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.

Monday, December 31, 2018

Xinjiang (新疆)

Why did Kyrgyz stage a protest outside the Chinese embassy?
The Diplomat, December 29, 2018

几十名 “寒冬”网刊供稿人在中国被逮捕或失踪 (Over 40 Bitter Winter contributors arrested, disappeared in China for Xinjiang coverage)
Radio Free Asia, December 28, 2018

“Now we don’t talk anymore”: Inside the “cleansing” of Xinjiang
ChinaFile, December 28, 2018

Chinese Muslim poet Cui Haoxin fears his people will suffer as history repeats itself in wave of religious repression
Associated Press, December 28, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China's disappeared: A look at who went missing in 2018
Associated Press, December 30, 2018

王炳章预感自己有生命危险 (Imprisoned activist Wang Bingzhang expresses fear for personal safety)
Radio Free Asia, December 30, 2018

廣東維權人士甄江華 被判囚兩年 (Guangdong activist Zhen Jianghua sentenced to 2 years imprisonment for inciting subversion of state power)
The Stand News, December 29, 2018

China releases Canadian teacher but others still held in Huawei row
The Guardian, December 29, 2018

Canadian drug smuggler to face retrial after China says 15 years too lenient
Agence France-Presse, December 29, 2018

In Pictures: Security personnel block wife of detained China lawyer Wang Quanzhang from submitting court petition
Agence France-Presse, December 28, 2018

German rights commissioner slams trial of Chinese lawyer
Deutsche Presse-Agentur, December 27, 2018

Related:
Human Rights Commissioner Kofler on the trial of Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang
Federal Foreign Office of Germany, December 29, 2018

Access to Information (信息公开)

China thwarts U.S. effort to promote American culture on campuses
The New York Times, December 30, 2018

China’s cyber watchdog shuts down 3,500 apps over “pornographic” content
TechNode, December 29, 2018

权健帝国与疫苗之王:“新闻游侠”能否成为中国媒体管制下的曙光 (Are “news rangers” a ray of hope for journalism despite China’s media control?)
BBC News, December 28, 2018

Chinese government departments ordered to sharpen up on social media
Reuters, December 28, 2018

Three years on from Causeway Bay booksellers’ disappearances, mainland Chinese traders of banned books say the business is like selling “cocaine at the price of cabbage”
South China Morning Post, December 28, 2018

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

北大马克思主义学会学生和警卫发生冲突
Chinese students clash with guards over Marxist society crackdown
Financial Times, December 29, 2018

Students defiant as Chinese university cracks down on young Communists
The New York Times, December 28, 2018

Related:
China university students protest Marxist group shakeup
Agence France-Presse, December 29, 2018

Two temporary activities removed from Ministry of Public Security database
China NGO Project, December 28, 2018

历史关头 中国百余公共知识分子为改革奋身呐喊 (100 intellectuals speak out on 40th anniversary of Reform and Opening)
Radio France Internationale, December 30, 2018

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Xi: Upholding Socialism in the new era is a “great social revolution”
The Diplomat, December 29, 2018

Chinese police officers given exemption from prosecution
South China Morning Post, December 29, 2018

Teacher sentenced in Beijing kindergarten abuse scandal
Sixth Tone, December 28, 2018

Beijing’s new man in Macau is a former vice-minister of commerce, with the aim of bolstering ties with Portuguese-speaking countries
South China Morning Post, December 28, 2018

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Beijing turns to facial recognition to combat public housing abuses
South China Morning Post, December 28, 2018

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš hits back at Chinese diplomats’ Huawei and ZTE claims
South China Morning Post, December 28, 2018

Hong Kong (香港)

Give the job of finding land to a dedicated body to solve Hong Kong’s land shortage crisis, says advisory task force
South China Morning Post, December 31, 2018

News outlet HK01 hits back after press freedom watchdog questions its Taiwan independence “disclaimer”
Hong Kong Free Press, December 29, 2018

Deputy director of Beijing’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office steps down, a year late
South China Morning Post, December 29, 2018

Hongkongers gloomy about 2019 – just 30 per cent expect life to improve as US-China trade war and Brexit weigh on economy
South China Morning Post, December 28, 2018

After Tiananmen crackdown, Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew said 200,000 influential Hongkongers should “band together” and bargain if Beijing interfered in city’s affairs
South China Morning Post, December 28, 2018

Commentary (评论)

中國「土地整理」拆老家,是肥了政府還是貧了農民?(China’s “land reorganization”: Profit for the government while exploiting the poor?)
The News Lens, December 31, 2018

Canada, China’s Schellenberg’s retrial and Beijing’s calculating maneuvers
Jerome Cohen, December 31, 2018

Justice chief Teresa Cheng doesn’t think she owes Hong Kong any explanation about the CY Leung case. She’s clueless
South China Morning Post, December 31, 2018

Something to hide? This Christmas, it was not a rights lawyer on trial, but the Chinese legal system itself
Hong Kong Free Press, December 30, 2018

How Hong Kong’s public political discourse was mainlandized in 2018
Hong Kong Free Press, December 29, 2018

巨龍與陰影:五年之後的「一帶一路」(The dragon and the shadow: Five years into Belt and Road)
The Initium, December 29, 2018

We must finally see China for what it truly is
The Globe and Mail, December 27, 2018

Friday, December 28, 2018

Xinjiang (新疆)

Dozens of Bitter Winter reporters arrested
Bitter Winter, December 27, 2018

New details of secret transfer of Uyghurs
Bitter Winter, December 27, 2018

Muslims forced out of jobs, in Xinjiang and beyond
Bitter Winter, December 26, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

