China's hugely controversial "re-education" labour camps [a.k.a. laojiao] are set to be abolished this year, state media…quoted a senior legal official…[T]he widely criticised system - where people can be sentenced to up to four years' "re-education" by a police panel, without an open trial...About 60,000 people are detained in the camps, officials say…Opponents say the camps are used to silence government critics…Currently, people sentenced under the laojiao system are forced to perform manual labour such as farm or factory work [some products from which are sold through brands]…The scheme has faced growing criticism for being open to abuse and public anger has erupted over sentences deemed too harsh…