Access to Justice (司法公正)

Defense lawyers to cover all criminal cases in China
Xinhua News Agency, January 19, 2018
http://english.sina.com/china/s/2018-01-19/detail-ifyquixe4432964.shtml

Related:
Chinese justice minister stresses CPC leadership of lawyers
Xinhua News Agency, January 19, 2018
http://english.sina.com/china/p/2018-01-19/detail-ifyquixe4515582.shtml

Son of detained rights lawyers arrives in Australia after battle to leave China
709案意外突破 王宇儿子遭多番阻挠后终获准出国留学
Radio Free Asia, January 18, 2018
EN: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/lawyer-son-01182018140246.html
CH: http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/arrival-01182018055405.html

Related:
China detains rights lawyer after call for reform
Agence France-Presse, January 19, 2018
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-5287169/China-detains-rights-lawyer-call-reform.html

China jails six Protestants in Yunnan amid massive crackdown on “evil cult”
云南云县“邪教”案6基督徒被判刑 最长13年
Radio Free Asia, January 18, 2018
EN: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/protestants-01182018110902.html
CH: http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shehui/ql2-01182018105144.html

China to discuss constitutional amendments, but how far will Xi Jinping go?
Voice of America, January 18, 2018
https://www.voanews.com/a/china-to-discuss-constitutional-amendments/4213388.html

Uyghur inmates suffer health complications due to neglect in Xinjiang detention centers
Radio Free Asia, January 18, 2018
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/health-01182018171513.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

留學加國大陸生Twitter貼西藏旗 6小時後公安即致電其父母 (Chinese student in Canada posts Tibetan flag on Twitter and police calls his parents 6 hours after)
Stand News, January 18, 2018
http://bit.ly/2DtoFZG

新疆少数民族使用苹果手机受阻 (Ethic groups in Xinjiang face hurdle using iPhones)
Radio Free Asia, January 18, 2018
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/ql1-01182018105108.html

加强新时代高校思想政治理论课建设现场推进会召开 (Ministry of Education hosts meeting in Shanghai to push Xi Jinping Thought deeply into “teaching materials, classrooms, and brains” at universities)
Ministry of Education, January 18, 2018
http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2018-01/18/content_5257886.htm

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

中国LGBT群体用法律为自己发声 把广电总局、京东都告了 (LGBT groups bring State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television and JD.com to court)
British Broadcasting Corporation, January 18, 2018
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/world-42729962

顺德土地问题纷争不断 村民申请信息公开被警扣押 (Villager in Guangdong demands information disclosure over land rights dispute and gets detained by police)
Radio Free Asia, January 18, 2018
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf1-01182018105214.html

The #MeToo movement arrives in the people’s republic
The Economist, January 18, 2018
https://www.economist.com/news/china/21735078-communist-party-nervous-metoo-movement-arrives-peoples-republic

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China’s two-child policy has already stopped working
Quartz, January 19, 2018
https://qz.com/1183692/after-ending-chinas-one-child-policy-in-2015-its-two-child-policy-has-already-stopped-working-as-births-decline/

全总要求各地工会保障春节期间农民工工资支付 (All-China Federation of Trade Unions asks affiliates to ensure migrant workers getting paid during Chinese New Year)
Xinhua News Agency, January 18, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2018-01/18/c_1122280909.htm

多地自曝GDP造假 国家统计局：国家数据实行“分级核算”真实性不受影响 (After many local governments confess to have fabricated GDP numbers, National Bureau of Statistics claims national data is “accounted at different levels” and its authenticity is not affected)
The Beijing News, January 18, 2018
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2018/01/18/473039.html

国有资产报告制度建立 今年10月将首次晒国资家底 (In new system, first report by State Council on management of state-owned assets will be heard by NPC Standing Committee in October)
Economic Information Daily, January 18, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2018-01/18/c_1122275054.htm

The climate change promise of China’s Belt and Road Initiative
The Diplomat, January 18, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/01/the-climate-change-promise-of-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative/

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

AI beat humans at reading! Maybe not
Wired, January 18, 2018
https://www.wired.com/story/ai-beat-humans-at-reading-maybe-not/

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

China is getting tougher on Taiwan
The Economist, January 18, 2018
https://www.economist.com/news/china/21735075-it-also-luring-its-people-china-getting-tougher-taiwan

Related:
How China’s military is girding for battle, and what it means for neighbors
South China Morning Post, January 18, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2129471/how-chinas-military-girding-battle-and-what-it-means

Claims that Wendi Deng Murdoch was a spy fuel debate in China as state-run media responds
South China Morning Post, January 18, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2129581/report-wendi-deng-murdoch-could-be-spy-fuels-debate-china

Hong Kong (香港)

Former Bar Assoc. head: Members will unite behind new chair Philip Dykes to face challenges
Hong Kong Free Press, January 19, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/19/former-bar-assoc-head-members-will-unite-behind-new-chair-philip-dykes-face-challenges/

Related:
City’s barristers want Bar Association to “step up to the plate” on constitutional matters, says one of its new leaders
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2129653/citys-barristers-want-bar-association-step-plate/

