can probably guess China's reaction with the fate of previous 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo who died in 2017 on medical parole.

We don't even know how Tohti is doing...

Keeping Liu Xiaobo's Memory Alive

Rainy weather did not deter some 1,000 people from remembering Liu Xiaobo

Today's weather was unsettled with bursts of rain storms here and there.

But the inclement conditions didn't deter several hundred people who turned out at Tamar in Admiralty to mark the first anniversary of Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo's death.

Originally the event was also supposed to be a rally directed at the Chinese government to free Liu's wife Liu Xia, but she was unexpectedly released and allowed to fly to Berlin on Tuesday.

The candlelight vigil was organized by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China. Participants bowed at a statue of Liu Xiaobo, that has been seen in and around Causeway Bay.

It's interesting to note that while people in the mainland could not commemorate Liu, some representatives from the Chinese PEN Centre, that helped secure Liu Xia's release, were allowed to travel to Hong Kong to take part in tonight's event.

A candlelight vigil was held tonight at Tamar

Meanwhile, Lam Wing-kee, one of the five booksellers who was abducted in China in 2015, says after Liu Xia was released, human rights activist Qin Yongmin was jailed for 13 years for subversion of state power, which indicated China was not relaxing its policy towards dissidents, and that her ability to fly to Germany was an isolated case.

"I just fear Beijing's control will tighten in the future," he said. "But Liu Xia's release told Hongkongers that we need to hold on and strive for what's right, attend rallies or vigils whenever we can."

Today in Berlin, there are also events to commemorate the first anniversary of Liu Xiaobo's death, but Liu Xia will not be attending, partly because of health reasons and possibly not wanting to cause trouble for her brother, Liu Hui.

Liao Tianqi, the president of the Chinese PEN Centre, said Liu Xia expressed in a note of thanks to Hongkongers and for remembering her husband on the first anniversary of his death.

Liu Xiaobo died of liver cancer last July 13 while in custody in a hospital in Shenyang, Liaoning province. He was 61 years old.

He was serving an 11-year sentence for "inciting subversion of state power" since 2009, after he helped write a petition known as Charter 08, that called for sweeping political reforms.

Liu Xiaobo's Likeness in Hong Kong

Earlier a bust of Liu Xiaobo was on display at the Times Square mall

A few days before the 29th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre in June 4, there was a makeshift booth set up on the edge of the Times Square shopping mall in Causeway Bay and it featured the bust of the late Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo.

The group of activists who were manning the booth received notices from the mall, which is owned by Wharf Holdings, saying they did not get permission from the mall to have a stand and if they didn't leave they would be sued for illegally using the space and using loudspeakers to disseminate political ideas and solicit donations.

Times Square threatened legal action against the activists

At first they came to a temporary agreement, and the group even unveiled a 1.5 metre high statue of Liu sitting in a chair and smoking a cigarette last Tuesday. However, the mall issued another letter saying it was seeking an injunction order if they refused to leave.

So earlier this afternoon, the group avoided legal action by putting Liu's statue on a set of wheels and slowly moved him to Paterson Street, also in Causeway Bay to a nearby mall called Fashion Walk. The activists are hoping to display the statue until July 13, the first anniversary of Liu's death.

We'll have to see if the statue remains at the second mall without too much trouble. The activists were hoping to stay in Times Square because so many people pass through the area everyday, thus increasing awareness for Liu manifold.

Activists moved the statue to nearby Fashion Walk

It was the perfect place for mainlanders to know more about who he was and what happened to him, but the mall's owner would rather they not get into politics and come into the complex to shop.

So Liu now has a new home... how long will he get to stay there?

29 Years On

A mini Goddess of Democracy at the candlelight vigil

This afternoon the weather looked iffy for the June 4 candlelight vigil at Victoria Park, and it did pour for a while. It was much needed rain after weeks of scorching heat. By 6.30pm the rain had stopped, which was promising and by 7pm the thunderstorm warning expired.

