Government Accountability (政府问责)

China cuts smog but health damage already done: study
Reuters, April 17, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-pollution-health/china-cuts-smog-but-health-damage-already-done-study-idUSKBN1HO0C4

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

国家安全部开通互联网举报受理平台 (Ministry of National Security launches bilingual online platform to allow reporting of national security, espionage crimes)
Xinhua News Agency, April 15, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/legal/2018-04/15/c_1122685333.htm

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

Taiwan’s leader says island secure ahead of mainland China naval drills
Agence France-Presse, April 17, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2142091/taiwans-leader-says-island-secure-ahead-mainland-china

Related:
Beijing ready to snuff out any separatist move, and live-fire drill in Taiwan Strait is proof, official says
South China Morning Post, April 16, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2141995/beijing-ready-snuff-out-any-separatist-move-and-live

China's ZTE “poses risk to UK security”
British Broadcasting Corporation, April 16, 2018
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-43784990

Related:
China vows to defend “rights” after US bans sales to ZTE for seven years
Deutsche Welle, April 17, 2018
http://www.dw.com/en/china-vows-to-defend-rights-after-us-bans-sales-to-zte-for-seven-years/a-43414678

國安教育日公布七案例 三外籍老師泄國家機密 (China publicizes 7 national security cases on National Security Education Day, accuses 3 foreign teachers of espionage)
Sing Tao Daily, April 16, 2018
http://std.stheadline.com/daily/news-content.php?id=1784330&target=2

Hong Kong (香港)

Legality of Hong Kong media covering pro-independence comments “will depend on the situation and law,” Lam says
Hong Kong Free Press, April 17, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/17/legality-hong-kong-media-covering-pro-independence-comments-will-depend-situation-law-lam-says/

Related:
No timetable for Hong Kong national security law legislation, says Chief Executive Carrie Lam
Hong Kong Free Press, April 17, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/17/no-timetable-hong-kong-national-security-law-legislation-says-chief-executive-carrie-lam/

Video: Hong Kong democracy activists “freeze” for Chinese national anthem in Mong Kok stunt
Hong Kong Free Press, April 17, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/17/video-hong-kong-democracy-activists-freeze-chinese-national-anthem-mong-kok-stunt/

Related:
Beijing “confuses Hong Kong localism with being anti-China”
South China Morning Post, April 17, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2141993/beijing-confuses-hong-kong-localism-being-anti-china

Construction of Hong Kong’s “shoebox” flats soars along with prices
South China Morning Post, April 17, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/2142000/hong-kongs-shoebox-homes-increase-sevenfold-five-years

Related:
Video: Hong Kong’s maddening density explored by drone
Hong Kong Free Press, August 6, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/08/06/video-hong-kongs-maddening-density-explored-drone/

HK$2m investigation into ex-Hong Kong leader CY Leung will enlist local and overseas lawyers to gather evidence
Hong Kong Free Press, April 16, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/16/hk2m-investigation-ex-hong-kong-leader-cy-leung-will-enlist-local-overseas-lawyers-gather-evidence/

Commentary (评论)

In Translation: When does a China tech firm’s corporate apology become a political “confession”?
Hong Kong Free Press, April 17, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/17/translation-china-tech-firms-corporate-apology-become-political-confession/

23條立法 林太最大任務？ (Is enacting Article 23 Carrie Lam's greatest mission?)
Mingpao, April 17, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20180417/s00022/1523884658924

Has Xi Jinping changed China? Not really
China File, April 16, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/reporting-opinion/viewpoint/has-xi-jinping-changed-china-not-really

The Chinese dissident who wrote in blood
The Wall Street Journal, April 13, 2018
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-chinese-dissident-who-wrote-in-blood-1523634068

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China’s Xi Jinping says he is opposed to life-long rule
Financial Times, April 16, 2018
https://www.ft.com/content/2b449400-413a-11e8-803a-295c97e6fd0b

AP Exclusive: Jailed Chinese pastor’s US family seeks mercy
Associated Press, April 16, 2018
https://apnews.com/5f100e3346814ad28caf2ff2ec1a554c

