Roundup - 18/12/2009

• The battle-lines between China and the USA have been redrawn by Hilary Clinton's announcement of a $100 million fund at the Copenhagen summit. The announcement yesterday was aimed at breaking a deadlock between developing and developed nations over who would pay for the fight against climate change. Clinton tied the $100 million to China agreeing to international monitoring of its cuts in carbon intensity.
  
  Premier Wen Jiabao said last night that China would not accept any deal which violated its sovereignty although he did make some concessions over information sharing.
  
  On the last day of the summit hopes are fading for any meaningful climate deal, though some hope remains for a deal next year. Some commentators suggest this is in part due to the impressive negotiating skills of the Chinese delegation. China has managed to use its relationship with the G77 and Basic(Brazil, South Africa, India and China) to defend its position throughout the summit, making few concessions to the developed world.
  
  
  
• China is seeking the return of 22 Uighurs from Cambodia. The Uighurs fled China after the riots in Xinjiang in July. They are believed to have been helped by Christian charities which normally help North Koreans to get to countries where they can seek asylum. China has stated that it does not believe that the refugee system should be a hiding place for criminals. However, considering the possibility of torture an possibly execution on their return, Cambodia can find firm legal ground for not sending the Uighurs back to China.
  
  
  
• An anti-corruption website has received over 13,800 allegations since its opening at the end of October. The website www.12388.gov.cn is designed to allow netizens to report allegations of corruption to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. State media claims that high ranking officials in Beijing, Heilongjiang, Guangdong and Henan have been punished as a result of being reported on the site although only one case is detailed. An official in Heilongjiang had accepted brides of up to 20 million RMB.