YTSL, and another friend and I met up in Causeway Bay and we walked towards Victoria Park. Along the way the usual political parties were there canvassing for money, including Joshua Wong Chi-fung for Demosisto, and Leung Kwok-hung of the League of Social Democrats got to the point -- "Put the money here!" he said, pointing to the donation box.

People are bombarded by calls for donations from parties

Lots of people handed out flyers for things that were June 4th related, until we finally reached the entrance to Victoria Park and finally got a program for the evening's events. However, the sight looked grim -- the football pitches were empty and when we filed in around 7.20pm, we were in the first section already -- usually we would have been in the second one.

Nevertheless there was a good breeze so temperature-wise it was perfect, and it also started drying up the pitches so that by the time the event started just after 8pm, most of us had the chance to sit on the ground. The seniors were the smart ones this year -- many came armed with stools and portable chairs. Some brought plastic sheets to sit on and we saw one woman with bubble wrap! Have to remember that next time!

At around 8.09pm the event started, and the program is basically the same each year -- a video featuring chaotic scenes in Tiananmen Square, complete with tanks and soldiers, people running away and others carrying people from the gunfire.

Before 8pm the crowd was looking sparse...

Then there are speeches, a floral wreath is presented, the eternal flame lit by young people, and Albert Ho Chun-yan, chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance made a speech.

Next a video message from the Tiananmen Mothers. Since 1989, 51 parents of the group have passed away, and they are pleading with the central government to own up to the massacre of their children, and yet they continue to be met with stony silence.

They are grateful that people in Hong Kong continue to mark the incident and continue to donate to their cause.

This year there was a remembrance of Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel Laureate who tried to get the students get away from the incoming tanks in Tiananmen Square. He died last July, which is why this is the first year his passing was marked at tonight's event. In a video, empty chairs were placed in different places in Hong Kong, an echo of the Nobel prize ceremony where there was an empty chair where he should have sat.

But later in the evening there were over 100,000 attending

Organizers estimate 100,000 to 150,000 people showed up this year despite university student unions boycotting for a fourth year in a row. They claim there is no point in fighting for democracy in China when we should be advocating democracy in Hong Kong.

However, Dr Chan Kin-man, co-founder of the Occupy Movement and sociologist at Chinese University, sent an open message to the students who stayed away, saying they can call themselves a Chinese or a Hongkonger, but they should be human beings first, which got a big applause from the audience.

Next year will be the big 3-0. It will definitely get a lot of media attention, and more importantly hopefully more people will come out! And yes remember to bring better seat options!

Appeals for Liu Xia's Freedom are Rejected

Liu Xia and Liu Xiaobo's last days together before he died last July

Liu Xia, wife of the late dissident writer Liu Xiaobo recently revealed she is losing her will to live. It was a plea in the hopes of leaving China, as she is currently under house arrest for a crime she did not commit.

One of Liu Xia's poems that she read in a video

Germany said earlier it would welcome Liu, who suffers from depression and believe to be in declining health, after a recording was released of her crying in desperation and indicating she has given up hope of being able to leave China.

"If I can't leave, I'll die in my home," Liu said during a recent phone call she had with her close friend Liao Yiwu, a writer who recorded their conversation.

In response the other day, over a dozen international writers and artists together with Amnesty International and PEN America have appealed for her release by issuing videos of them reading Liu Xia's poems.

Some of those reading the poem include Rita Dove, JM Coetzee, Paul Auster, and Khaled Hosseini.

However, China rejected this latest plea, saying Liu Xia's right to travel can only be determined by the Chinese government.

"It is a matter that falls within China's judicial sovereignty," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Thursday at a regularly scheduled news conference. "She is a Chinese national [and] we of course handle the relevant issue in accordance with our laws and regulations."

Liu Xia is depressed and does not have the will to live longer

No matter how much attention Liu Xia gets from the outside, China refuses to back down -- it is determined to punish her along with her family for her association with Liu Xiaobo, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for "inciting subversion of state power" in 2009. Before the Nobel laureate died last July of liver cancer, Liu Xia was only able to see him for a few days.

It is curious why the Chinese government sees Liu Xia as a threat and does everything it can to make her life nothing short of hell -- not being able to receive visitors, not being able to go out without being followed, and tapping her phone calls.