李文足今遞函高院 促查王全璋辦案期限 (Li Wenzu submits letter to court, demands correction of gross delay in handling Wang Quanzhang’s case)
Ming Pao, December 28, 2018

Related:
李文足請願遇混亂 有在場人士阻記者採訪 (Security attempts to block Li Wenzu from submitting letter to court, journalists also obstructed)
Radio Television Hong Kong, December 28, 2018

China jails Nanjing blogger for subversion over retweets, slogan
Radio Free Asia, December 27, 2018

Canadian could face death penalty in China over drug smuggling charges
Agence France-Presse, December 27, 2018

Access to Information (信息公开)

Minitrue: No reporting on Mao commemorative events
China Digital Times, December 27, 2018

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Taiwan: Thousands of “yellow vest” protesters call for tax reform
Al Jazeera, December 27, 2018

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Top Chinese officials forced to carry out self-criticisms as Xi Jinping enforces party loyalty
Agence France-Presse, December 28, 2018

One of China’s former top spy chiefs gets life sentence for taking US$15.8 million in bribes, insider trading
South China Morning Post, December 27, 2018

Related:
前国安高官马建被判无期,与郭文贵关系密切
Chinese official tied to billionaire fugitive is sentenced to life in prison
The New York Times, December 28, 2018

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China's answer to U.S. GPS extends coverage beyond Asia Pacific
Bloomberg, December 27, 2018

Chinese home sharing site Xiaozhu to roll out facial recognition-enabled smart locks in Chengdu pilot scheme
South China Morning Post, December 26, 2018

Hong Kong (香港)

立法會公聽會:抗議保安局收緊難民審批程序 (Socialist Action protests at LegCo against security bureau’s tightening of refugee screening process)
Inmediahk.net, December 28, 2018

Elderly homeless man jailed for blocking Umbrella Movement camp clearance free to go after winning sentence appeal
Hong Kong Free Press, December 27, 2018

Biggest pro-Beijing party in Hong Kong calls again for curbs on mainland Chinese tourists to city
South China Morning Post, December 27, 2018

平機會黑箱選主席 社協批不符國際原則 (NGO criticizes appointment of Equal Opportunities Commission chief, calls process “black box operation” for govt appointment of selection committee members)
Inmediahk.net, December 27, 2018

Commentary (评论)

A great shift unseen over the last 40 years
China Change, December 28, 2018

China doesn’t have to keep playing the victim
Foreign Policy, December 27, 2018

Grinch China: Three decades of China’s problem with Christianity
The Diplomat, December 27, 2018

China’s bumbling police state: The only thing protecting human rights from the bureaucracy? Inefficiency.
Wall Street Journal, December 26, 2018

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Xinjiang (新疆)

Anti-Muslim repression expands outside Xinjiang
Bitter Winter, December 25, 2018

China applies Xinjiang’s policing lessons to other Muslim areas
Wall Street Journal, December 24, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

律师王全璋接受不公开庭审,被秘密关押三年
China holds secret trial for rights lawyer after 3 years in detention
The New York Times, December 26, 2018

【王全璋案】多名聲援者被帶走 外交官無法旁聽 法院:將擇期宣判 (Wang Quanzhang trial: Wife, journalists, diplomats barred from attendance, supporters arrested)
The Stand News, December 26, 2018

Related:
王全璋案涉国家秘密不公开审理 择日宣判 (Wang Quanzhang’s case involves state secrets, trial will not be public)
Radio Free Asia, December 26, 2018

Travesty of justice: Free rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang now
Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 26, 2018

律师刘正清面临吊销执业证 (Liu Zhengqing, lawyer who represented Huang Qi and Qin Yongmin, has license revoked for endangering national security)
Radio Free Asia, December 26, 2018

Leading Chinese Marxist student taken away by police on Mao’s birthday
Reuters, December 26, 2018

Related:
毛泽东诞辰日 北大左派学生被警察带走 (Peking University Marxist society student kidnapped by police on Mao’s birthday)
Deutsche Welle, December 26, 2018

Thai court acquits Chinese dissident of immigration-related charges
Radio Free Asia, December 26, 2018

Jailed Taiwan rights activist “treated inhumanely” in Chinese prison: Wife
Radio Free Asia, December 24, 2018

秦永敏狱中传遭迫害 妻子赵素利称其性命垂危
Chinese rights group fears for health of veteran democracy activist
Radio Free Asia, December 24, 2018

Access to Information (信息公开)

For China’s web platforms, the future is sanitized
Sixth Tone, December 26, 2018

British publisher pulls academic journals from China after government complaint
Reuters, December 24, 2018

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Tibetan passport restrictions limit attendance at Dalai Lama prayer gathering
Radio Free Asia, December 26, 2018

“我们不会抛弃信仰”:政府严打下的中国地下教会
As China cracks down on churches, Christians declare, “We will not forfeit our faith”
The New York Times, December 25, 2018

Related:
圣诞在中国:多地再颁圣诞禁令 “洋节”争议显官方对宗教忧虑 (Christmas in China: Multiple provinces issue “Christmas ban,” full police surveillance on public spaces, schools encourage boycott against festival)
BBC News, December 25, 2018

Protestant “house churches” raided in China on Christmas Eve
Radio Free Asia, December 25, 2018

Hong Kong activists send more than 1,000 cards to political prisoners
Radio Free Asia, December 25, 2018

Government Accountability (政府问责)

CPC meeting underlines core status of Xi
Sina English, December 27, 2018

China accuses France of siding with its allies after Paris call for Canadians’ release
South China Morning Post, December 25, 2018

Related:
Germany concerned “political motives” behind China’s detention of Canadians
Agence France-Presse, December 24, 2018

