HRIC Daily Brief: 2019/03

Friday, March 29, 2019

Related:
What does the punishment of a prominent scholar mean for intellectual freedom in China?
ChinaFile, March 28, 2019

言論被指損國家聲譽渝大學撤副教授資格 (Deputy professor at Chongqing Normal University demoted for classroom statements that “damage national reputation”)
Ming Pao, March 29, 2019

China is burning books again; Censors are on the lookout for political mistakes, even in print runs for foreigners
Foreign Policy, March 28, 2019

Censorship pays: China's state newspaper expands lucrative online scrubbing business
Reuters, March 28, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Wife of Meng Hongwei, missing ex-Interpol chief, slams “political nature” of his arrest in China and rejects corruption claims
Reuters, March 29, 2019

百余尘肺病工人关注危志立赴深圳维权遭拦截 (Police intercept over 100 pneumoconiosis workers on march from Hunan to Shenzhen in support of Wei Zhili)
Radio Free Asia, March 28, 2019

Related:
Beijing ramps up crackdown on labor activists
Financial Times, March 28, 2019

China bans another major protestant church in weekend raid
Radio Free Asia, March 28, 2019

709案株连家属　谢燕益3孩子被拒发护照 (709 lawyer Xie Yanyi’s school-aged children denied passports for “endangering national security”)
Radio Free Asia, March 26, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

響水爆炸七天後，被遺忘的村莊和求見亡夫遺體的妻子 (Tired of waiting for aid after Jiangsu chemical explosion, village residents discover village has been wiped off map)
The Initium, March 29, 2019

北京立法规定，违建强制拆除要全程音像记录 (Beijing revises urban planning regulations to require audio, video recording of forced eviction, demolition proceedings)
Beijing News, March 29, 2019

China says probing more people after former Interpol chief's fall
Reuters, March 28, 2019

China’s “social credit” scheme involves cajolery and sanctions
The Economist, March 28, 2019

How China used the Swedish ambassador to threaten Angela Gui; Foreign citizens are increasingly being used to carry out the dirty work of the Chinese regime
The Diplomat, March 28, 2019

Why did Taiwan's Tsai Ing-wen ask for U.S. arms during Hawaii visit?
Deutsche Welle, March 28, 2019

Related:
Nauru parliament rejects “one China” principle, recognizes Taiwan as independent nation
Taiwan News, March 26, 2019

Chinese deal with former Solomon Islands MPs to switch recognition after elections exposed
Solomon Times, March 27, 2019

The Massachusetts train company that China built
SupChina, March 28, 2019

《关于加强和改进中央和国家机关党的建设的意见》(In full: Opinion on prioritizing strengthening and improving Party-building in Central government and national institutions, with Xi Jinping as core)
Xinhua, March 28, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

美国政府要求中国公司出售同志交友应用Grindr
Grindr Is owned by a Chinese firm, and the U.S. is trying to force it to sell
The New York Times, March 29, 2019

Huawei equipment has major security flaws, U.K. says; Report says Chinese tech giant hasn’t made cybersecurity a priority
Wall Street Journal, March 28, 2019

Related:
英国发现华为存在“重大”安全问题
 Huawei security “defects” are found by British authorities
The New York Times, March 29, 2019

中国商务部称日本政府采购剔除华为中兴或损害两国关系 (China Ministry of Commerce says Japan “will damage relations” if it excludes Huawei and ZTE in telecom purchases)
Voice of America, March 28, 2019

Elementary school’s fingerprint collecting raises privacy concerns
Sixth Tone, March 28, 2019

U.S. clamps down on investors in China surveillance group
Financial Times, March 28, 2019

WeChat users accuse app of tracking conversations for advertising purposes
Global Times, March 28, 2019

LinkedIn is becoming China's go-to platform for recruiting foreign spies
Cyberscoop, March 26, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

Press freedom concerns as ex-leader CY Leung shames firms advertising in pro-democracy Apple Daily
Hong Kong Free Press, March 29, 2019

Related:
【逃犯條例修訂】美商會不收貨：根本問題是其他司法管轄區程序大異於香港 (AmCham statement: “Continue to have serious concerns” on proposed new extradition arrangements, including extradition to jurisdiction with “very different” criminal procedure system)
The Stand News, March 29, 2019

Hong Kong’s chief executive Carrie Lam has revised her mainland China extradition proposal to mollify businesses, but will she pay a price?
South China Morning Post, March 29, 2019

香港眾志代表於律政司司長官邸外靜坐促撤逃犯條例修訂 (Demosisto members organize sit-in protest to urge retraction of proposed extradition law amendments)
Radio Television Hong Kong, March 29, 2019

Hong Kong officials must do better when handling public requests for information, outgoing ombudsman says
South China Morning Post, March 28, 2019

吳文遠擲三文治案　律政司向終院申請上訴 (Department of Justice appeals acquittal of activist Avery Ng in “sandwich” case)
Ming Pao, March 28, 2019

Commentary (评论)

习近平用金钱诱惑欧洲，但欧盟会软化对中国的立场吗? (Xi is luring Europe with money, but will EU soften its stance on China?)
Voice of America, March 29, 2019

[Lü Pin:] Finding a voice
ChinaFile, March 28, 2019

U.S. must put a ban on Google helping China develop a global digital dictatorship
The Daily Beast, March 26, 2019

“Crackdown on Jasic labour struggle seeks to eliminate unrest during economic downturn”
CIVICUS, March 26, 2019

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

“Release them immediately”: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets Mihrigul Tursun and other Uyghurs, demands China end mass incarceration
Agence France-Presse, March 28, 2019

Related:
维吾尔女子告诉蓬佩奥：我已失去一切，无法再沉默 (“I have lost everything; I can’t stay silent anymore,” Uyghur woman tells Pompeo)
Voice of America, March 28, 2019