She has no choice but feel like there is no hope left for her except to die and rejoin Liu Xiaobo in another world. Surely Beijing wouldn't want that to happen?

Yellow Umbrella Nobel Nomination

Nathan Law, Joshua Wong and Alex Chow were nominated for the peace prize

Late last night the news broke that 12 US congressmen had nominated Joshua Wong Chi-fung, Nathan Law Kwun-chung and Alex Chow Yong-kang and the Umbrella Movement for the Nobel Peace Prize. It is the first time there has been a nominee from Hong Kong.

As expected, Beijing and pro-establishment politicians were up in arms about it.

In a strongly worded statement, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in part: "Hong Kong's affairs are China's affairs, and China firmly objects to anyone intervening through any means.

Marco Rubio is one of the congressmen who nominated Wong

"We would urge the relevant congressmen to stop meddling with Hong Kong's affairs and China's domestic affairs. They should do more things that are conducive to the development of China-US ties, and not the opposite."

It's a reaction that was totally expected, but will this mean repercussions for Hong Kong?

A friend of mine asked me this today when she asked for my thoughts on the Nobel nomination.

Hong Kong would probably not be punished per say -- the activists have already done their jail time and further restricted in what they can do with their lives. No financial institutions want to open bank accounts with them nor employers hire them for jobs so they are pretty much confined in their livelihoods.

Also with Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor at the helm, Beijing has full confidence she has control over the city; protests of that scale will never happen again in the city.

Therefore it's a bit strange that these US congressmen who are critical of China choose to nominate the trio and the Umbrella Movement when it failed to achieve anything in the end. Some may point out things have gotten worse with the further politicization of issues and people. Even the colour yellow has political connotations.

The 2014 Umbrella Movement was unprecedented in its scale

Hong Kong residents didn't get one man, one vote. The government tried to ram electoral reform down their throats but the majority of people didn't buy it.

However a few good things came out of the movement. Young people became less apathetic and more interested in politics. Sadly they have been dismissed as decent political contenders in the upcoming by-election for seats in the Legislative Council -- we're thinking of Agnes Chow Ting here -- but that hasn't stopped them, even those in high school to be more politically aware of what is going on.

The other good thing about this Nobel nomination is that it reminds the rest of the world about the plight of Hong Kong. Some may vaguely remember the relatively peaceful protests that went on for 79 days, or others will learn about it for the first time. Drawing attention to Hong Kong is a good thing. Any publicity is good publicity.

We're assuming this news was blocked in China, and besides, Beijing should realize that anyone can nominate anyone for a Nobel prize and it doesn't mean the committee will take all the nominations seriously.

Regardless, being nominated is a sign that Hong Kong's struggle for democracy is not forgotten.

China's Evolving Definition of Human Rights

Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia suffered human rights violations

With the year ending in just over two weeks, China has already hailed 2017 as one of "remarkable" progress in human rights, including its achievements in anti-corruption and legal reform, which don't have much, if anything to do with human rights.

The latest State Council white paper listed international cooperation on counterterrorism and climate change, as well as the "Sky Net" program to hunt down and repatriate fugitives accused of corruption as human rights achievements.

So forcibly bringing back people to stand for corruption charges is a good thing for human rights?

In the past China has included the right to peace, and the right to economic development.

Migrant workers are being forced out of Beijing

How random and irrelevant to consider these under the meaning of human rights (everywhere else).

Many international critics focused on the detention and death in custody of Nobel Peace Prize-winning dissident Liu Xiaobo and how he was only briefly reunited with his wife Liu Xia before he died of cancer in July. Afterwards his body was hastily cremated and the ashes dumped at sea to avoid some kind of memorial for democracy activists.

His widow is still closely watched by the authorities and her whereabouts are still unknown. Doesn't she have human rights?

There are also human rights violations in pushing migrant workers out of Beijing on the pretense of a fire in Daxing District on November 18 that killed 19 people. Following the fire, the authorities immediately launched a 40-day campaign to get rid of the "low-end population", a word that has since been banned from China's cyberspace.