湖北男子不满被贴罚单发朋友圈辱骂交警，被拘5日 (Hubei man detained 5 days for posting ticket on WeChat and insulting traffic police)
Chutian Metropolis Daily WeChat Public Account, April 13, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2075139

Access to Information (信息公开)

“I am gay, not a pervert”: Furor erupts in China as Sina Weibo bans gay content
微博清理同性恋相关内容引发网友抗议
The New York Times, April 15, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/15/world/asia/china-gay-ban-sina-weibo-.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20180416/china-gay-ban-sina-weibo-/

Asia’s bastion of free speech? Move aside, Hong Kong, it’s Taiwan now.
台湾取代香港成亚洲言论自由新堡垒
The New York Times, April 14, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/14/world/asia/china-taiwan-hong-kong-free-speech.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/asia-pacific/20180416/china-taiwan-hong-kong-free-speech/

抖音发布处罚通告：3月份永久封禁15234个账号 (In March, Douyin permanently shuts down 15,234 accounts with “illegal” content, such as pornography, vulgarity, rumor, Bitcoin)
Douyin, April 13, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2073928

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Are China’s university lecturers exploiting their traditional “godfatherly” roles to abuse students?
South China Morning Post, April 15, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2141772/are-chinas-university-lecturers-exploiting-their-traditional

First foreign NGO de-registers in China
China File, April 13, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/ngo/latest/first-foreign-ngo-de-registers-china

Related:
Guangdong gives awards to foreign NGOs
China File, April 13, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/ngo/latest/guangdong-gives-awards-foreign-ngos

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Ex-chairman of China's insurance regulator has been formally charged - top prosecutor
中国检察机关对保监会原主席项俊波涉嫌受贿案提起公诉--最高检
Reuters, April 16, 2018
EN: https://www.reuters.com/article/china-corruption/ex-chairman-of-chinas-insurance-regulator-has-been-formally-charged-top-prosecutor-idUSB9N1JZ027
CH: https://cn.reuters.com/article/former-insurance-regulator-head-xiang-04-idCNKBS1HN0SA

China’s military veterans ministry opens after pension protests
South China Morning Post, April 16, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2141894/chinas-military-veterans-ministry-opens-after-pension

“Too busy, too much pressure”: an ageing China and the erosion of filial piety
Hong Kong Free Press, April 15, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/15/busy-much-pressure-ageing-china-erosion-filial-piety/

江苏公安民警依法履职免责标准出炉：不得以舆论炒作等追责 (Jiangsu Province Public Security Department drafts rules granting police impunity during “legitimate law enforcement”. Public opinion, petition, administrative reconsideration and lawsuit shall not hold officers accountable)
Cpd.com.cn, April 12, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2071191

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

The billion-dollar, Alibaba-backed AI company that’s quietly watching people in China
Quartz, April 16, 2018
https://qz.com/1248493/sensetime-the-billion-dollar-alibaba-backed-ai-company-thats-quietly-watching-everyone-in-china/

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

China launches bilingual website to report foreign spies and thwart bids to “overthrow the socialist system”
Agence France-Presse, April 16, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/16/china-launches-bilingual-website-report-foreign-spies-thwart-bids-overthrow-socialist-system/

学生参与国家安全教育情况纳入档案，构建完善国家安全教育内容体系 (Ministry of Education to revise text books, curriculums to enhance national security education. Records will be put into students’ file as important reference for award evaluation)
Xinhua News Agency, April 13, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-04/13/content_7520798.htm

Hong Kong (香港)

Activist Raphael Wong completes Umbrella Movement prison sentence; released on bail ahead of land protest appeal
Hong Kong Free Press, April 16, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/16/activist-raphael-wong-completes-umbrella-movement-prison-sentence-released-bail-ahead-land-protest-appeal/

Related:
Mong Kok unrest: Riot trial for Localist Edward Leung and four others to proceed as prosecution closes case
Hong Kong Free Press, April 16, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/16/mong-kok-unrest-riot-trial-localist-edward-leung-four-others-proceed-prosecution-closes-case/

Living in subdivided flats that nobody wants – the grim struggle to find a home for Hong Kong’s poorer ethnic minorities
South China Morning Post, April 16, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2141793/living-subdivided-flats-nobody-wants-grim-struggle-find

