Contemporary Issues in China 1.Religious Persecutions: Patriotic Churches 2.Censorship 3.Infanticide 4.Taiwan’s Sovereignty 5.Pollution

I. Religious Persecutions and Patriotic Churches The Chinese government officially recognizes five religions -- Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism, Protestant and Taoism. Authorities require the faithful to belong to "patriotic" churches, mosques and temples. – Government run religious institutions People's Republic of China's Religious Affairs Bureau to exercise state supervision over mainland China's Catholics – Fear of western influences Patriotic Churches are not recognized by the Vatican (Roman Catholic) Church People are forced to worship “underground” There have been cases discrimination towards the Falun gong, Tibetan Buddhists, Catholics, Muslims, and the

II. Censorship Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication or other information – Government While China's censorship laws remain strict, especially in regard to any overt criticism of the government, they appear to wax and wane depending on the political climate – Falung gong, Police Brutality, Pro-Democracy, Tianamen square protests, Tibetan independence, and Taiwan are all blocked – Censored terms on the internet, and many people have become arrested due to posting “Undesired information” – Government run News Agencies and no foreign news agencies are allowed without permission – Social media (twitter and facebook) are under close watch and have been shut down on occasions

Tibet When Tibet became under the control of Peoples’ Republic of China the Tibetan people revolted in 1959 – Fighting lasted 1962 This forced the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and political leader of Tibet to flee into exile Abduction of the 11 th Panchen Lama Tenzin Gyatso: 14 th Dalai Lama

Self Immolations There have been series of Tibetan monks in China that have immolated (set fire) themselves in protest of the Chinese government. Most of these instances have been censored in the media

Tiananmen Square Protest, 1989 Student led protest, that demanded the need for more democracy in People’s Republic of China

Tiananmen Square, 1989 Student activist, Wang Dan, Beijing University

Tiananmen Square, 1989 Democracy—Our Common Ideal!

Tiananmen Square, 1989 The “Goddess of Democracy”

Tiananmen Square, 1989 The Government brutally suppressed the peaceful protest

Tiananmen Square, 1989 One Lone Man’s Protest

Tiananmen Square, 1989 The Massacre: The People’s Army Moves In

Tiananmen Square, 1989 The Army Looks for Dissidents

Tiananmen Square, 1989 Student Leaders Are Arrested

Tiananmen Square, 1989 Chinese Students Mourn the Dead

Tiananmen Square, 1989 Today children are not taught about the Tiananmen Square massacre, and people cannot search it online.

III. Infanticide Infanticide – Killing of children (infants) One Child Policy requires families to have only one offspring in order to combat over population In China the traditional preference for male offspring, along with the central government's one-child-only policy, have combined to create rising levels of female infanticide. In rural China where boys are valued as extra hands who will support their parents in their old age. Girls, who by custom move in with their in-laws after marriage, are viewed as damaged goods. If a baby if unwanted, she is abandoned, suffocated or drowned soon after birth.

IV. Taiwan’s Sovereignty One China Policy – The “One China” policy states that all countries bordering the Straights of Taiwan should be a part of the PRC As a policy, this means that countries seeking diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) must break official relations with the Republic of China (ROC) and vice versa.

V. Pollution Rapid industrialization in the 21 st century is creating pollution issues in the PRC. Only 1% of the country’s 560 million city dwellers breathe air considered safe by the European Union, because all of its major cities are constantly covered in a "toxic gray shroud." Air pollution was already causing 350,000 to 400,000 premature deaths a year. Indoor pollution contributed to the deaths of an additional 300,000 people – agewanted=all&_r=0 agewanted=all&_r=0