UN members thwart China’s bid to gut funds for Myanmar probe
Human Rights Watch, December 24, 2018

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Company says “smart uniforms” won’t track students
Sixth Tone, December 26, 2018

Huawei vows to push on with 5G development despite bans, Meng Wanzhou arrest
South China Morning Post, December 25, 2018

Related:
华为事件发酵:英国应急服务核心网移除华为设备 (British Telecom confirms removal of Huawei equipment from emergency services network)
BBC News, December 26, 2018

Hong Kong (香港)

Single mainland mothers with children born in city join Christmas Day march to ask for Hong Kong ID cards
South China Morning Post, December 25, 2018

Why Hong Kong rejected Taiwanese singer Freddy Lim’s visa application
South China Morning Post, December 24, 2018

Related:
Taiwan band Chthonic live streams to HK after visa rejection
Focus Taiwan, December 26, 2018

入境處拒林昶佐屬越權兼非法 (Visa denial for Chthonic Freddy Lim is ultra-vires and against the law)
Inmediahk.net, December 24, 2018

Hong Kong justice chief Teresa Cheng under fire after rejecting calls to further explain CY Leung’s UGL payment case
South China Morning Post, December 26, 2018

Related:
鄭若驊說法違背律政司一貫政策 亦違反法治精神 (Teresa Cheng’s explanation is against Department of Justice common practice and spirit of the rule of law, says scholar)
The Stand News, December 27, 2018

Commentary (评论)

Human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang’s secret trial
Jerome Cohen, December 27, 2018

Why the Jasic dispute matters: This year and in the years to come
China Labour Bulletin, December 24, 2018

My declaration: The faith of disobedience
China Change, December 24, 2018

Monday, December 24, 2018

Xinjiang (新疆)

“We are very scared”: Chinese Muslims in Ningxia fear they are next for internment camps
The Telegraph, December 21, 2018

Indonesian Muslims protest China’s detention of Uyghurs
Associated Press, December 21, 2018

Popular Uyghur comedian disappears, believed detained
Radio Free Asia, December 21, 2018

Beijing slams reports of forced labor in Muslim detention camps
The Telegraph, December 21, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China’s death penalty is popular and releasing data will fuel calls for more executions, judge says
Reuters, December 21, 2018

Tiananmen Square protest leader charged with subversion in China's Guangxi
Radio Free Asia, December 21, 2018

加强维稳 广东驱逐异议人士
Dissidents forced to leave China's Guangdong in “stability maintenance” crackdown
Radio Free Asia, December 21, 2018

Access to Information (信息公开)

Chinese tech under the microscope: U.S. agencies step up reviews of research activity on American campuses
South China Morning Post, December 21, 2018

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Hong Kong Christians don all black in show of support for mainland Chinese believers facing crackdown ahead of Christmas
South China Morning Post, December 23, 2018

Related:
China's campaign against Christmas makes celebrating a difficult choice for citizens
Global Voices, December 22, 2018

The crackdown on Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church: A backgrounder
China Change, December 21, 2018

Translation: Monitoring and harassment of Renda workers’ rights group
China Digital Times, December 21, 2018

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China’s State Council makes big changes as heads of nine of 15 agencies are replaced in 2018
South China Morning Post, December 23, 2018

Canada presses China on “arbitrary” detention of citizens
The New York Times, December 22, 2018

Related:
加拿大强烈要求中国放人 美英欧盟齐齐声援 (Canada demands release of detained citizens in China, with support from U.S., U.K., EU)
Voice of America, December 22, 2018

桂林一对夫妻违反“限制消费令”,儿子被迫转学 (Guilin student forced to change schools because education fees violated parents’ “expenses limitations” under social credit blacklist)
The Paper, December 22, 2018

China boosts childcare and maternal health services in bid to lift birth rate
South China Morning Post, December 21, 2018

China says “resolutely opposes” new U.S. law on Tibet
Reuters, December 20, 2018

Related:
President Trump signs Tibet Reciprocity Act into law
Radio Free Asia, December 21, 2018

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

英電訊三巨頭 續用華為鋪5G網 「3英國」簽約200億 軍情六處認陷兩難 (U.K.’s 3 telecom giants proceed with Huawei 5G plan)
Ming Pao, December 24, 2018

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

Exclusive: China hacked HPE, IBM and then attacked clients - sources
Reuters, December 21, 2018

Hong Kong (香港)

稱團隊早思輪住選立會 朱凱廸:做不到議員做議助 (“If not legislator, then assistant,” says Eddie Chu in face of possible further disqualification in 2020)
Ming Pao, December 24, 2018

Taiwanese heavy metal band Chthonic led by pro-independence lawmaker cancels Hong Kong show over work visa issue
South China Morning Post, December 22, 2018

Related:
台湾闪灵乐队不能入境 盘点近期被香港拒签的那些人 (A summary of Hong Kong’s visa denials as Taiwan’s “Chthonic” band barred from entering for concert performance)
BBC News, December 24, 2018

Bar Assoc. urges prosecutors to review decision to drop corruption case against ex-Hong Kong leader CY Leung
Hong Kong Free Press, December 22, 2018

Related:
【UGL事件.短片】民主派稱1200人遊行促鄭若驊交代不檢控梁振英原因 警:高峰時525人 (Protestors march to demand Department of Justice explain decision not to prosecute CY Leung)
Ming Pao, December 23, 2018

Four who attacked ex-lawmaker Nathan Law jailed immediately as judge dismisses “frivolous and vexatious” appeal
Hong Kong Free Press, December 21, 2018