Without papers, Uyghurs fear for their future in Turkey
Reuters, March 27, 2019

New (secret) Sinicization law hits Chinese Muslims
Bitter Winter, March 26, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Yu released after being detained outside US embassy
South China Morning Post, March 28, 2019

Related:
709 律師王宇　美國大使館外被公安帶走　原赴使館講座 (709 lawyer Wang Yu snatched by authorities on her way to domestic violence talk at U.S. embassy in Beijing)
The Stand News, March 27, 2019

China: RSF calls for release of three journalists investigating workers conditions
Reporters Without Borders, March 27, 2019

Related:
Urgent Action: Labor activist detained without lawyer
Amnesty International, March 27, 2019

Foxconn jump survivor on friendship with detained activist
China Digital Times, March 27, 2019

王全璋被判囚四年半　妻李文足至今未獲判決書 (Wife Li Wenzu blocked from Tianjin court while demanding written court judgment on Wang Quanzhang’s conviction)
The Stand News, March 27, 2019

周强出席推进法治人才培养工作座谈会强调：坚持理论联系实际加快培养高素质法治人才 (Supreme People’s Court President Zhou Qiang: Prioritize ideological and political nurturing of legal students and professionals to enhance their political caliber and Party spirit)
Legal Daily, March 27, 2019

Related:
英國發表香港半年報告　批選舉政治篩選　高度自治被削弱 (UK’s biannual report on Hong Kong warns of reduction of autonomy, citing “politically motivated expulsion” in elections and Mallet visa ban)
The Stand News, March 27, 2019

The six-monthly report on Hong Kong: 1 July to 31 December, 2018
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, March 27, 2019

立法會否決要求擱置設立中港移交逃犯安排議案 (LegCo vetoes democrat’s motion to shelve proposed extradition law amendments)
Radio Television Hong Kong, March 27, 2019

Related:
Lawmakers threaten to block controversial extradition bill as Hong Kong government struggles to win business support for watered-down plan
South China Morning Post, March 27, 2019

民主派周日遊行反對修訂《逃犯條例》斥比23條立法更辣 (Democrats to hold march on Sunday to oppose amendments to fugitive laws)
Inmediahk.net, March 27, 2019

“We need an answer”: Hong Kong lawmakers slam government for waiving HK$129.7 million worth of stamp duties for Beijing’s proxies in property market
South China Morning Post, March 27, 2019

New report says Hong Kong National Anthem Law is “legal malware” which threatens rule of law and freedoms
Hong Kong Watch, March 27, 2019

Related:
Legal Malware: Hong Kong’s National Anthem Ordinance
Hong Kong Watch, March 27, 2019

Two land activists jailed after Hong Kong top court rejects protest case appeal bid
Hong Kong Free Press, March 27, 2019

港理大首聘中国校长转任滕锦光禁校园谈港独誓进军大湾区 (Hong Kong Polytechnic University hires new headmaster from Shenzhen: No talk of Hong Kong independence allowed on campus, must seek greater cooperation with Greater Bay Area)
Radio France Internationale, March 27, 2019

Commentary (评论)

Small cracks in China’s Great Firewall: An app launched by the propaganda ministry has sparked online derision — and a rare public discussion about censorship
Financial Times, March 27, 2019

最后的达赖喇嘛——一介僧侣对峙共产强权的神话与思考 (The last Dalai Lama: The legend and reflections on a monk standing up to Communist superpower)
Radio France Internationale, March 27, 2019

Choking on spaghetti: What went wrong in Xi’s Italian visit
Bitter Winter, March 25, 2019

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

Xinjiang crackdown must continue, top China leader says
Reuters, March 26, 2019

“One minute felt like one year”: A day in the life of inmates in the Xinjiang internment camps
Telegraph UK, March 26, 2019

Muslim group: Return $2 million Christchurch donation from Chinese
Newsroom, March 26, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China holds vaccine parent-turned-activist detained at Beijing protest
Radio Free Asia, March 26, 2019

中国一年内改造及扩建三十座监狱 (Over the past year, 30 prisons in China underwent expansion)
Radio Free Asia, March 26, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

清华教授许章润被停职，曾公开批评习近平
 A Chinese law professor criticized Xi. Now he’s been suspended
The New York Times, March 27, 2019

《波西米亚狂想曲》中国公映版遭删减引发不满
 “Bohemian Rhapsody” with no gay scenes? Censored film angers Chinese viewers
The New York Times, March 27, 2019

Jinan has become the capital of Chinese Internet censorship
SupChina, March 26, 2019

Related:
济南，新的互联网审核之都 (Jinan: New Internet censorship capital)
Jizhezhan, March 25, 2019

Guideline threatens punishment against home-schooling parents: Parents can be held legally responsible for sending their children to unlicensed, nontraditional schools, according to China’s education ministry
Sixth Tone, March 26, 2019

上千名台政大學生拒看中天，無國界記者：台灣是中國「假新聞」主要目標 (Taiwan university students boycott TV station for biased reporting; Reporters Without Borders warns Taiwan is main target for China’s fake news)
The News Lens, March 26, 2019

Related:
Taiwan is main target of China's disinformation campaign: RSF
Taiwan News, March 26, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Tibet: 60 years of stalemate awakens young generation
Al Jazeera, March 27, 2019

六四30年之际退休军医蒋彦永致信习近平吁正名 (Retired army medic who helped the wounded during June Fourth writes to Xi Jinping urging truth)
Radio France Internationale, March 26, 2019

Call to end the suppression of labor activists in China
China Labour Bulletin, March 26, 2019

Related:
Statement: Stop repressing independent labor movement global support for detained workers and labor activists
Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, March 26, 2019