Migrant workers who provide essential services or do jobs that no one else wants to do are being pushed out of the Chinese capital with very little notice and the experience has been so harsh and violent that they don't feel welcome anymore and have no choice but to go back to their hometowns.

Uyghurs' DNA are now being collected by the police

Did the authorities realize what effect this vicious campaign will have on how the city will function from now on?

But another shocking human rights violation is a recent report from The Guardian that says DNA, fingerprints and other biometric data are being collected from Uyghurs in a "health check", called "Physicals for All". It is unclear if patients are aware this data is being collected and shared with the police.

"The mandatory databanking of a whole population's biodata, including DNA, is a gross violation of international human rights norms," said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch. It is even more disturbing if it is done surreptitiously, under the guise of a free healthcare program.

"Xinjiang authorities should rename their physical exams project 'Privacy Violations for All', as informed consent and real choice does not seem to be part of these programs," she added.

However, China is ignoring its critics and continuing this terrifying project -- even if someone hasn't committed a crime.

So when China says it's had a "remarkable" year in human rights, it really is living in a parallel universe where its definition is so far removed from everyone else's.

Where is Liu Xia?

An optimistic portrait of Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia by Badiucao

Since Liu Xiaobo's funeral on July 15, after which his ashes were scattered at sea, there has apparently been no sighting of his wife Liu Xia.

Her US-based lawyer Jared Genser claims that she is being held in an undisclosed location by the Chinese government.

In a statement to AFP, Genser said: "I demand that Chinese authorities immediately provide proof that Liu Xia is alive and allow her unhindered access to her family, friends, counsel, and the international community."

Liu Xia watches her husband's ashes being scattered at sea

The United States, the UN high commissioner for human rights and Amnesty International have all called on Beijing to free Liu Xia, 56, from house arrest without charge since Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel Peace prize in 2010.

However, Beijing insists she is a free citizen, and that grieving for her husband's death has prevented her from getting in touch with friends or her lawyer.

The Nobel Peace Prize committee is very concerned about Liu Xia's condition, as she suffers from depression due to house arrest and constant surveillance that make it very difficult to have contact with anyone, even family members.

The Nobel Committee has called on the Chinese government to "lift all restrictions they have put upon her", adding: "If she wants to leave China, there is no justification for denying her the opportunity to do so."

In Hong Kong, protesters demand Liu Xia be released

A relative told the media this week that Liu Xia had returned to Beijing, but her whereabouts were unknown.

The Hong Kong-based Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said it was unable to contact her directly.

Activist Hu Jia noted while she may have returned to Beijing, she may not necessarily be at home.

"Her being back in Beijing and back in her apartment are two different things," Hu said. "She might still be locked up or she's been placed with relatives in Beijing upon returning to the city."

Why is Beijing so worried about what Liu Xia will say? Can we not even see if she is OK or not? Liu Xiaobo is in another place. Surely his wife can now live the rest of her days in peace?

Or are they hoping they can some how make her disappear so that we will forget her?

Remembering Liu Xiaobo Seven Days Later

A memorial for Liu Xiaobo was held at Tamar in Admiralty

I'm sorry I missed another memorial for Liu Xiaobo in Hong Kong last night.

It was the seventh day of his death, where the Chinese believe the spirit of the newly deceased will return home to bid a final farewell to their loved ones.

In Hong Kong, about 1,500 people gathered at Tamar in Admiralty, where they paid their last respects to the political dissident and Nobel Peace Prize winner who died of liver cancer on July 13.

Liu is remembered with pictures of a chair by the water

People signed condolence books and placed flowers in front of a large portrait of Liu with the words "Remembering Liu Xiaobo -- Free Liu Xia" at the park. Local musicians also performed several songs, including John Lennon's Imagine. At the end of the one-hour memorial, people raised three fingers in the air to represent resistance, freedom and hope.

Finally, a chair with a candle on it was lowered into Victoria Harbour. There are reports police were present but didn't intervene.

There were similar memorials in Vancouver, Boston, Melbourne and London.