鄭若驊住宅僭建 刑事檢控專員指證據不足不起訴 僅控丈夫潘樂陶 (Secretary of Justice not prosecuted for unauthorized building works for insufficient evidence, only husband charged)
The Stand News, December 21, 2018

Commentary (评论)

中共正在改变改革开放的历史叙事 (CPC is rewriting the history of Reform and Opening Up)
The New York Times, December 24, 2018

Dear Xi Jinping, Hong Kong people are quite gullible…
Hong Kong Free Press, December 23, 2018

China’s Canadian hostages
The New York Times, December 23, 2018

Muslim cleansing: A global pandemic?
Al Jazeera, December 22, 2018

专访艾未未: 人权像空气和水分 (Interview with Ai Weiwei: Human rights are like air and water)
Deutsche Welle, December 21, 2018

A look back at China in 2018
ChinaFile, December 21, 2018

Friday, December 21, 2018

Xinjiang (新疆)

The Uyghur on the front page
China Media Project, December 20, 2018

Muslim Pakistan says outcry over China’s Xinjiang detention camps has been “sensationalised”
Agence France-Presse, December 20, 2018

China's information war against the Uyghurs
The Diplomat, December 20, 2018

How to hide illegal detentions? China gets creative
Bitter Winter, December 19, 2018

陕西省市场监督管理局: 关于废止陕西省地方标准《清真食品认证通则》的通告 (Shaanxi abolishes regulations on halal classification of food products)
Shaanxi Administration for Market Regulation, December 18, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China: UN human rights experts gravely concerned about Huang Qi’s health
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, December 20, 2018

Canadian detained in China questioned daily, no lawyer access, not allowed to turn lights out at night: Sources
Reuters, December 21, 2018

China executes petitioner who killed police officer bringing him home
Radio Free Asia, December 20, 2018

Access to Information (信息公开)

Please welcome China’s WeChat to the #resistance
Buzzfeed, December 19, 2018

Millions employed to manipulate public opinion
Bitter Winter, December 19, 2018

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

海外维吾尔人白宫前抗议北京的新疆政策 (Uyghurs in U.S. hold rally in front of White House to protest Beijing’s Xinjiang policy)
Voice of America, December 21, 2018

美国华人削发 声援709案家属 (Supporters in U.S. shave heads in support of 709 lawyers’ families)
Radio Free Asia, December 20, 2018

Tracking the ever-present danger for workers on the streets of China
China Labour Bulletin, December 20, 2018

Pre-Christmas crackdown on Christians as China escalates religious persecution
Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 20, 2018

LGBT parents challenge stereotypes in China
Reuters, December 20, 2018

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China's top legislature expresses strong indignation at U.S. act on Tibet
Sina English, December 21, 2018

Related:
美国反制西藏旅行限制 中方警告“后果自负” (China responds to U.S. Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, warning of consequences)
BBC News, December 20, 2018

“一带一路”在巴基斯坦:中国暴露军事野心
China’s “Belt and Road” plan in Pakistan takes a military turn
The New York Times, December 21, 2018

Sinopsis: The CCP’s model of social control goes global
China Digital Times, December 20, 2018

BRI language disappears from UN documents
MERICS Newsletter, December 20, 2018

U.S. warns of Chinese influence at multilateral lenders
Financial Times, December 20, 2018

Related:
China should address U.S. concerns on investment and tech transfer to defuse trade war, says World Bank
South China Morning Post, December 20, 2018

Exclusive: Detained Canadian in China also Hungarian, Hungary seeks access - sources
Reuters, December 20, 2018

Related:
Third detained Canadian Sarah McIver given “administrative punishment” for working illegally in China
South China Morning Post, December 21, 2018

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

U.S. accuses Chinese nationals of infiltrating corporate and government technology
The New York Times, December 20, 2018

Related:
Chinese malicious cyber activity
United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, December 20, 2018

美国司法部指控两名中国黑客涉嫌“受国安部指示盗取商业机密” (U.S. accuses 2 Chinese citizens of hacking trade secrets under China’s orders)
BBC News, December 21, 2018

Australia joins condemnation of “huge, audacious” Chinese hacking plot
The Guardian, December 20, 2018

Hong Kong (香港)

【馬建事件】大館發信致歉 未交代決策經過緣由 (Tai Kwun apologizes for cancelling Ma Jian’s event in November)
The Stand News, December 21, 2018

Hong Kong justice officials should seek second opinion on move to drop corruption probe against former city leader CY Leung, Bar Association says
South China Morning Post, December 21, 2018

性騷擾受害人向「突破」報佳音 要求會面及公開道歉 (Sexual harassment victims sing hymns outside church, criticize its silence on accusations against staff member)
Inmediahk.net, December 20, 2018

Hong Kong’s highest court agrees to hear final appeal of former leader Donald Tsang
Hong Kong Free Press, December 20, 2018

Commentary (评论)

How the U.S. should respond to China’s Belt and Road
The Diplomat, December 21, 2018

Why the Greater Bay Area hard sell won’t work on young Hongkongers
South China Morning Post, December 20, 2018

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Xinjiang (新疆)

美媒:新疆“再教育营”强迫劳动商品流入美国 (Products of forced labor in “reeducation camps” have been imported into U.S.)
Deutsche Welle, December 19, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

“The last time I saw Granny Pu”: 85-year-old mother of Chinese dissident seized by police
The Guardian, December 20, 2018

How Chinese activists are “traveled” or “mentally illed”
China Digital Times, December 19, 2018

Warning: Making online jokes about Chinese police may land you in detention
SupChina, December 19, 2018

Access to Information (信息公开)

China's jailed citizen journalists at risk of torture, death: Press freedom group
Radio Free Asia, December 19, 2018