I travel the earth in sound — marking the 10th year of being barred from leaving China
China Change, March 26, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Xi Jinping in Europe: A tale of 2 countries
The Diplomat, March 27, 2019

Related:
Xi outlines 4-pronged proposal on global governance
Sina, March 26, 2019

Cold war is back: Steve Bannon helps revive U.S. committee to target “aggressive totalitarian foe” China
South China Morning Post, March 27, 2019

Former cyber czar sentenced to 14 years
China Media Project, March 26, 2019

Related:
中国“网络沙皇”鲁炜一审被判有期徒刑14年 (China’s “Internet czar” Lu Wei sentenced to 14 years for bribery)
BBC News, March 26, 2019

梵蒂冈称中国教徒要过正常宗教生活仍有一段长路 (Vatican says Chinese followers still have “a long way to go” before they can enjoy normal religious activities)
Radio Free Asia, March 26, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Chinese costume dramas pre-empt Beijing ire: Tencent, Alibaba, iQiyi delay popular soap operas for fear of offending Communist party
Financial Times, March 27, 2019

Google will open new office complex and add hundreds of jobs in Taiwan
Tech Crunch, March 26, 2019

EU sidesteps U.S. calls to ban Huawei as it lays out 5G strategy
Bloomberg News, March 26, 2019

The business of government surveillance in China could boost some tech firms: Credit Suisse
CNBC, March 26, 2019

Camera above the classroom: Chinese schools are using facial recognition on students. But should they?
Sixth Tone, March 26, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

【東北案】終院拒批上訴許可葉寶琳黃根源即時入獄 (Court bars appeal of Northeast New Territories development plan protest case, activists sentenced to prison)
Inmediahk.net, March 27, 2019

Amnesty warns of “rapid decline” in Hong Kong human rights, citing political party ban and press freedom issues
Hong Kong Free Press, March 26, 2019

Related:
Year-end Human Rights Review 2018 - Hong Kong
Amnesty International Hong Kong, March 26, 2019

Hong Kong scraps 9 types of commercial crimes from China extradition plan amid pressure from business sector
Hong Kong Free Press, March 26, 2019

Related:
【專訪】戴啟思：逃犯條例只剔商罪不合理　核心是大陸司法制度不可信 (HK Bar Association’s Philip Dykes: Unreasonable to only remove white collar crimes, core issue is lack of trust in mainland’s legal system)
The Stand News, March 26, 2019

Decline and fall? Progressive Lawyers Group plans new barometer to measure Hong Kong’s rule of law
Hong Kong Free Press, March 24, 2019

Commentary (评论)

China-funded Confucius Institutes belong on foreign influence register
Sydney Morning Herald, March 26, 2019

中共統戰下的國民黨困境，以及「完美棋子」韓國瑜 (Han Kuoyu as “the perfect pawn”: The plight of Taiwan’s Kuomintang under CPC’s United Front work)
The News Lens, March 26, 2019

清华大学教授许章润的遭遇揭示了什么？(What does the reprisal on Tsinghua University professor Xu Zhangrun tell us?)
Radio Free Asia, March 26, 2019

讀者來函：表演慾望過剩的藏族社會 (The culturally silent community in the Internet age: When Tibetan culture meets China’s populism)
The Initium, March 26, 2019

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

EU rejects China’s offer of Xinjiang tour, but says it’s open to one later
South China Morning Post, March 25, 2019

“Hanification”: Uyghur children cut off from their roots
Bitter Winter, March 23, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China detains several social economic rights defenders days after UN rights review ends
Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 26, 2019

【中國司法】危志立被捕五天無音訊　妻鄭楚然：我們的合法權利都被當玩笑嗎？(Labor-rights activist Wei Zhili missing for 5 days, concerns mount as wife Zheng Churan’s WeChat is blocked)
The Stand News, March 26, 2019

中国打压基督教行动下，牧师王怡的信仰和抗争
 This Chinese Christian was charged with trying to subvert the state
The New York Times, March 26, 2019

中国左翼网站编辑被以“颠覆罪”拘留
 Chinese police hold Maoist editor on “subversion” charges
Radio Free Asia, March 25, 2019

Guangxi police investigating teenager’s false detention
Sixth Tone, March 25, 2019

河北网民翻墙转推被行政拘留 (Hebei citizen under administrative detention for retweeting “inappropriate messages”)
Radio Free Asia, March 25, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

微博加大打击刷榜力度：对流量异常搜索词及指向对象连带处置 (To combat “click farming,” Weibo introduces 3-month ban on “unusually popular” content from search results, including pop stars, TV shows, events)
The Paper, March 25, 2019

China reportedly banning all new period dramas until June 2019
Mothership, March 26, 2019

“A new world order”: China’s press freedom crackdown poses a threat to international democracies, says media watchdog
Hong Kong Free Press, March 25, 2019

Related:
国际组织关注中国威胁新闻自由 (Reporters Without Borders warns of China’s threat to global press freedom)
Radio Free Asia, March 25, 2019

Report: China’s pursuit of a new world media order
Reporters Without Borders, March 25, 2019

Chinese academic fired after public criticism of Party leadership
Financial Times, March 25, 2019

Pulp friction: Chinese city shreds maps showing Taiwan as a country
South China Morning Post, March 25, 2019

Related:
山东省“问题地图”查处情况现场通报会在青岛召开 (Shandong provincial authorities tackle “problematic maps” that show Taiwan as country, which could “be hyped by people with ulterior motive from international community,” “seriously threaten national security.””)
The Paper, March 24, 2019

穿「和服」賞櫻遭武漢大學保安暴力制止　當事人：我穿的是唐裝 (Wuhan university student assaulted by campus police for wearing kimono-inspired attire while taking photos with cherry blossoms)
The Stand News, March 25, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

