The HRIC Daily Brief is a daily selection of news stories and commentary related to human rights in China, drawn from Chinese- and English-language news and online media sources that we monitor daily. In addition to headlines and source links, HRIC also provides English translation of Chinese headlines.

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Chinese rights activists fearful as policeman takes charge of legal affairs
Reuters, March 21, 2018
https://goo.gl/ozEfPJ

Related:
Chinese dissident and official trade barbs at UN human rights meeting
The Guardian, March 20, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/20/chinese-dissident-and-official-trade-barbs-at-un-human-rights-meeting

China sets up state monitoring agency with sweeping powers to detain
新《国家监察法》威胁中国基本人权
Radio Free Asia, March 20, 2018
EN: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/powers-03202018151434.html
CH: https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/nu-03202018105808.html

Tibetan man detained after villagers protest Chinese mine plans
Radio Free Asia, March 20, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/mine-03202018170709.html

陕西安康一男子篡改歌曲讥讽交警并发到微信群,被行政拘留 (Shaanxi man detained for remixing a song to satirize police in WeChat)
The Paper, March 20, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2035367

西安网警:一公众号发文歪曲事实损害警察形象,两人被罚款 (Xi’an public account administrator fined for publishing article that “damages” police image)
The Paper, March 20, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2034855

Access to Information (信息公开)

A Beijing bookstore where George Washington is on the shelves
一家門口掛著《獨立宣言》的北京書店
The New York Times, March 20, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/20/world/asia/beijing-bookstore-allsages.html
CH: https://goo.gl/dLjvjJ

今天起,电影管理工作划入中共中央宣传部 (Publicity Department of Communist Party to oversee China’s film sector)
Chinafilm.com, March 20, 2018
http://www.chinafilm.com/xyfx/4136.jhtml

Related:
China tightens grip on media with regulator reshuffle: Communist Party document
Reuters, March 21, 2018
https://goo.gl/s2pwDt

China approves giant propaganda machine to improve global image
Bloomberg, March 20, 2018
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-20/china-to-open-manufacturing-cut-tariffs-and-taxes-premier-says

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Professor accused of sexual abuse to resign, says University
Sixthtone, March 21, 2018
http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1001927/Professor%20Accused%20of%20Sexual%20Abuse%20to%20Resign,%20Says%20University

Tibet and India’s China policy
The Diplomat, March 20, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/03/tibet-and-indias-china-policy/

Xi Jinping: How China's president got ahead, in hats
British Broadcasting Corporation, March 20, 2018
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-43480624

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Yunnan to open first Biobank for ethnic minorities
Sixthtone, March 21, 2018
http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1001937/Yunnan%20to%20Open%20First%20Biobank%20for%20Ethnic%20Minorities

闯红灯,个人信息被当场曝光!网友吵翻,交警回应… (Shenzhen police release jaywalkers’ photos and personal information online, netizens debate right to privacy versus public safety)
China Youth Online, March 20, 2018
http://news.cyol.com/content/2018-03/20/content_17035552.htm

National Security & Counterterrorism (国家安全和反恐)

China trials unmanned tanks in latest modernization push
Reuters, March 21, 2018
https://goo.gl/ye9AGS

Xi Jinping tries to rally support for Chinese dream in nationalist speech
South China Morning Post, March 20, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2138112/xi-jinping-tries-rally-support-chinese-dream

Related:
China sends carrier through Taiwan Strait after Xi Jinping warning against separatism
Reuters, March 21, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2138165/china-sends-carrier-through-taiwan-strait-after-xi

We are helping, not infiltrating other countries, says Chinese premier
The Sydney Morning Herald, March 20, 2018
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/we-are-helping-not-infiltrating-other-countries-says-chinese-premier-20180320-p4z5b0.html

Hong Kong (香港)

Exco member Regina Ip upstages new lawmakers by chanting slogans at Legco swearing-in
South China Morning Post, March 21, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2138145/exco-member-regina-ip-upstages-new-lawmakers-chanting

Related:
Advocates of ending “one-party dictatorship” cannot serve in Hong Kong legislature, says Chinese official in Macau
Hong Kong Free Press, March 20, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/20/advocates-ending-one-party-dictatorship-cannot-serve-hong-kong-legislature-says-chinese-official-macau/

Hong Kong’s top court clears the way for 13 land protesters to appeal
Hong Kong Free Press, March 21, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/21/hong-kongs-top-court-clears-way-13-land-protesters-appeal/

林鄭出席黨慶捐3萬 民主黨尹兆堅:不滿施政就拒邀請是極端 (Carrie Lam donates 30k to Democratic Party’s Gala, leader says “it would be too extreme" not to invite her)
Inmedia, March 21, 2018
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1055904

66 per cent discount on land fees for Hong Kong’s elite sports clubs draws fire, but minister defends plan
South China Morning Post, March 21, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/2138177/66-cent-discount-land-fees-hong-kongs-elite-sports-clubs

Commentary (评论)

一黨專政 (One Party dictatorship)
Mingpao, March 21, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20180321/s00022/1521563522911

補選後的香港民主派統合困局 (The political quagmire of Hong Kong's democratic camp post by-election)
The Initium, March 21, 2018
https://theinitium.com/article/20180321-opinion-mangok-311-hong-kong/

What the West doesn’t get about Xi Jinping
西方世界沒有讀懂習近平
The New York Times, March 20, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/20/opinion/xi-jinping-china-west.html
CH: https://goo.gl/L7gzZB/

China: New Supervision Law a systemic threat to human rights
Amnesty International, March 20, 2018
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/03/china-new-supervision-law-threat-to-human-rights/

Xi Jinping: How China's president got ahead, in hats
British Broadcasting Corporation, March 20, 2018
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-43480624