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

“Nothing he was doing was in any way secret,” detained Canadian Michael Kovrig’s employer Crisis Group says
South China Morning Post, December 19, 2018

Why China is getting worse for women
Caixin, December 19, 2018

Related:
China continues to drag its feet on road towards gender equality, but claims success in white-collar work
South China Morning Post, December 19, 2018

Government Accountability (政府问责)

U.S. congressional panel assails China for “severe religious freedom violations” for detaining Christians and closing churches
South China Morning Post, December 20, 2018

Related:
中国宗教寒冬 美议员:习近平打压宗教造成人类毁灭性灾难 (Bitter winter for religion in China: U.S. congressmen say Xi’s crackdown on religious freedom is “taking a devastating human toll”)
Voice of America, December 20, 2018

梵蒂冈认可的中国主教被让位给爱国会主教 (Vatican-accredited bishop forced to retire, seat will pass to China-approved replacement)
Voice of America, December 19, 2018

Third Canadian citizen has been detained in China, Global Affairs Canada confirms
National Post, December 19, 2018

Related:
孟晚舟事件后 第三名在华加拿大公民被拘 (Third Canadian citizen detained in China after Meng’s arrest)
BBC News, December 19, 2018

A defiant Canada is trolling China with Liu Xiaobo’s legacy
Quartz, December 19, 2018

China’s growing footprint in Latin America
China File, December 19, 2018

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

U.S. aims to stall China's efforts to be the global leader in the race for 5G
NPR, December 19, 2018

一帶一路參與國 捷克總理辦公室停用華為手機 (A blow to Belt and Road in Europe: Czech Republic prime minister orders office to stop using Huawei phones)
The Stand News, December 20, 2018

Hong Kong (香港)

Students protest as Hong Kong Shue Yan University takes control of student union office
Hong Kong Free Press, December 19, 2018

Head of Legco legal affairs panel plays down calls for debate of government decision not to prosecute former Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying
South China Morning Post, December 19, 2018

本土研究社:千頃棕土未納發展 政府貶低潛力 (NGO Liber Research Community report reveals government underestimated available brownfields, potential for development)
Inmediahk.net, December 19, 2018

Commentary (评论)

2018 was meant to be Xi Jinping’s year. Then China’s Belt and Road unravelled
South China Morning Post, December 19, 2018

China is blowing a golden opportunity from the Huawei arrest
Bloomberg, December 19, 2018

DQ過後,我們還需要立法會嗎?(Do we still need LegCo after disqualifications?)
Inmediahk.net, December 19, 2018

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Xinjiang (新疆)

Xinjiang authorities arrest Uyghur court official who denounced political re-education camps
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2018

Central Asians cry out over China's secret detention camps
Agence France-Presse, December 18, 2018

Connection or control? On the new Silk Road, two tales of China compete
Christian Science Monitor, December 18, 2018

新疆再教育营:学员被强迫劳动 (Millions of detained Muslims in Xinjiang are forced into labor)
Radio Free Asia, December 17, 2018

拒食猪肉 新疆哈萨克学生遭打压 (Kazakh students detained in meat freezers for protesting Muslims being forced to eat pork, raise pigs)
Radio Free Asia, December 17, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Tiananmen-era dissident reunited with wife, children after U.S. intervention
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2018

709案家属剃发明志:“我们可以无发,你们不能无法!(Wives of 709 lawyers shave heads, protest judicial system ignoring legal process)
Radio Free Asia, December 17, 2018

中国牧师王怡被控颠覆政权罪 (Detained family church pastor charged with subversion of state power)
Radio France internationale, December 15, 2018

Access to Information (信息公开)

报告:中国监禁记者最多 (Reporters Without Borders report: China is still the country with the most imprisoned journalists)
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2018

学者演讲视频被删:忠言逆耳就不行 (Popular video of Renmin University scholar blocked for content critical of Chinese government)
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2018

Hong Kong tabloid with China links tails visiting U.S.-Australian academic
The Guardian, December 18, 2018

Hong Kong’s top lawyers urge release of Chinese rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang – detained for over 3 years
Hong Kong Free Press, December 18, 2018

Related:
大律師公會發聲明 敦促內地盡快釋放維權律師王全璋 (Hong Kong Bar Association urges the mainland to release the rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang)
Radio Television Hong Kong, December 18, 2018

Statement of the Hong Kong Bar Association: Release lawyer Mr. Wang Quanzhang pending trial
Hong Kong Bar Association, December 18, 2018

Elderly Tibetans go back to school to learn to read and write
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2018

网络控制:推特中国用户“遭劫” (Twitter accounts of “sensitive” users hijacked by the authorities, posts deleted)
Radio Free Asia, December 17, 2018

Related:
China’s censors have leapt the Great Firewall to police tweets
Quartz, December 18, 2018

Twitter tumbles on concerns about hacking activity
Reuters, December 18, 2018

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Chinese city bans Christmas decorations in tilt at “clean-city” competition
Telegraph, December 18, 2018

China’s bizarre program to keep activists in check
New Yorker, December 17, 2018

Government Accountability (政府问责)

官方改革大事记:六四仍为“暴乱” (Official chronicle of China in the reform era still designates June Fourth as “riot”)
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2018

This is what Xi Jinping says can help save China from “terrifying tidal waves and horrifying storms”
South China Morning Post, December 18, 2018

Related:
China’s leader says party must control “all tasks,” and Asian markets slump
The New York Times, December 18, 2018

Xi Jinping’s story of reform
China Media Project, December 18, 2018

No way to cut corners and avoid arrest of Huawei executive at U.S. request: Freeland
Montreal Gazette, December 17, 2018

