...China hasn't exactly been known as a bastion of workers' rights. But the country's new labor regulations—which took effect Jan.1—are designed to better protect workers' rights...The new mandates have also hiked labor costs...Auret van Heerden, president and CEO of the...Fair Labor Association, recently visited China...NEWSWEEK's...spoke with him...[van Heerden said:] Implementation and enforcement are traditionally the weakest points of labor law in China...[but]...the government is saying, "We'll create a proper contract between workers and employers and give workers the means of enforcing their own contracts."...There have already been strikes about it...There have been a couple of high-profile cases of strikes against dismissal involving Hong Kong-listed companies. [also referes to Nine Dragons Paper]