It is believed the family was pressured by the Chinese government to cremate the Chinese dissident's body so soon after his death -- usually it is done at least a week after in observance of the Chinese custom.

Also his ashes were scattered into the sea in a controversial burial in an attempt by Beijing to deny supporters a place of pilgrimage. It is also known as a cruel form of posthumous punishment in traditional Chinese culture, where having a tomb is a place for one's descendants to pay tribute to the dead.

Projecting Liu Xiaobo's face on the facade of the PLA!

In the meantime there is serious concern over the whereabouts of his wife, Liu Xia. It is believed she may have been forced to "take a vacation" in the southwestern province of Yunnan.

Not only was she apparently detained, but also Liu Xiaobo's friends, who were reportedly under house arrest, unable to attend memorials. Others were detained after holding ceremonies by the sea.

On social media, people have been posting pictures of chairs by or in the sea, sometimes with flowers and the hashtag #liuxiaobo.

It's telling how far the Chinese government has gone to try to censor anything related to Liu Xiaobo, and yet people just keep remembering him through creative ways.

I think Liu would have been pleased to know so many around the world came out courageously to remember him in various ways.

Perhaps projecting his image on the barracks of the People's Liberation Army in Hong Kong is probably the most daring.

Only in Hong Kong...

Liu's Day has Come

Artist Ai Weiwei's Lego portrait of Liu Xiaobo

Anyone who has been reading the news of the deteriorating health of dissident Liu Xiaobo has been dreading this day, but it has come. He died today at the age of 61.

He is the first Nobel Peace Prize winner to die in custody since German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky, who won the prize in 1935 during the Nazi era.

This will be a dark stain on Chinese President Xi Jinping's legacy and the Chinese Communist Party that is desperately trying to win over the rest of the world through soft and hard power.

Letting Liu leave the country in his last days and hours would have been the humanitarian thing to do, and win Xi points on the world stage, but this is not how the president operates, as he has taken a harder line than any recent previous leaders.

China didn't want to be seen as giving in to Liu's last wishes of leaving the country in the hopes that his wife Liu Xia would have a better life.

Perhaps even more outrageous is that Liu's liver cancer diagnosis was announced at such a late stage that there was nothing any doctor or treatment could do. This appears to be a deliberate move so that no one could do anything.

At the same time, Liu's health condition had to be announced to avoid China being accused of killing him in prison, which would have raised issues of his treatment in incarceration.

While we are outraged at how the Chinese government treated Liu, where were all the world leaders speaking out about violating his human right to proper medical treatment? They are too scared to anger China with economies dependent on the country to stay afloat.

Liu can now rest in peace, but what of his wife? She will probably remain under some kind of house arrest, though she is the innocent bystander in all of this. Liu Xia is emotionally fragile and surely his death will make it even harder to keep going.

PEN America will be holding a vigil tonight in New York and we will probably see other groups hold similar events tonight and in the next day or so.

Liu was China's moral compass and he has died knowing he has done his part for his country.

Liu Xiaobo on Medical Parole

Devastating news today that Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo has terminal cancer

There was breaking news this afternoon that Nobel Peace prize winner Liu Xiaobo was being released on medical parole -- because he has terminal liver cancer.

It's bitter sweet to hear the 61-year-old is now being treated in hospital in Shenyang in Liaoning province after he was diagnosed with late stage cancer on May 23, according to one of his lawyers, Shang Baojun, citing Liu's brother.

"It seems to be very serious, very serious," Shang said. "If it was an early stage of cancer, then it would be easier to treat. But at this late stage, the treatment seems much more difficult."

The news of Liu's illness renewed calls for the academic to be released on compassionate grounds.

During the 2010 Nobel ceremony his chair was empty

"At a time when China wants to have a greater international role, it is only fitting that it should show humanity and compassion towards a man who has never committed any violent crime, but has dedicated his life to literature and free expression," PEN Hong Kong, the literature and free speech advocacy group said on its Facebook page.

Liu had previously served as president of Independent Chinese PEN, a sister organization of PEN Hong Kong.