Related:
“There’s a human cost to these political situations”: Chinese arrests all too familiar for past Canadian detainees
South China Morning Post, December 18, 2018

China publishes economic and political wish list for its relationship with the European Union
South China Morning Post, December 18, 2018

地下教会主教郭希锦被要求让出职位 (At Vatican’s request, bishop of Chinese house-church bishop forced to give up position)
Deutsche Welle, December 15, 2018

Related:
China urgently needs “politically reliable,” “religiously knowledgeable” bishops as 50% of Catholic dioceses face vacancies
Global Times December 18, 2018

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Top Henan tourist site waives ticket fees for Huawei users
TechNode, December 18, 2018

Baidu restructures to focus on AI and cloud computing
TechNode, December 18, 2018

Chinese province asks home-sharing platforms to hand over guest and host information to authorities
South China Morning Post, December 17, 2018

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

华为的国家安全风险:西方和盟国联合布防 (Huawei’s national security risk: The West and its allies mount a common defense)
BBC News, December 17, 2018

Related:
【全球抵制】捷克情報部門指華為中興有安全威脅 呼籲停用 (Czech Cyber and Information Security Agency warns against Huawei and ZTE security risks, urges local telecom companies to stay clear)
The Stand News, December 18, 2018

Huawei to spend U.S. $2 billion over 5 years in cybersecurity push
Reuters, December 18, 2018

Huawei’s new playbook in Washington: Drop PR and hire lawyers
Wall Street Journal, December 17, 2018

Hong Kong (香港)

樹仁學生會「斷莊」 校方收回辦事處及民主牆 學生斥收窄言論空間 (Hong Kong Shue Yan University takes back student union democracy wall, office space)
The Stand News, December 19, 2018

Justice Dep’t may give more detail on decision not to prosecute ex-Hong Kong leader CY Leung, says Acting Chief Exec.
Hong Kong Free Press, December 18, 2018

Hong Kong’s top court rejects activist Raphael Wong’s appeal against Umbrella Movement jail sentence
Hong Kong Free Press, December 18, 2018

Implement the Basic Law better, Xi Jinping tells Hong Kong and Macau
South China Morning Post, December 18, 2018

觀察員報告揭發警察違規監控集會 (Civil Rights Observer to file complaint against police unlawfully filming assemblies, targeting individuals)
Inmediahk.net, December 17, 2018

Commentary (评论)

Xi's scary interpretation of the last 40 years of Chinese history
The Diplomat, December 19, 2018

How Xi Jinping is being placed at the very centre of China’s story of reform
Hong Kong Free Press, December 18, 2018

The fate of Huawei foreshadows the fate of China
The Atlantic, December 18, 2018

China got rid of one of the most oppressive practices of the Mao era. Now it’s coming back.
The Washington Post, December 18, 2018

中国为何对国际批评越来越无动于衷
An emboldened China no longer cares what its critics think
The New York Times, December 17, 2018

扩大社会控制 2019中国人权情势堪忧 (As Chinese authorities expand control of society, China’s human rights situation for 2019 is concerning)
Deutsche Welle, December 16, 2018

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Xinjiang (新疆)

Locked away, forgotten: Muslim Uyghur wives of Pakistani men
Associated Press, December 17, 2018

Popular Uyghur singer and parents held in Xinjiang political re-education camp
Radio Free Asia, December 17, 2018

U.S. sportswear traced to factory in China's internment camps
Associated Press, December 17, 2018

Gansu removes 4 halal-linked standards to curb religious extremism
Global Times, December 17, 2018

Access to Information (信息公开)

Minitrue: Approved sources on 1989 spokesman’s death
China Digital Times, December 17, 2018

Related:
Former Chinese official Yuan Mu – who said “not one person died on Tiananmen” – dies at 90
Hong Kong Free Press, December 17, 2018

China launches crackdown on Twitter amid calls for protection of accounts
Radio Free Asia, December 17, 2018

How a red dot kept Chinese-Canadian readers from getting the full story on Huawei
The Star Vancouver, December 14, 2018

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

China's pre-Christmas church crackdown raises alarm
BBC, December 18, 2018

Shenzhen offers Hunan workers pneumoconiosis compensation deal
China Labour Bulletin, December 17, 2018

Four Chinese activists shave heads to protest “persecution” of husbands
Reuters, December 17, 2018

Chinese distiller Yanghe Brewery agrees to raise factory workers’ pay after protest
South China Morning Post, December 17, 2018

Related:
Striking brewery workers clash with police in Jiangsu
Radio Free Asia, December 17, 2018

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China marks 40th anniversary of economic opening up
Al Jazeera, December 18, 2018

Related:
China’s reform, opening-up serve world’s common development
Sina English, December 18, 2018

Xi challenged over direction of China’s economic reforms
Financial Times, December 17, 2018

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Twitter warns of “unusual activity” from China and Saudi Arabia
BCC, December 18, 2018

Google’s secret China project “effectively ended” after internal confrontation
The Intercept, December 18, 2018

Related:
Amnesty welcomes reports of an end to Dragonfly
Amnesty International, December 17, 2018

What do Chinese internet users think of Google's “Dragonfly” project?
Global Voices, December 17, 2018

Czech Republic warns against using Huawei, ZTE products
Associated Press, December 17, 2018

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

Report: China driving use of armed drones in Middle East
Associated Press, December 17, 2018

Hong Kong (香港)

Green group slams Hong Kong’s air quality goals, saying they are too conservative and “a numbers game”
South China Morning Post, December 18, 2018

Lawmaker Claudia Mo and coalition to contest latest requirement added to Hong Kong’s national anthem bill
Hong Kong Free Press, December 17, 2018

