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.

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

國家《監察法》草案指可將被調查人「留置」特定場所 (NPC reviews draft of Supervision Law, suspects could be held at designated location for up to 6 months without trial)
Radio Television Hong Kong, March 13, 2018
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1385576-20180313.htm

Related:
Far-reaching powers of China’s new super anti-corruption agency revealed
South China Morning Post, March 13, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2136949/far-reaching-powers-chinas-new-super-anti-corruption

太陽花學運佔領立法院案二審 高院維持原判22人無罪 (Taiwan High Court upholds ruling, acquits 22 Sunflower Student Movement activists)
Radio Television Hong Kong, March 13, 2018
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1385560-20180313.htm

四川女子网上发布虚假信息诽谤警方不作为,被行政拘留5日 (Sichuan woman detained for 5 days for allegedly spreading false information online of being extorted by thugs at police station)
Chinanews.com, March 12, 2018
http://www.chinanews.com/sh/2018/03-12/8466033.shtml

Xi's rise crushes political reform predictions
Agence France-Presse, March 12, 2018
https://www.afp.com/en/news/824/xis-rise-crushes-political-reform-predictions-doc-12d47y1

Access to Information (信息公开)

Beijing police order limit on foreigners in university district pizza bars and cafes
South China Morning Post, March 13, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2136879/beijing-police-order-limit-foreigners-university

Chinese culture ministry merger in the works in renewed overseas soft power push
South China Morning Post, March 12, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2136901/chinese-culture-ministry-merger-works-renewed-overseas

“Shameless naysayers”: Chinese media hits back at questions over Xi Jinping's power grab
The Guardian, March 12, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/12/chinese-media-hits-back-questions-xi-jinpings-power-grab

中国司法部禁止律师接受外媒采访 (Ministry of Justice bans lawyers from talking to foreign media)
Radio Free Asia, March 12, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/zhengzhi/QL2-03122018122012.html

微信调整公众号留言功能开放规则:取消新注册账号留言功能 (WeChat disables comment function for newly registered public accounts)
The Paper, March 12, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2025601

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

The future lasts forever
来日方长
Medium, March 12, 2018
EN: https://medium.com/@xisnotmypresident/the-future-lasts-forever-566b2cd7dfb7
CH: http://bit.ly/2FIKjub

Turning the rubble of China’s mass evictions into protest art
北京“大驱逐”后,来自艺术界的反抗之声
The New York Times, March 10, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/10/world/asia/china-migrants-protest-art.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20180312/china-migrants-protest-art/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China slashes ministries in sweeping changes to reduce bureaucracy, end turf wars
South China Morning Post, March 13, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/economy/article/2136939/china-unveils-sweeping-governmental-changes-cut-bureaucracy-and

Related:
China’s Communist Party centralizes power over finance, pollution control
The New York Times, March 12, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/12/business/china-consolidates-power-financial-industry.html

国务院组建退役军人事务部,加强服务保障体系建设 (State Council to set up veteran’s affair department to provide better care)
The Beijing News, March 13, 2018
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2018/03/13/478793.html

China proposes abolition of work safety body
China Labor Bulletin, March 13, 2018
http://www.clb.org.hk/content/china-proposes-abolition-work-safety-body

China's attendance at Vatican organ conference hailed as boon to ties, peace
Reuters, March 12, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-vatican/chinas-attendance-at-vatican-organ-conference-hailed-as-boon-to-ties-peace-idUSKCN1GO0N4

Four years after declaring war on pollution, China is winning
治理空气污染迅速见效,中国是怎么做到的?
The New York Times, March 12, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/12/upshot/china-pollution-environment-longer-lives.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20180313/china-pollution-environment-longer-lives/

A Chinese mayor-to-be tells his story
China File, March 12, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/library/excerpts/chinese-mayor-be-tells-his-story

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

China’s Xi Jinping calls for military loyalty to new constitution
Agence France-Presse, March 13, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/13/chinas-xi-jinping-calls-military-loyalty-new-constitution/

China’s arms sales rise as it vies with US for influence on the world stage
South China Morning Post, March 12, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2136877/chinas-arms-sales-rise-it-vies-us-influence-world-stage

Hong Kong (香港)

Edward Yiu on failed by-election bid: I should have done more traditional street campaigning
Hong Kong Free Press, March 13, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/13/edward-yiu-failed-election-bid-i-done-traditional-street-campaigning/

Related:
Choices of the rich, poor and middle-class: how Hong Kong Island residents voted in Sunday’s by-election
South China Morning Post, March 12, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2136864/choices-rich-poor-and-middle-class-how-hong-kong-island

Did localists abandon the pan-democrats in Hong Kong by-election?
South China Morning Post, March 13, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2136899/did-localists-abandon-pan-democrats-hong-kong-election

Related:
By-election victor Gary Fan secures support from democratic camp, but failed to win over localists
Hong Kong Free Press, March 12, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/12/election-victor-gary-fan-secures-support-democratic-camp-failed-win-localists/

Commentary (评论)

As China and the Vatican make peace, will a reconciliation between official and underground churches follow?
South China Morning Post, March 13, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2136841/china-and-vatican-make-peace-will-reconciliation-between

補選結果芻議:還姚松炎一個公道 (Results of by-election: Justice needs to be served for Edward Yiu)
Mingpao, March 13, 2018
https://m.mingpao.com/pns/dailynews/web_tc/article/20180313/ s00012/1520879184488

Related:
馬嶽:姚松炎敗選 揭露比失落議席更嚴重的真相 (Political scientist Ma Ngok says Edward Yiu losing LegCo seat reveals HK citizens are tired, don’t care about disqualifications as much as the pan-dems thought)
Stand News, March 12, 2018
http://bit.ly/2FBynXF

「完美的獨裁者」:是什麼限制了中國政治研究者的想像力? (The perfect dictator: What constrains Chinese political researchers from imaging?)
British Broadcasting Corporation, March 12, 2018
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/indepth-43368160

Chinese history isn’t over
China File, March 12, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/reporting-opinion/viewpoint/chinese-history-isnt-over