Roundup - 08/12/2009

• Seven boys and a girl, aged between, 11 and 14, have died in a stampede at a school in Hunan province. The accident occurred at about 9.10pm in Yucai Middle School in Xiangxian city, a private school considered one of the city's best. 26 other pupils were injured. The crush occurred as approximately 400 of the schools 3,500 pupils were leaving their evening lessons via a stairwell. Xinhua reports that the crush began when one student tripped on the stairs, toppling several others. However, some Chinese media has reported that the crush was due to a group of boys blocking the exit. An unidentified official told Associated Press that the Education Ministry had taken over the running of the school and was investigating the headmaster and chair of the board of governors.
  
  
  
• With the Climate summit in Copenhagen now underway, Chinese officials have been making statements emphasising China's contribution the the fight against climate change. Xie Zhenhua, Vice-Minister in charge of China's National Development and Reform Commission has claimed that China's recent announcement of cuts in carbon intensity has been a major boost to the summit. Mr Xie also reiterated the Chinese position that responsibility fell mainly on the developed world to combat climate change.
  
  Meanwhile, at the conference itself, it was the Sudanese delegation, as head of the G77, which did most of the talking. Ambassador Ibrahim Mirghani Ibrahim maintained that the Kyoto Protocol's differentiate responsibility should be continued at least until 2020.
  
  
  
• Taiwans opposition Democratic Progressive Party is pushing hard after its success in local elections at the weekend. It claims that a trade pact with China planned by President Ma Yingjiu will cost Taiwan 1.6 million jobs and up to 4 million may see their 'employment opportunities influenced.'
  
  President Ma is also being fined NT$500,000 for siting a voter survey before ahead of the elections.
  
  
  
• The Guardian(UK) has an article on Liu Xiaobo, the Chinese dissident. It says that his wife, Liu Xia, is losing hope for his release. He was detained in 2008 a day before the publication of Charter 08, a document calling for democratic reforms which Liu co-authored. In June he was formally arrested for inciting the subversion of state power, a crime that carries a sentence of up to 15 years.
  
  Human Rights Watch has said that Beijing is currently weighing up its options and that this may be a case where international pressure could have an effect. The US House of Representatives and internationally famous writers such as Umberto Eco and Margaret Atwood have led the calls for his release.
  
  Charter 08 was the most publicised dissident statement in recent years. Thousands had signed their name to it before all mention of it was removed from China's online community.
  
  
  
• Figures show that China has overtaken Britain and New Zealand as Australia's biggest source of migrants. 6,350 arrived in Australia in four months leading to October compared with 5,800 from Britain and 4,740 from New Zealand.