中国环保人士在江苏化工厂大爆炸现场调研遭警察“寻滋”调查 (Environmentalist conducting on-site assessment of chemical plant explosion detained by police for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”)
Voice of America, March 25, 2019

Tibetans and Uyghurs urge Macron to pressure Xi Jinping on human rights
Radio France Internationale, March 25, 2019

Related:
习近平访问欧洲人权组织示威抗议 (Human rights organizations protest China’s human rights abuses as Xi Jinping tours Europe)
Radio Free Asia, March 25, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

U.S. says China “systematically” impedes diplomats, journalists, citizens from visiting Tibet
Hong Kong Free Press, March 26, 2019

Chinese police maintain presence in Tibetan monastery despite passage of uprising anniversaries
Radio Free Asia, March 25, 2019

IADB cancels China meeting after Beijing bars Venezuela representative
Reuters, March 23, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

This small team is building a social credit system app for China’s youth to determine who’s naughty or nice
South China Morning Post, March 25, 2019

Related:
Life as one of China’s 13 million “deadbeats” means slow trains, special ring tone
South China Morning Post, March 26, 2019

An AI data leak case misunderstood by multiple parties: 5 key clues to get to the truth
ChinAI Newsletter, March 25, 2019

U.S. firms register as foreign agents of embattled Chinese telecom giant Huawei
Open Secrets, March 22, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong’s former No. 2 Anson Chan urges Americans who do business in city to protest proposed change in fugitive transfer law
South China Morning Post, March 26, 2019

Related:
Taiwan could issue travel alert for Hong Kong if proposed extradition update passes
Hong Kong Free Press, March 25, 2019

After tearful apology, ex-Hong Kong official Patrick Ho gets “truly merciful” 3-year sentence in U.S. bribery and money laundering case
South China Morning Post, March 26, 2019

Commentary (评论)

Government must win back the trust of Hong Kong’s youth
South China Morning Post, March 26, 2019

【識條鐵】東大嶼人工島隱藏高鐵支線大FACT CHECK (Hidden high-speed rail project for Lantau Tomorrow Vision: Fact Check)
Inmediahk.net, March 25, 2019

《紅色滲透》：從暗渡陳倉到大張旗鼓，中共勢力如何逐步滲入台灣媒體？(From secret advancements to outright war cries: How CPC influence gradually infiltrates Taiwan’s media)
The News Lens, March 25, 2019

China cannot prettify the human rights catastrophe in Xinjiang
Washington Post, March 25, 2019

Beijing's credibility deficit: Xi cannot win business people’s confidence without economic and political liberalization
Nikkei Asian Review, March 22, 2019

Monday, March 25, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

坚持不懈深化反恐怖斗争以优异成绩庆祝新中国成立70周年 (Zhao Kezhi, Minister of Public Security: “ We must intensify the support for counterterrorism and stability maintenance work in Xinjiang” d)
Legal Daily, March 25, 2019

U.S. official denounces “choreographed” visits to China’s Xinjiang
Reuters, March 24, 2019

Architect of China’s Muslim camps Chen Quanguo expected to stay on in Xinjiang for now
South China Morning Post, March 24, 2019

Uyghur Muslims forbidden to pray or grow beards in China’s “re-education” camps, former detainee reveals
The Independent, March 23, 2019

Related:
Eat pork, speak Chinese, no beards: Muslim former detainee tells of China camp trauma
Agence France-Presse, March 22, 2019

Turkey treads tricky path with China’s Muslim minorities
Agence France-Presse, March 22, 2019

China’s Uyghur detention camps may be the largest mass incarceration since the Holocaust
The New Statesman, March 21, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

公共法律服务建设正当时法律援助全力参与见实效 (Government strengthens legal aid services; encourages public awareness, increased use of assistance)
Legal Daily, March 24, 2019

Court in China’s Sichuan postpones trial of Tiananmen massacre liquor makers
Radio Free Asia, March 22, 2019

Background: Ge Jueping 戈觉平
Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 22, 2019

Labor rights website editor Wei Zhili arrested in China; another is missing
Committee to Protect Journalists, March 21, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

中国官员恐吓意大利女记者引抗议 (Chinese officials threaten Italian reporter during Xi’s visit, politicians speak out)
Voice of America, March 25, 2019

Related:
Italian Journalist 'Threatened' by Chinese Official in Rome: Newspaper
Radio Free Asia, March 25, 2019

限古令升級禁播至6月網絡影視平台古裝片銳減 (China blocks historical dramas on all platforms until June, condemns “twisting history” for entertainment)
Ming Pao, March 24, 2019

China now has an elite league of “red” universities
Radio Free Asia, March 22, 2019

China and global academic freedom
China Digital Times, March 22, 2019

Related:
NYC forum stresses educational exchange between U.S., China
Sina, March 24, 2019

Learning English is OK, says Party-backed media
Sixth Tone, March 21, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Wife of vanished Chinese Interpol chief Meng Hongwei urges French President Emmanuel Macron to raise case with Xi Jinping
South China Morning Post, March 25, 2019

中国推特用户再被抓疫苗维权人士遭刑拘 (Chinese citizen arrested for using Twitter to “spread inappropriate content”; activists in vaccine scandal under administrative detention)
Voice of America, March 25, 2019

中国公民运动人士丁家喜被禁出境 (Headedto Hong Kong, Chinese lawyer and activist Ding Jiaxi barred from leaving country)
Voice of America, March 24, 2019

China risks “the legitimacy of the Communist Party’s regime” without changes, says law professor
South China Morning Post, March 22, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