Hong Kong is “only place in the world without national security law”, liaison office chief says
South China Morning Post, April 15, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2141777/hong-kong-only-city-world-without-national-security-law

Related:
內地移民斥港府一手造成 10年前融入無困難 (Mainland migrant slams SAR government for creating conflict China and Hong Kong)
Apple Daily, April 15, 2018
https://hk.news.appledaily.com/local/realtime/article/20180415/58070240

港支联会“毋忘六四”29年长跑 坚持结束一党专政 (HK Alliance holds jogging event in memory of June Fourth, urging to end one-party dictatorship)
Radio Free Asia, April 15, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/gangtai/cp-04152018162811.html

Commentary (评论)

As Hong Kong’s crackdown on dissent continues, is independence the secret dream in many hearts?
Hong Kong Free Press, April 16, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/16/crackdown-dissent-continues-independence-secret-dream-many-hearts/

CY’s legal barrage: why does it not include the newspapers which started the whole thing?
Hong Kong Free Press, April 15, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/15/cys-legal-barrage-not-include-newspapers-started-whole-thing/

Carrot & stick: How Beijing controls its diaspora
China Digital Times, April 14, 2018
https://chinadigitaltimes.net/2018/04/carrot-stick-how-beijing-controls-its-diaspora/

China: End conversion therapy in medical settings
中国：停止医疗机构进行转化治疗
Human Rights Watch, April 14, 2018
EN: https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/11/14/china-end-conversion-therapy-medical-settings
CH: https://www.hrw.org/zh-hans/news/2017/11/14/311404

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Uyghur father of two dies after falling ill in Xinjiang re-education camp
Radio Free Asia, April 12, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/father-04122018153525.html

Freedom for five men who say they were tortured into confessing
Sixth Tone, April 12, 2018
https://bit.ly/2IOKyl6

Access to Information (信息公开)

Horns honk, and censors in China get a headache
内涵段子被封杀，开车鸣笛也有可能惹麻烦
The New York Times, April 12, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/12/business/china-bytedance-duanzi-censor.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/business/20180413/china-bytedance-duanzi-censor/

Related:
全国扫黄打非办要求网络直播坚持正确导向，直播平台不得出现淫秽色情等不良内容 (National Office Against Pornographic and Illegal Publications meets with 18 live-streaming, short video platforms demanding “content security” and strengthened content review)
Legal Daily, April 12, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-04/12/content_7519778.htm

网民微信称“习皇”被警拘 人民网“不忘反个人崇拜”文被删 (Netizen detained for calling Xi Jinping “Emperor Xi”. Article warning cult of personality censored on mouthpiece website)
Radio Free Asia, April 12, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/ql1-04122018105731.html

Related:
聂辰席：各级广播电视部门机构要把宪法宣传教育作为重大主题 (SART requires radio and TV organizations to push propaganda of Constitution, “unswervingly safeguard authorities and centralized leadership of Party Central with Xi Jinping as core”)
Chinaxwcb.com, April 12, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2071945

New target for China’s censors: Content driven by artificial intelligence
中国审查触角伸向AI内容生产
The Wall Street Journal, April 11, 2018
EN: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-target-for-chinas-censors-content-driven-by-artificial-intelligence-1523446234
CH: https://cn.wsj.com/articles/CN-TEC-20180412120513

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

A six-day strike in Shanghai caused by a $110 pay cut – collective action by sanitation workers in China’s “New Era” of stability maintenance
China Change, April 13, 2018
https://chinachange.org/2018/04/13/a-six-day-strike-in-shanghai-caused-by-a-110-pay-cut-collective-action-by-sanitation-workers-in-chinas-new-era-of-stability-maintenance/

Workers at Flex in Zhuhai enter third week of strike over ownership change
China Labor Bulletin, April 12, 2018
http://www.clb.org.hk/content/workers-flex-zhuhai-enter-third-week-strike-over-ownership-change