Incoming HKUST chief Wei Shyy says he will continue university’s stance on Hong Kong independence
Hong Kong Free Press, January 19, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/19/incoming-hkust-chief-wei-shyy-says-will-continue-universitys-stance-hong-kong-independence/

Related:
Hong Kong university condemns independence calls again as student group adds members
South China Morning Post, January 17, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2128704/hong-kong-university-condemns-independence-calls-again

Hong Kong police to receive 3 water cannon vehicles, worth HK$27m, this year
Hong Kong Free Press, January 19, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/19/hong-kong-police-receive-3-water-cannon-vehicles-worth-hk27m-year/

209,700 people live in subdivided flats in Hong Kong, 2016 gov’t by-census reveals
Hong Kong Free Press, January 19, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/19/209700-people-live-subdivided-flats-hong-kong-2016-govt-census-reveals/

浸大生佔領反對普通話試 學生會長批評分機制難明白 (Baptist University students protest at language center against Putonghua test, as student union chief claims grading mechanism is hard to understand)
Mingpao, January 19, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20180119/s00001/1516334532862

Hong Kong Law Society warns lack of clarity on joint rail checkpoint could undermine “One Country, Two Systems”
South China Morning Post, January 18, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2129566/hong-kong-law-society-warns-lack-clarity-joint-rail

Commentary (评论)

嚴薔：削減文革的教材，卻為何擴充了改革開放？ (Why China is downplaying Cultural Revolution in school textbooks while chanting Reform and Opening-up?)
The Initium, January 19, 2018
https://theinitium.com/article/20180119-opinion-yanqiang-cultural-revolution/

如果孩子要做之鋒 (What if your child wants to be Joshua Wong)
Inmediahk, January 19, 2018
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1054607

Is promoting human rights in ASEAN an impossible task?
The Diplomat, January 19, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/01/is-promoting-human-rights-in-asean-an-impossible-task/

How to stand up for human rights in the age of Trump
Foreign Policy, January 18, 2018
http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/01/18/how-to-stand-up-for-human-rights-in-the-age-of-trump/

Access to Justice (司法公正)

辦讀書會被捕 曾談六四 毛左青年獲釋認妥協 (Young Maoists released in Guangdong after being detained for organizing reading groups and talking about June Fourth)
Mingpao, January 18, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/pns/dailynews/web_tc/article/20180118/s00013/1516211636727

北京律师被拒办理护照“出境或危害国家安全” (Beijing-based rights lawyer not allowed to apply for passport, police claims his “going abroad may endanger national security”)
Voice of America, January 18, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/Chinese-Rights-Lawyer-Yu-Wensheng-Denied-Passport-Application-20180117/4211426.html

高智晟失踪逾五个月 妻耿和国内家人被警告 (Rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng disappeared for 5 months, wife and family warned by police)
Radio Free Asia, January 17, 2018
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql2-01172018103129.html

China seeks to export growing repression, lack of freedom at home: Freedom House
自由之家2018全球自由度排行 中国再列不自由国家
Radio Free Asia, January 17, 2018
EN: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/repression-export-01172018101604.html
CH: http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf1-01172018103233.html

中国外交部：刘霞“依法享有一切权利” (Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Liu Xia enjoys all rights in accordance with the laws)
Deutsche Welle, January 17, 2018
http://bit.ly/2mSjeK7

“坦白从宽”能不能坐实，18地区试点用数据“说话” (Supreme People’s Court and Supreme People’s Procuratorate report that in year 1 of pilot program, over 100,000 criminal defendants received lenient sentences after providing confessions)
NPC WeChat Public Account, January 17, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1954616

In China, your spouse’s secret debts can no longer drag you down
South China Morning Post, January 17, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2128695/china-revises-marriage-law-definition-joint-liability-protect

Access to Information (信息公开)

China’s VPN crackdown may aid government surveillance
中国整顿VPN引发驻华机构担忧政府监控
The Wall Street Journal, January 17, 2018
EN: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-vpn-crackdown-may-aid-government-surveillance-1516189155
CH: http://cn.wsj.com/gb/20180118/bgh112906.asp

曝中学教科书删文革 微博帐号被查封 (Weibo account censored for spreading news about Cultural Revolution being downplayed in history textbooks)
Radio France Internationale, January 17, 2018
http://bit.ly/2mNKR7h

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

趙紫陽逝世13周年骨灰未入土 民眾赴故居悼念 (Public commemorate Zhao Ziyang at his former Beijing residence 13 years after his death)
Radio Television Hong Kong, January 17, 2018
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1375766-20180117.htm

Government Accountability (政府问责)

全国统战部长会议：今年要加强新的社会阶层人士统战工作 (United Front to work more on people from “new social hierarchy” in 2018)
United Front WeChat Public Account, January 18, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1956788

Cities in China's Hebei province still top list of smoggiest places
Reuters, January 18, 2018
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/cities-in-china-s-hebei-province-still-top-list-of-smoggiest-places-9872126