放开放宽城市落户限制加快消除城乡户籍壁垒都市圈发展催生新型户籍制度改革 (Urbanization is catalyst for hukou reform: New guiding opinion urges relaxation of relocation restrictions to facilitate flow of people)
Legal Daily, March 25, 2019

China pledges openness in hopes of reaching a trade deal
The New York Times, March 24, 2019

Related:
當義大利向「一帶一路」低頭，中資帶來的會是期待還是傷害？ (As Italy bows down to BRI, would Chinese investments bring hope or harm?)
The News Lens, March 25, 2019

Macron, Merkel and Juncker to meet China’s Xi on Tuesday
Euroactiv, March 22, 2019

U.S. imposes sanctions on Chinese companies for helping North Korea
Al Jazeera, March 22, 2019

China chemical plant blast kills 62; Xi orders probe
Reuters, March 22, 2019

Related:
The day after the “3-21” devastating Yancheng explosion: 47 dead, 640 injured
What’s On Weibo, March 22, 2019

韓國瑜訪澳門再會「中聯辦」高層，學者憂北京在建立台灣「代理人」(Kaohsiung mayor’s visits to mainland liaison offices in Hong Kong, Macau spark concern of Beijing’s move to establish “agent” in Taiwan)
The News Lens, March 24, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

U.S. companies fuel surveillance in China as Chinese firms export it
China Digital Times, March 22, 2019

Finnish authorities to investigate Nokia-branded phones sending data to China
The Verge, March 22, 2019

Related:
Finland to investigate Nokia-branded phones after data breach report
Reuters, March 21, 2019

Apple’s Tim Cook urges China to continue to open up its economy
Agence France-Presse, March 23, 2019

AT&T CEO says China’s Huawei hinders carriers from shifting suppliers for 5G
Reuters, March 21, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

【逃犯條例】批建議損台灣人安全　台陸委會：倘修例　或對港發旅遊警示 (Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council says it might issue travel warning for Hong Kong if proposed extradition law amendments go through)
The Stand News, March 25, 2019

Related:
Hong Kong’s plan to allow extraditions to mainland China and Taiwan likely to be uneven, scholars say
South China Morning Post, March 25, 2019

涉立會內搶行政主任手機案開審　許智峯否認控罪 (Trial begins for democrat Ted Hui’s phone-grabbing case, Hui denies all charges)
Radio Television Hong Kong, March 25, 2019

Hong Kong’s former chief secretary Anson Chan says leaders need to do a better job assuring world that city remains autonomous
South China Morning Post, March 24, 2019

Related:
Hong Kong’s former No. 2 Anson Chan meets Mike Pence in Washington as U.S. report criticises Beijing “intervention” in city’s affairs
South China Morning Post, March 23, 2019

【暴動罪重審】德國會人權主席：裁決無改中國極權事實　港人展巨大勇氣承擔 (Gyde Jensen, head of German Parliament’s Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid, says judgment in Edward Leung riot case does not change the fact of Chinese dictatorship)
The Stand News, March 24, 2019

Commentary (评论)

What will be left of Hong Kong’s autonomy in 2047?
Hong Kong Free Press, March 24, 2019

From hope to despair: How Carrie Lam’s governance is putting “one country, two systems” at risk
South China Morning Post, March 24, 2019

歐陽娜娜是不是台獨？「大祖國」時代的文革式批鬥 (Struggle session in the “Big Nation” age: Is Nana Ou-yang really pro-independence?)
The News Lens, March 24, 2019

Hong Kong’s solution to a housing problem that doesn’t exist: Dump HK$1 trillion into the sea off Lantau
South China Morning Post, March 24, 2019

Europe’s self obsession nurtured its naivety about China for the wrong reasons. It’s time for a reality check
South China Morning Post, March 24, 2019

Are Taiwan’s citizens willing to fight against China? According to a recent survey, the public in Taiwan is not war shy after all
The Diplomat, March 22, 2019

China’s reputation for long-range planning is wildly exaggerated
The Diplomat, March 22, 2019

China oppresses Muslims at home, countenances terror abroad
Wall Street Journal, March 21, 2019

Friday, March 22, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

网传新疆高校换校徽新校徽去除维吾尔文 (Xinjiang universities remove Uyghur script from official logos)
Radio Free Asia, March 21, 2019

Sweden grants refugee status to China's Uyghur Muslims, prompting calls for UK to follow suit
The Independent, March 21, 2019

维吾尔公知相继失踪民族文化命悬一线 (Uyghur culture on the brink of collapse, intellectuals disappear one by one)
Radio Free Asia, March 21, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Tibetan set to become world’s longest-serving political prisoner
Voice of America, March 21, 2019

Police detain labor activist Wei Zhili in southern China, wife says
Agence France-Presse, March 21, 2019

王全璋处境未明家属往最高院申诉 (As Wang Quanzhang’s status remains unknown, wife Li Wenzu and other 709 families protest at Supreme People’s Court )
Radio Free Asia, March 21, 2019

张军在全国检察机关学习贯彻全国两会精神电视电话会议上强调把以人民为中心融入每一项检察工作中 (Supreme People’s Court urges “people-centered” trials, strengthened news and public opinion work by procuratorates)
Legal Daily, March 22, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

Senior CPC official stresses building high-level think tanks
Sina, March 22, 2019

中國教育初創公司VIPKid整頓西方老師政治敏感言論
 Chinese education startup puts Western teachers on notice
Wall Street Journal, March 22, 2019

China: Government threats to academic freedom abroad
Human Rights Watch, March 21, 2019

American colleges hosted “an important part of China’s propaganda set-up”; now they’re bailing out
Mother Jones, March 21, 2019

After New Zealand massacre, Islamophobia spreads on Chinese social media
Columbia Journalism Review, March 21, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Chinese or Taiwanese? Nana Ou-Yang is at the center of a political firestorm
SupChina, March 21, 2019

