01-23-08

中國說去年關閉四萬四千多個色情網站 (China Says it Shut Down 44-Thousand Pornographic Web sites Last Year)

中國國營媒體說，當局去年關閉了4萬4千多個網站，作為全國範圍打擊網路色情的一部分。官方新華通訊社說，800多人在這次嚴打中被捕，大約2000人受到懲處。當局說，打擊網路色情的活動將繼續到2008年北京舉辦奧運會之後。

人權組織說，當局利用打擊網路色情活動作為藉口，在2008年北京奧運到來之前壓制異見，逮捕異議人士。中國的網民人數2007年增加到2億1千萬，今年可能超過美國，成為世界上網民人數最多的國家。報導說，政府將加強管制刊載音像、博客以及向手機發送資訊的網站。

Chinese state media say authorities shut down more than 44-thousand Web sites last year as part of a nationwide crackdown on Internet porn. The official Xinhua news agency says more than 800 people have been arrested and about two-thousand penalized in connection with the effort. Authorities say the crackdown will continue until after the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Rights groups have said the campaign is being used as an excuse to crackdown on dissent and round up dissidents ahead of the 2008 Games. China's Internet population soared to 210-million people in 2007 and it could surpass the United States this year to become the world's largest. The report says the government will increasingly concentrate on Web sites that have audio or video, blogging or send information to cell phones.

法國總統與新加坡總理討論緬甸問題 (French President and Singaporean Prime Minister Discuss Burma)

法國總統薩爾科齊本星期在新加坡總理李顯龍訪問法國期間，討論了緬甸的政治危機。薩爾科齊在會談中說，緬甸人民不能被遺忘。他還對李顯龍說，他相信緬甸是東盟團結的一個障礙。

李顯龍表達了新加坡對聯合國化解緬甸危機努力的支援，強調外交的重要性。李顯龍星期三結束了對法國的訪問。緬甸去年血腥鎮壓支援民主的抗議人士之後，歐洲國家敦促東盟對緬甸採取更加強硬的立場。但是包括緬甸為成員國的東盟迄今為止不願對緬甸採取制裁或者其他強硬措施。

French President Nicolas Sarkozy discussed Burma's political crisis during a visit by Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to France this week. During their talks, Mr. Sarkozy said the Burmese people must not be forgotten. He also told Mr. Lee he believes Burma is an obstacle to the cohesion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN.

Mr. Lee voiced Singapore's support for United Nations efforts to resolve the crisis, stressing the importance of diplomacy. Mr. Lee concludes his visit to France today (Wednesday). After Burma's bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters last year, European nations urged ASEAN to take a tougher stance on Burma. But so far, the group -- which includes Burma -- has been unwilling to use sanctions or other tough measures.