安徽省芜湖市经开区万春街道办事处张拐社区村民举报基层腐败 (Villagers in Anhui accuse local party officials of corruption)
Weiquanwang, April 12, 2018
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2018/04/blog-post_15.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Chinese tycoon Xiao Jianhua, missing for 15 months since vanishing in Hong Kong, “could face trial by June”
South China Morning Post, April 13, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/economy/article/2141462/chinese-tycoon-xiao-jianhua-missing-15-months-vanishing-hong-kong

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

Xi reviews Navy might in contested waters of South China Sea
The Sydney Morning Herald, April 13, 2018
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/xi-reviews-navy-might-in-contested-waters-of-south-china-sea-20180413-p4z9f0.html

Related:
Taiwan president attends military drill off east coast
Reuters, April 13, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-military-drills/taiwan-president-attends-military-drill-off-east-coast-idUSKBN1HK0RC

最高50万元！山东发布举报危害国家安全行为线索奖励办法 (Shandong rewards reporting of activity that endangers national security up to RMB 500,000)
Iqilu.com, April 13, 2018
http://news.iqilu.com/shandong/yuanchuang/2018/0413/3885103.shtml

Q&A: Philippine foreign minister on why Duterte and Xi Jinping get along
South China Morning Post, April 13, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2141500/qa-philippine-foreign-minister-why-duterte-and-xi-jinping-get

Hong Kong (香港)

In unprecedented move, May 7 deadline set for Legco bill committee to scrutinize controversial joint checkpoint plan
South China Morning Post, April 13, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2141582/may-7-deadline-set-legco-bill-committee-scrutinise

Agnes Chow election ban: Hong Kong taxpayers foot HK$230k bill for gov’t legal advice
Hong Kong Free Press, April 13, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/13/agnes-chow-election-ban-hong-kong-taxpayers-foot-hk230k-bill-govt-legal-advice/

Why Beijing came down so hard on pro-democracy academic Benny Tai over Hong Kong independence comments
South China Morning Post, April 13, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2141488/why-beijing-came-down-so-hard-pro-democracy-academic-benny

Related:
港千五基督徒联署谴责港府与北京打压戴耀廷 (1,500 Christians in Hong Kong launch signature campaign denouncing SAR government and Beijing for slamming Benny Tai)
Radio Free Asia, April 12, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/gangtai/cp-04122018110127.html

You may be prosecuted, Hong Kong police tell injured people they “used as human shield”
South China Morning Post, April 13, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2141588/you-may-be-prosecuted-hong-kong-police-tells-injured-people

Sea bridge island’s breakwater blocks offer no protection as they are underwater at high tide, says veteran engineer
Hong Kong Free Press, April 12, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/12/sea-bridge-islands-breakwater-blocks-offer-no-protection-underwater-high-tide-says-veteran-engineer/

普通话如何演变为漩涡中心的语言？香港“推普”的前世今生 (How does Mandarin become the language in the eye of a maelstrom? The history and future of promoting Mandarin in Hong Kong)
The Initium, April 12, 2018
https://theinitium.com/article/20180413-hongkong-mandarin-in-hongkong/

Commentary (评论)

港人必須捍衛自由和法治，否則將一無所有 (Hongkongers much defend freedom and rule of law, otherwise they will have nothing left)
Inmediahk, April 13, 2018
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1056350

Related:
「港獨派」青年的政治情緒及對未來的看法 (Emotions of Hong Kong pro-independence youths and how they see their future)
Mingpao, April 13, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/pns/dailynews/web_tc/article/20180413/s00012/1523555443530

China’s moves in Vanuatu: What should Australia do?
The Diplomat, April 12, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/04/chinas-moves-in-vanuatu-what-should-australia-do/

Related:
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Clive Hamilton and Richard Rigby on Chinese influence in Australia
The Conversation, April 13, 2018
https://theconversation.com/politics-with-michelle-grattan-clive-hamilton-and-richard-rigby-on-chinese-influence-in-australia-94973

In China, a march to find her husband
Human Rights Watch, April 12, 2018
https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/04/12/china-march-find-her-husband

Lois Wheeler Snow, critic of human rights abuses in China, dies at 97
从追随红星到批评中共：被六四“改变”的斯诺夫人
The New York Times, April 11, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/11/obituaries/lois-wheeler-snow-dies.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/obits/20180412/lois-wheeler-snow-dies/