多个人权组织要求马克龙向习近平提及人权问题 (Human rights organizations urge French president Macron to raise human rights issues with Xi Jinping in upcoming meeting)
Radio France Internationale, March 21, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China is winning the war for Nepali Buddhism; China’s inroads in Nepal mean increasing control over Buddhist heritage sites – with implications for Tibet
The Diplomat, March 21, 2019

Kachin women from Myanmar “raped until they get pregnant” in China
The Guardian, March 21, 2019

Related:
Myanmar: Women, girls trafficked as “brides” to China; government inaction, conflict, China’s “gender gap” fuel sexual slavery
Human Rights Watch, March 21, 2019

Former Philippine officials accuse Chinese President Xi Jinping of crimes against humanity at International Criminal Court
Associated Press, March 21, 2019

China tells Christianity to be more Chinese
Christianity Today, March 20, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Google bans VPNs from buying banner ads in China
The Drum, March 22, 2019

Related:
Google says VPN ads are banned in China
Inkstone, March 21, 2019

Huawei’s U.S. government lawsuit may lift the air of “mystery” around the Chinese telecoms giant
South China Morning Post, March 21, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

梁天琦、李諾文、林傲軒暴動罪重審無罪　容偉業三罪罪成 (Edward Leung, two others acquitted of rioting charges; Yung Wai-ip convicted of 3 charges, to be sentenced on April 4)
The Stand News, March 22, 2019

Related:
Localist activist Edward Leung cleared of second rioting charge during 2016 Mong Kok unrest
Hong Kong Free Press, March 22, 2019

為什麼香港政府會放寬空氣污染指標？(Why did Hong Kong government relax its air pollution benchmarks?)
Inmediahk.net, March 22, 2019

【逃犯條例修訂 FAQ】吳靄儀逐點反駁政府：法庭無權審議大陸證據合法性　香港記者高危 (Legal scholar Margaret Ng rebuts government narrative: Courts have no power to review evidence raised by mainland, journalists in Hong Kong at high risk)
The Stand News, March 21, 2019

Related:
逃犯例剔商罪大律師會指反削現制已簽協議19國稅務環保版權罪行多包 (Excluding commercial crimes in extradition law amendments undermines existing regime, says Bar Association spokesman, citing existing extradition agreements)
Ming Pao, March 22, 2019

立法會否決改革移民及入境政策無約束力議案 (LegCo vetoes non-binding motion to reform immigration policy on one-way permits)
Radio Television Hong Kong, March 21, 2019

Hong Kong is no closer to legalizing same-sex marriage, says Chief Exec. Carrie Lam
Hong Kong Free Press, March 21, 2019

Commentary (评论)

【離鄉工作徵稿】來港四年，「東方華爾街」不是外人想的光鮮亮麗 (A Taiwan citizen working in Hong Kong: “Wall Street of the East” is not as glamorous as outsiders think)
The News Lens, March 22, 2019

法治课｜京东要求员工提交亲属同学关系，是否侵犯隐私？(Did JD.com invade privacy of employees by demanding information about personal ties?)
The Paper, March 22, 2019

Why would Italy endorse China’s Belt and Road Initiative? Potential move by Rome has caused allies and EU to flag serious concerns
Financial Times, March 21, 2019

China’s leaders should study James Bond films; revealing one’s master plan too early can be dangerous
The Economist, March 21, 2019

中国反腐模式是制度失败的产物 (China’s anti-corruption model is the product of systemic failure)
Radio Free Asia, March 21, 2019

Thursday, March 21, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

Muslim countries urged to press China end crackdown of Uyghurs
Al Jazeera, March 20, 2019

China to invite European diplomats to Xinjiang in new diplomatic push
Reuters, March 20, 2019

Related:
“再教育营”关注不断中国计划邀请欧洲外交官参观新疆 (Beijing to invite diplomats of European embassies to visit Xinjiang)
Radio France Internationale, March 21, 2019

After mass detentions, China razes Muslim communities to build a loyal city
Wall Street Journal, March 20, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

苏州大抓捕嫌疑人戈觉平下周受审 (Ge Jiaoping, activist arrested in 2016 Suzhou crackdown, to face trial next week for inciting subversion of state power)
Radio Free Asia, March 20, 2019

孟宏伟妻控诉“政治迫害” 担心安全 (Grace Meng, wife of disappeared former Interpol chief, files complaint in French courts alleging attempted kidnapping)
Deutsche Welle, March 20, 2019

China court plans to set up national environmental fund: Media
Reuters, March 20, 2019

陕西监狱探索“五大改造”新路径,数百党支部书记为罪犯上政治大课 (Shaanxi prison system employs hundreds of CPC secretaries to guide prisoners “to recognize Party leadership ideologically and emotionally”
Legal Daily, March 20, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

China trying to influence the world’s media, says new report
Foreign Correspondents’ Club, March 20, 2019

In Beijing, Harvard President Bacow affirms academic freedom
Harvard Magazine, March 20, 2019

Related:
Full text: The pursuit of truth and the mission of the university
Harvard University Office of the President, March 20, 2019

在通向网络强国的征程上稳步前进——写在中央网络安全和信息化委员会成立一周年之际(Xinhua on first anniversary of Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission’s formation: “the Party’s voice has become the strongest voice in cyberspace”)
Xinhua, March 20, 2019

New book examines “the great firewall of China”
China Digital Times, March 19, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

內地女權人士鄭楚然：丈夫被捕，因幫塵肺病工人維權 (Activist Wei Zhili arrested for helping silicosis workers’ rights defense movement, says wife and Feminist Five member “Da Tu” Zheng Churan)
The Stand News, March 21, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

