NPR -- China's Environment

China's Rapid Development and the Environment: Critics say that China's rapid economic growth leads to pollution in the air and water, and leaves mountains of untreated waste. In one recent incident, an explosion at a Chinese chemical plant spilled benzene into a major river, cutting off the water supply to thousands. As part of an ongoing series on China in the 21st century, experts and guests examine the country's environmental record.

Hunan Update

China suspends some adoptions: Chinese authorities have temporarily halted adoptions in some regions of Hunan province because of a continuing investigation of a baby-trafficking scandal, a senior Hunan official said. The official denied, however, that the scandal has prompted China to suspend all adoptions from Hunan, one of the main sources of Chinese children adopted by Canadians.

News

Govt calls on protecting migrant children: Numbering nearly 20 million and mostly lacking resident registration, Chinese migrant children are facing severe difficulties protecting their rights, said a Chinese government official here Friday.

Most Young Chinese Prefer to Have One Child: An extensive survey of university students show that less than a third of them hope to have more than one child.

China to end welfare heating in 2007: Urban residents in northern China will have to pay for their cozy winter living by the end of 2007. . . . Regarded as a public welfare service, heating has been free for urban residents who work in State-owned enterprises or governmental organizations in northern China since the 1950s.

Kung fu film breaks China records: Kung fu epic film The Promise has taken $9m in its first four days of release, making it the biggest-ever movie opening in China.

NPR on China's Economy

NPR -- China's Economy Larger Than Thought: China has discovered $300 billion in its economy, thanks to an updated accounting system that is better able to track the private sector. Many expect revised economic data being released next week to show the country's economy to be about 20 percent larger than thought.

Hunan -- Conflicting Information

There is conflicting information circulating on the internet about the closure of Hunan adoption. Here is the latest:

From Brian Stuy, posted to APC --

Over the years, I have had contact with scores of directors from orphanages I have visited. Sometimes I make further contact with them to get their opinions on events involving adoption.

This week I spoke with one such director, and he told me he had just been at a director's meeting where it had been announced that the CCAA was halting adoptions from Hunan until further notice. He did not indicate whether this would impact already-referred children and families with TAs.

Time will quickly show is this information is accurate or not. I believe it is solid.

From Jane Liedtke, forwarded to APC --

We have contacted CCAA and the Hunan Provincial Adoption Center (twice) and none of the orphanages in Hunan are closed to international adoptions. One orphanage director at a county orphanage in Hengyang is under investigation. They report that all Hunan adoptions are in a "go" situation not a stopped situation.

Local Story

Adopting a whole new outlook on life: The newborn Chinese girls were placed in cardboard boxes and left in front of welfare agencies. Some were abandoned in grocery markets. One set of twins was deserted in the early morning on the front steps of a primary school. More than 200 Chinese-born girls -- from infants to adolescents -- with similar stories gathered at the Huntington Townhouse yesterday for a holiday party at which the bleakness of their origins was outshone only by the brightness of their collective future.

China Related TV

China Sprout posts a much-appreciated weekly guide for China Related TV listings.

Hunan Adoption

This e-mail from Brian Stuy has been circulating on a number of adoption e-mail lists.

I'm in China, so don't know if this has hit Stateside yet, but the CCAA has closed Hunan Province to adoptions until further notice. Apparently the issues with the baby smuggling are raising additional concerns, so to avoid international censure they are closing down this one Province for adoptions. Additionally, I think you have heard the the Chinese government has prohibited Chinese newspapers from reporting on this event anymore. These two events show that the Hunan story is not yet close to resolution, and thus was broader than most people initially thought. Brian

Brian as also writted this open letter the the CCAA:

... I can only assume that China is working from a position of determination to make sure events that occurred in Hunan are not common place, and are resolved quickly. I can only assume that there is no desire to cover-up what has been discovered to be wide-spread kidnapping and selling of China's daughters. As adoptive families, we trust that this is the case. Thus, we can view the just-announced closing of Hunan Province to further adoptions as a precautionary measure designed to show that the CCAA and the government are on top of things, and are acting to return the adoption program to complete integrity and legitimacy. ...

Featured Flickr Photo

Saturday Morning -- Calmness
The calmness reflected here is not representative of the bustling saturday morning crowd.

(This series of shots are taken in Cheng Huang Miao, Shanghai)

(Courtesy of Ya Ya)

Local Story

Holding pattern: A Chinese foster mother rocks a baby girl to sleep, each night repeating the same soothing words: "I wish you always happiness to fill your heart, wisdom to fill your mind, and confidence in faith to fill your spirit. May you live your life being your true, authentic self."