Hu's in the news again

Sky presented a rare look at the way in which Chinese authorities are evicting poor residents in order to make way for developments. “We went to the Chinese media that they wouldn’t report it,” complained one man who had been reduced to living in a tent. “This is the flip side to Chinese growing development”, Sky’s correspondent declared. Footage of pitched battles in rural provinces last year are further proof of growing unrest in the wake of the displacement of the poorest of China’s people in order to build new roads, factories, and office developments.
Only days later it was reported that President Hu had expressed a view that economic progress was of lesser importance to that of improving the lives of ordinary people [BBC]. "We are concerned about the pace of development and the quality and the effect of our growth," he said during a meeting in Beijing with former Taiwan opposition leader Lien Chan. And Sky also received and angry response from the Chinese government. A spokesman admitted the pictures were “not good” for China’s image in the run up to the 2008 Olympics. Counsellor Zhang Lirong instisted the people shown in the report were isolated cases. “I will not deny that it happens in China but I do think they’re individual cases” he told Sky News, “China is in a period of rapid economic development and there are many problems we face” [Sky]. On the issue of Taiwan, President Hu has continued requested new talks on Taiwan [BBC / CNN]. But Taiwan has rejected recent offers from China.