Amnesty International's China researcher Patrick Poon said Beijing should ensure that Liu gets good medical care and access to family members, in particular his wife.

"The authorities must also stop their shameful and illegal house arrest of Liu Xiaobo's wife, Liu Xia," Poon said, "and ensure that she is able to receive visitors, travel freely and visit Liu Xiaobo."

According to friends of Liu Xia, she is worn out from isolation from house arrest, and is depressed and has a heart condition.

There is hope that Liu Xia is with her husband...

Another of Liu's lawyers Mo Shaoping said "in principle" Liu could receive visits from family members, but didn't know if his wife was with him.

Friends who know him were shocked to find out that the man they knew was so energetic before and now is seriously ill.

Apparently Liu is getting treatment from top cancer doctors now, but it's too little too late. With late stage cancer all they can do is try to ease his pain as much as possible.

This makes his imprisonment even more outrageous and cruel. He is so highly respected outside of China for his dedication to making his home country better by pushing for political liberalization with Charter 08 and yet he is condemned by Beijing and sent to prison for 11 years for "inciting subversion of state power".

At this point we can only hope his family, in particular his wife Liu Xia can finally see him without restrictions. He should at least be able to live his last days in dignity, though he probably conducted himself that way in prison too.

He said it best in his statement from his 2009 trial, titled: I Have No Enemies: My Final Statement that was read out as his Nobel lecture.

"Hatred can rot away at a person's intelligence and conscience," he wrote. "Enemy mentality will poison the spirit of a nation, incite cruel mortal struggles, destroy a society's tolerance and humanity, and hinder a nation's progress toward freedom and democracy. That is why I hope to be able to transcend my personal experiences as I look upon our nation's development and social change, to counter the regime's hostility with utmost good will, and to dispel hatred with love."

Liu Xiaobo, we will not forget you.

Happy Birthday LXB

Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo turns 61 years old in prison today

Today is dissident Liu Xiaobo's birthday. He is marking his 61st birthday in jail, serving his seventh year of an 11-year sentence for inciting subversion of state power when he wrote and circulated his "Charter 08" petition, demanding greater democratic rights in China.

On Christmas Day, several former pan-democratic lawmakers in Hong Kong, like Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho Chun-yan protested outside the Liaison Office, demanding Liu be released, and that house arrest immediately end for his wife Liu Xia, and the persecution of other dissidents, like rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong, former Wukan village chief Lin Zulian, and Beijing-based activist Hu Shigen.

Activists like Lee Cheuk-yan held a Liu Xiaobo protest

Ho, who is chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movement in China, said after the protest that even though China looks powerful on the surface, "It appears to be so paranoid and so frightened in hearing dissenting voices."

He said locking up more and more non-violent people asking for the recognition of basic rights indicates the "inside is weak and maybe quite fragile."

Liu's 11-year sentence is meant to harshly punish him, but also act as a deterrent to those who think the Chinese should fight for democracy.

What's interesting to note is that this year also marks the sixth anniversary of frosty relations between Beijing and Norway after the Nobel Committee awarded the highly coveted Peace Prize to Liu in 2010.

However, earlier this month, Norway's Foreign Minister Borge Brende made an unannounced visit to Beijing and on December 19 the two countries announced a normalization of relations.

We are waiting for Liu to come to Oslo to receive his award

In the two governments' joint statement, they acknowledged the deterioration in the bilateral relationship had been "due to the Nobel Peace Prize award and events connected to the prize." It added, "The Norwegian side is fully conscious of the position and concerns of the Chinese side and has worked actively to bring the bilateral relations back to the right track."

Brende did not mention anything about human rights. That would be expected, particularly if a country is keen to restore economic ties with Beijing again.

According to Norwegian data, in December 2010, exports of whole salmon to China was 1 million kilograms, that plunged to 315,000 kg in January 2011, and 75,000 the month after.

Despite normalization of relations between the two countries, Liu's Peace Prize still stands and we are patiently waiting to watch him go to Oslo to receive it.

Happy Birthday Liu! We have not forgotten you.