EU leaders to coordinate positions on Thursday ahead of China summit
Reuters, March 20, 2019

Related:
Is China the EU’s “dear friend” or “strategic rival” on human rights?
Human Rights Watch, March 20, 2019

Chinese head teachers ordered to eat with pupils after string of food safety scandals
South China Morning Post, March 20, 2019

Related:
中国成都七中实验学校食物丑闻背后的政府公信力“塔西佗陷阱” (The “Tacitus Trap” and government credibility in recent food safety scandal)
BBC News, March 20, 2019

China marks Tibetan anniversary with military parade
Human Rights Watch, March 20, 2019

Disciplinary inspectors urged to fulfill duty of political supervision
Xinhua, March 20, 2019

Swedish ambassador to China investigated for security breaches in Gui Minhai case
South China Morning Post, March 20, 2019

Pakistan distances itself from China's Belt and Road: Islamabad diverts $171m from CPEC to fund projects legislators want
Nikkei Asian Review, March 20, 2019

Italy rattles US and EU with likely support for China's Belt and Road
The Guardian, March 20, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

团队自编程序证实手机能偷听，安全专家：未发现“偷听”铁证 (Tech group mocks-up program to prove mobile apps capable of eavesdropping; security expert says no concrete evidence of actual violations)
The Paper, March 21, 2019

U.S. firms are helping build China’s Orwellian state: Tech partnerships are empowering new methods of control
Foreign Policy, March 19, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

【種族歧視】8歲至今被搜身逾20次　巴裔大學生批歧視條例落後 (Stopped and searched more than 20 times since age 8: A Pakistani student in Hong Kong talks about shortcomings of discrimination laws)
HK01, March 21, 2019

Related:
Why fourth-generation Hongkonger of Pakistani origin who was first stopped and searched by police at age 8 can’t count on racial discrimination law for help
South China Morning Post, March 21, 2019

【移交逃犯】廠商會引述李家超：考慮剔除「十條八條」商業罪行 (Manufacturers’ Association cites Security Chief after meeting: Will consider removing “a few” commercial crimes from extradition law amendments)
The Stand News, March 20, 2019

Related:
Pressure mounts on Hong Kong to remove economic crimes from new China extradition law
Hong Kong Free Press, March 20, 2019

商界憂修訂《逃犯條例》　林鄭：願意再認真研究一下 (Facing persistent concern from business sector, Carrie Lam says willing to “give some more serious thought” to extradition law arrangements)
The Stand News, March 20, 2019

【全文轉載】林麗棠老師弟妺發公開信　冀盡快查真相　指教育局旁觀 (Family of teacher who committed suicide issues open letter to urge comprehensive investigation of systemic issues, criticizes inaction by Education Bureau)
The Stand News, March 20, 2019

港府推6240亿“明日大屿”被指是一带一路工程消化国内过剩产能 (HK $624 billion Lantau Tomorrow Vision project attacked as HK’s version of BRI meant to absorb production overcapacity in mainland)
Radio France Internationale, March 19, 2019

Beijing’s top official in Hong Kong taunts Washington over Huawei executive Sabrina Meng’s arrest, calling it “world’s biggest advertisement”
South China Morning Post, March 20, 2019

People’s Daily head leaves for high-level position at Beijing’s Liaison Office in Hong Kong
Caixin, March 20, 2019

Commentary (评论)

Rich, autocratic China is too powerful an adversary for any democracy
South China Morning Post, March 21, 2019

China’s tit-for-tat detention of two Canadians is a test: The world will judge Beijing on its treatment of the men seized after Huawei CFO arrest
Financial Times, March 20, 2019

【太陽花五週年】藝術小組王翔：318之後，買衣服以不容易被警察抓住為原則 (Interview with Wang Xiang, of Sunflower Movement’s art team : After 318, I buy clothes that don’t make me conspicuous to the police)
The News Lens, March 20, 2019

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

法律人如何做公益？全国首份公益法律服务指南出炉 (Guide to public interest legal services in China jointly published by Shanghai Law Society, Shanghai Jiaotong University Law School, Legal Vision media outlet)
The Paper, March 17, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

China defends Xinjiang camps amid pleas for global action
China Digital Times, March 19, 2019

Related:
权利活动人士谴责中国的新疆白皮书
 Rights activists denounce China's Xinjiang white paper
Voice of America, March 19, 2019

Uyghur detainees from Xinjiang “placed in nearly every prison” in Shandong Province
Radio Free Asia, March 19, 2019

When China convinced the U.S. that Uyghurs were waging jihad
The Atlantic, March 19, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

正在消失的语言：中国南部的客家话
 Decline of Hakka in southern China shows bigger problems ahead
Voice of America, March 20, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

【圖輯】認識李明哲事件：活該違反中國法律？家屬高調不怕有反效果？ (FAQs on Lee Ming-checase)
The News Lens, March 20, 2019

Will China’s new job creation program really benefit workers?
China Labour Bulletin, March 20, 2019

China says Dalai Lama’s reincarnation “must comply with Chinese laws and regulations”
Newsweek, March 19, 2019

Related:
China rejects Dalai Lama’s assertion that his successor could be found in India
The Hindu, March 19, 2019

Foreign NGO Law causes drop in U.S. adoptions, according to State Department
ChinaFile NGO Project, March 19, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China’s Communist Party introduces another loyalty test, but now cadres are asked to show some initiative too
South China Morning Post, March 20, 2019

Taiwan, U.S. plan new talks this year in rebuke to Beijing
Voice of America, March 19, 2019

China remains mum as Pakistan spotlights “human rights” violations in Kashmir
The Hindu, March 19, 2019

Democrats in U.S. Congress call for probe into Chinese influence around Trump
Radio Free Asia, March 19, 2019

