From the International Herald Tribune, via A Glimpse of the World blog (link):
On March 15, the China Consumer Journal named Hao Jinsong one of 10 “consumer rights-defending heroes” of 2005. Last year Hao successfully sued China’s state railroad authorities for failing to provide him with proper receipts on trains, ending a long-held privilege under which the railroad ministry had avoided paying tax.
Hao represents a new breed of activists in China who believe their individual actions can bring about institutional change and who have ingenious strategies for exploring the existing space for citizen participation. In pushing for change, they carefully avoid the confrontational stance adopted by political dissidents. Instead, they pick their fights skillfully.