Beijing has pledged to protect rights of four Hongkongers jailed for life in the Philippines on drug charges, city’s security chief John Lee says
South China Morning Post, December 17, 2018

Chinese President Xi Jinping praises “courageous” Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam
South China Morning Post, December 17, 2018

Related:
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang praises Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam for city’s “new progress,” including push for innovation and tackling of livelihood issues
South China Morning Post, December 17, 2018

Commentary (评论)

China is holding two Canadians as hostages. It’s not even denying it.
Washington Post, December 18, 2018

China’s crisis of overconfidence
The Diplomat, December 18, 2018

China’s Khashoggi can still be saved
Foreign Policy, December 17, 2018

Monday, December 17, 2018

Xinjiang (新疆)

China’s detention camps for Muslims turn to forced labor
The New York Times, December 16, 2018

Forget Xinjiang’s re-education camps, China’s still a draw for Muslim tourists
South China Morning Post, December 16, 2018

How McKinsey has helped raise the stature of authoritarian governments
The New York Times, December 15, 2018

Prominent Uyghur Muslim cleric believed dead after nearly 30 years in Xinjiang prison
Radio Free Asia, December 14, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Young Tibetans self-immolate in protest
China Digital Times, December 14, 2018

12-year-old in China kills his mother, then returns to school, igniting an outcry
The New York Times, December 14, 2018

Access to Information (信息公开)

China sparks suspicion as it holds release of statistics
Nikkei Asian Review, December 14, 2018

China warns Tibetans not to be taken in ahead of Dalai Lama anniversary
Channel NewsAsia, December 14, 2018

Live-streaming offers possible solution to education inequality in China
SupChina, December 13, 2018

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

The price of progress in China: “We traded our lives for development”
Reuters, December 16, 2018

Chinese workers at Apple supplier Foxconn stage street protest over unpaid bonuses
South China Morning Post, December 16, 2018

China shuts leading underground Christian church, third this winter
South China Morning Post, December 16, 2018

Dissident Chinese poet, Liu Xiaobo supporter dies in Hong Kong
Radio Free Asia, December 14, 2018

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Germany targeting China in new rules about foreign takeovers, media report says
South China Morning Post, December 16, 2018

The U.S. fears China could strangle its only permanent military base in Africa – and a port in Djibouti could be the weapon
Washington Post, December 15, 2018

Mike Pompeo says China should free two Canadians held after Huawei executive’s arrest
The Guardian, December 15, 2018

Related:
China says Canada’s Huawei arrest has “aroused public anger”
Bloomberg, December 14, 2018

Canada’s ambassador to China meets with second detained Canadian
Agence France-Presse, December 17, 2018

“Crushing victory”: What’s next for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s war on corruption?
South China Morning Post, December 14, 2018

Related:
China’s Xi declares an “overwhelming victory” over graft: state media
Reuters, December 15, 2018

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China’s ZTE taps Joe Lieberman for Washington damage control
Politico, December 15, 2018

Apple says it will update software in response to China iPhone ruling that could ban its handsets
South China Morning Post, December 14, 2018

China behind Marriott hotel breach, may be preparing for more hacks
TechSpot, December 12, 2018

Related:
Marriott data breach is traced to Chinese hackers as U.S. readies crackdown on Beijing
The New York Times, December 11, 2018

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong police broke with protocol on body cameras at protests, rights group says
South China Morning Post, December 16, 2018

Activists slam decision not to prosecute Leung
The Standard, December 17, 2018

Related:
Lawmaker threatens legal challenge against Hong Kong Dept. of Justice after it drops ex-leader CY Leung’s prosecution
Hong Kong Free Press, December 14, 2018

Trial ends for nine Umbrella Movement activists, judgment expected in April
Hong Kong Free Press, December 14, 2018

Chinese national anthem to play before Hong Kong lawmakers swear in to legislature under anti-abuse law
South China Morning Post, December 14, 2018

Commentary (评论)

Hong Kong must accept China with all its flaws to keep its privileges, says Christine Loh
Hong Kong Free Press, December 16, 2018

Disqualifying Eddie Chu from a minor office has major implications
Hong Kong Free Press, December 15, 2018

Friday, December 14, 2018

Xinjiang (新疆)

中国新疆拘留营:“扣留”维族人的“模糊准则” (Pakistanis tell stories of Chinese authorities forcibly removing and detaining their Xinjiang wives)
BBC News, December 14, 2018

倡导组织:中国监禁47名记者,半数是维吾尔人(Committee to Protect Journalists report: 47 journalists, half of whom are Uyghurs, imprisoned in China)
Voice of America Chinese, December 14, 2018

中国摄影师卢广在新疆喀什被捕
Acclaimed photographer arrested in far west China, wife says
The New York Times, December 14, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China approves request by jailed activist's wife to visit: Mainland Affairs Council
Focus Taiwan, December 13, 2018

Chinese pastor Wang Yi’s wife Jiang Rong accused of inciting subversion and held in unknown location after Christian crackdown
South China Morning Post, December 13, 2018

Related:
Repression of Christian church intensifies: Protestant pastor, dozens of congregants detained
Human Rights Watch, December 13, 2018

China’s “Banksy” and associate go on trial for defacing city walls with graffiti
South China Morning Post, December 13, 2018

Access to Information (信息公开)

Chinese police shut down “water army” of internet trolls paid U.S. $4.3 million to blitz websites and social media
South China Morning Post, December 13, 2018

Chinese major generals send message of peaceful rise, saying Beijing won’t be “hijacked by populism”
South China Morning Post, December 13, 2018

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Hard cell: Chinese vocational school’s clean-up campaign draws comparison with prison life
South China Morning Post, December 12, 2018

