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.

Thursday, March 01, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China detains relatives of U.S. reporters in apparent punishment for Xinjiang coverage
The Washington Post, February 28, 2018
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/china-detains-relatives-of-us-reporters-in-apparent-punishment-for-xinjiang-coverage/2018/02/27/4e8d84ae-1b8c-11e8-8a2c-1a6665f59e95_story.htm

Xi sets China on a collision course with history
习近平欲重塑威权主义,中国走向与历史相悖之路
The New York Times, February 28, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/28/world/asia/xi-jinping-china.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20180301/xi-jinping-china/

Related:
First term limits ... now Xi Jinping to shake up the state to tighten Communist Party’s grip on government
South China Morning Post, February 28, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2135165/first-term-limits-now-xi-jinping-shake-state-tighten

A summer vacation in China’s Muslim Gulag
Foreign Policy, February 28, 2018
http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/02/28/a-summer-vacation-in-chinas-muslim-gulag/

Related:
新疆:一个露天监狱 (Xinjiang: A roofless prison)
Voice of America, March 1, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/uyghur-freedom-china-20180228/4275386.html

江西宜春四访民计划进京 未启程已被村官打昏 (4 petitioners in Jiangxi stopped and beaten by local cadres before departure for Beijing)
Radio Free Asia, February 28, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql3-02282018100914.html

大智立法——五年25部新法出台的背后 (NPC Standing Committee passes 25 new laws in past 5 years, counts “building the framework for a national security legal system with Chinese characteristics” among its achievements)
Xinhua News Agency, February 27, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/legal/2018-02/27/c_1122461914.htm

Access to Information (信息公开)

China's top paper says reform does not mean life-long presidency
Reuters, March 1, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-politics/chinas-top-paper-says-reform-does-not-mean-life-long-presidency-idUSKCN1GD3LF

China stifles critics of plan to extend Xi Jinping’s reign
The Wall Street Journal, February 28, 2018
https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-stifles-critics-of-plan-to-extend-xi-jinpings-reign-1519838066

How China’s media sold Xi Jinping’s power grab
The New York Times, February 28, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/video/world/asia/100000005771054/how-chinas-media-sold-xi-jinpings-power-grab.html

Related:
「抱歉,此內容違反了《規定》」──2017年微博審查回顧 (“Sorry, the content violates relevant laws and regulations”: A summary of Weibo censorship in 2017)
The Initium, March 1, 2018
https://theinitium.com/article/20180301-opinion-fukingwah-weibo/

全国律协:律师微信朋友圈发相关信息也可能被认为是业务推广 (All China Lawyers Association issues new rule on lawyers promoting business: Information on WeChat Moments to be regulated)
The Paper, February 28, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2012707

Related:
中华全国律师协会律师业务推广行为规则(试行) (Code of Conduct for Lawyers to Promote Business of the All China Lawyers Association (for Trial Implementation))
All China Lawyers Association, February 2, 2018
http://www.acla.org.cn/article/page/detailById/22483

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

两会前夕 海外中国学生学者致信全国人大反击性骚扰 (Chinese students overseas sign open letter urging NPC members to take actions against sexual harassment)
Voice of America, March 1, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/chinese-anti-sexual-harrassment-20180228/4275433.html

Proposed removal of Chinese leader’s term limit meets with public resistance
China Change, February 28, 2018
https://chinachange.org/2018/02/28/proposed-removal-of-chinese-leaders-term-limit-meets-with-public-resistance/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

129名公职人员充当黑保护伞 猫鼠一家有多可怕 (129 government employees including police officers found of mafia involvement in Heilongjiang)
China Youth Daily, February 28, 2018
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/nd/2018-02-28/doc-ifwnpcns4436099.shtml

中国共产党第十九届中央委员会第三次全体会议公报 (The third CPC plenary session highlights key task of Party and state institutional reform to “ensure total coverage of party leadership”)
Xinhua News Agency, February 28, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/2018-02/28/c_1122468000.htm

Why build Kenya’s first coal plant? Hint: Think China
肯亞首座煤電廠背後的中國煤炭擴張潮
The New York Times, February 27, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/27/climate/coal-kenya-china-power.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/business/20180228/coal-kenya-china-power/zh-hant/

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

别让大数据沦为侵害消费者权益的帮凶 (Don’t let Big Data become accomplice in violating consumers’ rights)
The Beijing News, March 1, 2018
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/opinion/2018/03/01/477357.html

China takes a bite out of Apple privacy claims
Deutsche Welle, February 28, 2018
http://www.dw.com/en/china-takes-a-bite-out-of-apple-privacy-claims/a-42769851

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

Is China using “divide and rule” tactics to gain influence in Europe?
South China Morning Post, March 1, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2135244/china-using-divide-and-rule-tactics-gain-influence

Senate passes Taiwan travel bill that has angered China
Reuters, March 1, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-taiwan-china/senate-passes-taiwan-travel-bill-that-has-angered-china-idUSKCN1GD3HI

Hong Kong (香港)

UK watchdog urges fair trials for Hong Kong activists; suggests stripping Justice Sec. of prosecution power
Hong Kong Free Press, March 1, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/01/uk-watchdog-urges-fair-trials-hong-kong-activists-suggests-stripping-justice-sec-prosecution-power/

Budget 2018: Pro-democracy lawmakers say budget “perpetuates wealth gap” and offers little for the poor
Hong Kong Free Press, March 1, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/01/budget-2018-pro-democracy-lawmakers-say-budget-perpetuates-wealth-gap-offers-little-poor/

Anthony Wong: Hong Kong actor on looking for his father
黃秋生- 混血影帝笑看身世 「本來無一物,何處惹塵埃?」
British Broadcasting Corporation, February 28, 2018
EN: http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-43215669/anthony-wong-hong-kong-actor-on-looking-for-his-father
CH: http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-43040787/

Commentary (评论)

十九屆三中全會做了三件事 (Three highlights in third CPC plenary session)
British Broadcasting Corporation, February 28, 2018
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-43231803

Xi Jinping's unsettling approach to governing modern China
Reuters, February 28, 2018
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/china-president-xi-jinping-removal-term-limits-9997962

Can governments protect human rights?
Al Jazeera, February 28, 2018
https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2018/02/governments-protect-human-rights-180228120714275.html

The myth of a kinder, gentler Xi Jinping
The Atlantic, February 27, 2018
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/02/xi-jinping-authoritarianism-china/554375/

Welcome to Xi Jinping's new era
The Diplomat, February 27, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/02/welcome-to-xi-jinpings-new-era/

Xi Jinping’s abolition of the term limit ruptures assumptions of party’s adaptability and stability
任期制取消堪比皇族內閣
The Reporter, February 26, 2018
EN: https://chinachange.org/2018/02/27/xi-jinpings-abolition-of-the-term-limit-ruptures-assumptions-of-partys-adaptability-and-stability/
CH: https://www.twreporter.org/a/opinion-xi-to-stay-in-power