Human Rights & China’s issues Today 3-6-17

1. Human Rights & China’s issues Today 3-6-17 • Aim: What are some contemporary issues China has faced • Do Now: What constitutes a human right?” • –turn to UN lesson resource for help to answer this question.

2. In April 1989, students turned public mourning for Hu Yaobang (Party Chief who had pushed for reforms and had died of cancer) into the protracted Tiananmen protests These pro-democracy protests were crushed when Deng Xiaoping ordered the army into the square in 1989.

4. In the spring of 1989 student began to congregate at Tiananmen Square in Beijing which is the largest square in China • The students wanted greater freedom, and end to corruption • The government saw the protesters as a threat to their rule and threaten to strike at them but the students refused to go • The whole world watched all this on the news.

6. What was a goal of the student protestors in Tiananmen Square in 1989? (1) independence for Taiwan (2) removal of troops from South Korea (3) access to foreign products 4) democratic reforms In 1989, the goal of the protest movement staged by Chinese students in Tiananmen Square was to bring about democratic reforms (2) improve job opportunities in the military (3) expand foreign investment in Hong Kong (4) limit the amount of land designated for the “responsibility system” • In the late 1970s, the Chinese government created the one-child policy because its leaders realized that there is a direct relationship between population growth and (1) military strength (2) economic development (3) social mobility (4) political toleration

7. Deng Xiaoping’s Successes • 1984 successful negotiation to return Hong Kong to the Chinese • Agreed that HK would be returned to China in assurance that it would keep its economic and social systems • Leads to mass emigration (a lot to Richmond) in fears of the changeover – 80’s and 90’s • HK acts like a SEZ • Instead of China bringing down HK, it seems that the success in HK has become a model for China to follow

8. Hong Kong • 1997 – Hong Kong returned to China by British. • Allowed to keep capitalist economy • Today – China – Capitalist but not Democratic

9. In 1979 China announced the “one-couple, one-child” policy. • Couples who agreed to have only one child got better housing, free medical care, and pay increases. • Those who did not comply were fined, had their salaries reduced, and even lost their jobs. • Urban couples are allowed one child , while rural couples are often allowed to have two children. • This policy may be reviewed again in decade.

10. Success or Failure? One Child Policy 1979 • 1980 China has 1 billion people • Began as a temporary measure but lasts to today and will continue (reassessment in 2010) • Has been limited to urban populations • Fines, pressures to abort a pregnancy, and forced sterilization accompanied second or subsequent pregnancies

11. In the late 1970s, the Chinese government created the one-child policy because its leaders realized that there is a direct relationship between population growth and (1) military strength (2) economic development (3) social mobility (4) political toleration

12. Effects of One Child Policy • Caused a disdain for female babies • abortion, neglect, abandonment, and even infanticide • 114 males for every 100 females (world average is 105:100) • “Little Emperor Syndrome” of spoiled only children • Estimated to have lowered the population by 300 million • 80’s generation now of childbearing age and are allowed to have two per couple (if you don’t have siblings)

13. PRC’s “One China” Policy • Since the 1990s, there has a been a gradual shift towards referring to the ROC as "Taiwan" due to the PRC's One-China policy of diplomatically isolating the ROC from the international community. • The Taiwan independence movement (autonomy) on the island has raised a political status issue, and the party lost its rule. • The PRC claims Taiwan is one of its provinces that must be reunited with the mainland and threatens military invasion if Taiwan island declares independence. • The Communist Party is still the ruling party of PRC China today, now the 2nd largest economy of the world.

14. What’s it like today? • Things are getting better for the people to travel and do business between the two sides. • Today, Taiwanese business people are free to enter China and set up factories (under some supervision). In fact, there are many Taiwanese people living in China. But Chinese people are not yet doing much business in Taiwan yet. • Taiwanese tourists are allowed to visit China. Recently, Chinese tourists are also allowed to visit Taiwan, but only in groups. • Direct flights between the two sides were only started in 2009. Before that, all flights had to go through HK. • But, the political dispute is still there, and military tension is still high.