Dutch court rejects Chinese villagers claim to have their Buddha mummy returned
South China Morning Post, December 13, 2018

Government Accountability (政府问责)

EU resolution supports bigger role for Taiwan
Taipei Times, December 14, 2018

北京监察对象达到77.1万人 (771,000 people in Beijing have been identified as targets for monitoring by dynamic identification)
Beijing News, December 14, 2018

中国人权白皮书:仍强调“生存权”(China publishes white paper on human rights, still emphasizes the "right to survive")
Radio Free Asia, December 13, 2018

China says two Canadians suspected of harming state security
Reuters, December 13, 2018

Related:
Role reversal: China cites human rights in spat with Canada
The Conversation, December 14, 2018

两名加拿大公民被采取强制措施(Two Canadians detained, suspected of engaging in activities endangering China’s national security)
Beijing News, December 14, 2018

Three Chinese teachers detained for “stabbing kindergartners with toothpicks”
South China Morning Post, December 13, 2018

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

How the “Five Eyes” cooked up the campaign to kill Huawei
Sydney Morning Herald, December 13, 2018

Beijing no longer requires local governments to work on “Made in China 2025,” but hi-tech ambitions remain
South China Morning Post, December 12, 2018

审查新角度:中国对质疑科技的艺术作品说“不”
Their art raised questions about technology. Chinese censors had their own answer:
The New York Times, December 14, 2018

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong government to appeal High Court decision removing restrictions on protests outside its headquarters
South China Morning Post, December 14, 2018

Binding power of decisions by China’s top legislative body on Hong Kong still open to debate despite court ruling on joint checkpoint, legal experts say
South China Morning Post, December 14, 2018

香港政府将出台《国歌法》 条例草案(Hong Kong government to introduce National Anthem Bill)
Voice of America, December 14, 2018

佔中九子案明年4月9日裁決 鍾耀華:運動在生活中繼續實踐 (“Occupy Nine” ruling to be made on April 9, 2019)
inmediahk.net, December 14, 2018

Commentary (评论)

Who’s afraid of China’s influence?
Australian Strategic Policy Institute, December 13, 2018

What’s going on with Huawei, China, Canada and the U.S.?
Jerome Cohen, December 14, 2018

大陸強拆十字架的兩個原因(Two reasons why mainland authorities demolish church crosses)
inmediahk.net, December 14, 2018

示威集會權利和私有產權之一:公民廣場案(Right to freedom of assembly versus private property rights: the case of Civic Square)
inmediahk.net, December 14, 2018

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Xinjiang (新疆)

Xinjiang authorities “preparing” re-education camps ahead of expected international monitors
Radio Free Asia, December 12, 2018

误遭遣返维族难民被控分裂国家 (Uyghur mistakenly repatriated now charged with splittism)
Deutsche Welle, December 13, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Protestant pastor Wang Yi detained and facing charges in China after raid on his church in Christian crackdown
South China Morning Post, December 13, 2018

Related:
教会遭查封 牧师王怡被控“煽颠” (After raid on his church, pastor Wang Yi charged with inciting subversion of state power)
Radio Free Asia, December 13, 2018

Chinese boy, 12, who stabbed mother to death after row over smoking escapes punishment
South China Morning Post, December 12, 2018

Access to Information (信息公开)

中国是全球监禁新闻工作者第二多的国家 (China ranks second in the number of journalists jailed)
Voice of America, December 13, 2018

Pressure mounts on Chinese Twitter users
China Digital Times, December 12, 2018

Government Accountability (政府问责)

中国逮捕第二名加拿大人,外交争端升级
Second Canadian arrested in China, escalating diplomatic feud
The New York Times, December 12, 2018

Related:
Detained Canadian in China probed for harming national security
Al Jazeera, December 11, 2018

Canadian Michael Spavor “missing” in China after detention of Michael Kovrig
South China Morning Post, December 13, 2018

Foreign NGO employee detained in Beijing
ChinaFile, December 12, 2018

美国国会通过《西藏旅行对等法》(U.S. Senate passes Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act in response to travel limitations to the region)
Radio Free Asia, December 12, 2018

China “expanding” persecution of religious believers: U.S. ambassador
Radio Free Asia, December 12, 2018

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China’s government AI research has risen 400% since 2007
Quartz, December 13, 2018

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

U.S. officials: China tops list of security threats
Voice of America, December 12, 2018

Related:
Senate bill targets Chinese economic espionage
Foreign Policy, December 12, 2018

Hong Kong (香港)

判一地兩檢司法覆核敗訴 接納大陸專家意見 法官周家明:人大常委決定約束港法院 (Court rejects judicial challenge on co-location agreement: NPCSC decisions are binding on Hong Kong courts, judges have no jurisdiction to challenge)
The Stand News, December 13, 2018

Related:
West Kowloon joint checkpoint court judgement erodes Basic Law protections, says lawmaker
Hong Kong Free Press, December 13, 2018

一地兩檢司法覆核敗訴 梁國雄表明上訴 (Long Hair to appeal court's decision on co-location agreement)
Inmediahk.net, December 13, 2018

律政司就封公民廣場違憲案上訴 堅持業權屬政府 有權設限 (DOJ appeals against Court ruling that closing of "Civic Square" was unconstitutional, argues government has property right)
The Stand News, December 13, 2018

Hong Kong Democrats lose 59 members after row over district council elections
South China Morning Post, December 13, 2018

Commentary (评论)

Is China winning its fight against rights at the UN?
Human Rights Watch, December 12, 2018

On “dama,” “daye,” and China’s sexist double standard
Sixth Tone, December 12, 2018