意大利港口拥抱“一带一路”，中国将打开欧洲门户
 A forgotten Italian port could become a Chinese gateway to Europe
The New York Times, March 19, 2019

Related:
Vatican makes new overtures on eve of China's Xi Italy visit
Associated Press, March 19, 2019

U.S. mulls partial ban on Chinese trains and buses, citing cybersecurity and “Made in China 2025”
South China Morning Post, March 18, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Is Huawei a security threat? Seven experts weigh in
The Verge, March 17, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

China extradition law should be handled with extreme caution says Hong Kong trade group
Hong Kong Free Press, March 20, 2019

港大民調：市民對香港前途信心淨值跌至新低　對「一國兩制」信心挫一成 (Survey: Hong Kongers’ confidence in city’s future reaches new low since 1994)
Ming Pao, March 19, 2019

Hong Kong’s Lantau development projects to cost at least HK $624 billion, says gov’t
Hong Kong Free Press, March 19, 2019

Related:
【明日大嶼】民主派斥政府「篤數」　造價無計已規劃幹線、利息、建築成本增長 (Democrats criticize “playing numbers” as government estimates HK $624 billion for Lantau reclamation project, leaving out interest, inflation, transport system, and other costs)
The Stand News, March 19, 2019

Activists slam Beijing’s claim that it has already implemented UN human rights suggestions in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Free Press, March 19, 2019

U.S. prosecution suggests 5 years jail, HK $3 million in fines for ex-Hong Kong official Patrick Ho guilty of bribery
Hong Kong Free Press, March 19, 2019

Commentary (评论)

【專訪】進取還是扯後腿？　陳志全從台灣同性婚姻看香港平權運動路向 (Interview with Raymond Chan Chi-chuen: Trajectory of Hong Kong’s LGBTQ equality movement in light of Taiwan’s same-sex marriage milestone)
The Stand News, March 19, 2019

【太陽花五週年】林飛帆：進步運動者有道德包袱，這是我們跟保守派的差別 (5 years after Sunflower Movement, an interview with Lin Feifan: Progressive activists have a moral burden, this is what makes us different from conservatives)
The News Lens, March 19, 2019

假如斯大林拥有一部智能手机
 If Stalin had a smartphone
The New York Times, March 19, 2019

China is trying to destroy Uyghur culture; We’re trying to save it
Washington Post, March 18, 2019

China and Saudi Arabia: The global ambitions of Mohammad bin Salman
The Diplomat, March 20, 2019

China’s extradition requests must be based in law, not on persuasion
South China Morning Post, March 19, 2019

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆 )

China steps up its defense of mass incarceration of Uyghurs: New report claims detention program focuses on education and training
Financial Times, March 18, 2019

Related:
中国发布《新疆人权保障白皮书》被指颠倒黑白 (In response to China’s white paper on Xinjiang, civil society groups say it confuses right and wrong)
Radio Free Asia, March 18, 2019

新疆的反恐、去极端化斗争与人权保障
 White Paper: The Fight Against Terrorism and Extremism and Human Rights Protection in Xinjiang
Xinhua, March 18, 2019

#FreeSerikjan and the long shadow of Xinjiang’s camps in neighbouring Kazakhstan
Global Voices, March 18, 2019

“Practicing Islam is practically forbidden”: How Sweden granted refugee status to all Uyghurs from Xinjiang, China
Hong Kong Free Press, March 19, 2019

Related:
Sweden now grants refugee status to all Uyghurs from Xinjiang
InBeijing, March 17, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

保障刑事案件受援人获得高质量的法律援助服务,司法部有关负责人就《全国刑事法律援助服务规范》答记者问 (Ministry of Justice issues Standards for National Legal Aid Services in Criminal Cases, to ensure rights of defendants)
Ministry of Justice, March 18, 2019

Taiwanese activist at risk in Chinese prison: Two years in detention, Lee Ming-che faces ill-treatment, declining health
Human Rights Watch, March 18, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

Xi Jinping tells Chinese teachers to help “nurture support” for Communist Party rule
South China Morning Post, March 19, 2019

Related:
習：培養擁護中共人才從娃娃抓起 (Nurturing talent that upholds CPC must start with toddlers, says Xi on teaching political thought in schools)
Ming Pao, March 19, 2019

习近平主持召开学校思想政治理论课教师座谈会 (Xi Jinping urges teachers of ideological and political theories at primary to university levels to “use Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to engineer souls and educate people”)
Central People’s Government, March 18, 2019

Stop harassing Swedish media, Reporters Without Borders tells China
Hong Kong Free Press, March 19, 2019

加快推动媒体融合发展构建全媒体传播格局 (Xi Jinping: Accelerate the development of media convergence to “intensify the united struggle of the CPC and the people to achieve a common thought foundation”)
Quishi, March 15, 2019

Related:
Xi’s article on accelerating integrated media development to be published
Xinhua, March 15, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Next Dalai Lama could come from India, exiled spiritual leader says as he warns that successor chosen by China won’t be trusted
Reuters, March 19, 2019

Chinese goths post selfies in protest after subway incident
BBC, March 19, 2019

Understanding and resolving the fundamental problems in China’s construction industry
China Labour Bulletin, March 18, 2019

Chinese President Xi Jinping unlikely to observe leaders’ custom and meet Pope during visit to Italy
South China Morning Post, March 18, 2019

Related:
迫害严重梵蒂冈称中国“不应害怕宗教” (Vatican: China should not be afraid of the Catholic church)
Radio Free Asia, March 18, 2019

Chinese entrepreneurs speak out during Two Sessions
SupChina, March 18, 2019

在韓國尋求政治庇護的這一群中國人 (The Chinese citizens seeking asylum in South Korea)
The Initium, March 17, 2019