李克强动员农民工返乡创业被指习近平版上山下乡 (Li Keqiang encouraging migrant workers to back to their rural hometowns accused of being Xi Jinping’s version of Down to the Countryside Movement)
Radio France Internationale, January 18, 2018
http://bit.ly/2DgOhp6

Muslim children in Chinese county banned from attending religious events over break
Reuters, January 17, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2128670/muslim-children-chinese-county-banned-attending-religious-events

Chinese communist party to “resolutely” exclude “Janus-faced" members
The Diplomat, January 16, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/01/chinese-communist-party-to-resolutely-exclude-janus-faced-members/

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China said to be testing facial recognition system to monitor Muslim-dominated Xinjiang region
Bloomberg, January 18, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2129473/china-testing-facial-recognition-system-monitor-muslim-dominated

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

共谍案从何说起？王炳忠与周泓旭之间的五个关键字 (Communist spies in Taiwan: The story of Wang Ping-chung and Zhou Hongxu)
The Initium, January 18, 2018
https://theinitium.com/article/20180118-taiwan-zhou-hong-xu-and-wang-ping-chung-in-spy-probe/

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong pro-independence protest leader appears in court for “rioting”
Reuters, January 18, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-court-riot/hong-kong-pro-independence-protest-leader-appears-in-court-for-rioting-idUSKBN1F70ZJ

Related:
Communist Party mouthpiece accuses Hong Kong university student unions of “selling” independence under guise of free speech
South China Morning Post, January 18, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2129509/communist-party-mouthpiece-attacks-hong-kong-university

Hong Kong’s barristers go to the polls for tightest contest in years
South China Morning Post, January 18, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2128690/hong-kongs-barristers-go-polls-tightest-contest-years

Hong Kong justice minister “hiding from legislature” over illegal structures scandal
South China Morning Post, January 18, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2128713/hong-kong-justice-minister-hiding-legislature-over-illegal

Legislature rejects move to censure pro-Beijing lawmaker Junius Ho over “killing” remarks
Hong Kong Free Press, January 18, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/18/legislature-rejects-move-censure-pro-beijing-lawmaker-junius-ho-killing-remarks/

Related:
何君堯：愛國心來自岳飛，愛港心來自李光耀 (Junius Ho claims his love for the state comes from Yue Fei, a military general in Song Dynasty who fought against Mongol invasion, and his love for Hong Kong comes from Lee Kuan Yew, former Prime Minister of Singapore)
Mingpao, January 18, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20180118/s00001/1516243836704

Commentary (评论)

China: Rights crackdown goes global
中国：打压人权扩及全球
Human Rights Watch, January 18, 2018
EN: https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/01/18/china-rights-crackdown-goes-global
CH: https://www.hrw.org/zh-hans/news/2018/01/18/313834

The Guardian view on China’s spreading influence: look in the gift horse’s mouth
The Guardian, January 17, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jan/17/the-guardian-view-on-chinas-spreading-influence-look-in-the-gift-horses-mouth

Stretching the Basic Law to fit Hong Kong’s high-speed rail plan puts “One Country, Two Systems” at risk
South China Morning Post, January 17, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2128635/stretching-basic-law-fit-hong-kongs-high-speed-rail-plan

Carrie Lam, Lord Ashdown’s report is not “foreign meddling” – it reflects Britain’s commitment to the Handover
Hong Kong Free Press, January 17, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/17/carrie-lam-lord-ashdowns-report-not-foreign-meddling-reflects-britains-commitment-handover/

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Chinese-American journalist says China kidnapped his wife
Associated Press, January 17, 2018
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/chinese-american-journalist-says-china-kidnapped-his-wife/2018/01/17/a4360986-fb5b-11e7-9b5d-bbf0da31214d_story.html

山东肇事司机不予追责 警方：监控已坏 (Government-hired driver released by police and not held accountable for killing 75-year-old villager in accident, as police claims surveillance camera footage is damaged)
Radio Free Asia, January 16, 2018
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shehui/yf1-01162018111444.html

Confusion surrounds status of Liu Xia amid rumors she will “leave China”
Radio Free Asia, January 16, 2018
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/confusion-01162018105851.html

Amended regulation-making procedure stresses CPC leadership, due process
Xinhua News Agency, January 16, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-01/16/c_136900521.htm

Related:
李克强签署国务院令 公布《国务院关于修改〈行政法规制定程序条例〉的决定》和《国务院关于修改〈规章制定程序条例〉的决定》 (Premier Li Keqiang signs off regulation-making procedure amendments)
Xinhua News Agency, January 16, 2018
http://www.gov.cn/premier/2018-01/16/content_5257183.htm

全国人大常委会已开始对合宪性审查相关问题进行研究部署, 维护宪法权威, 合宪性审查如何破局 (Among goals of NPC Standing Committee’s constitutionality inspection work is to “provide constitutional support . . . for major Party, state policies”)
Legal Daily, January 16, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-01/16/content_7448640.htm

Access to Information (信息公开)

How will Macau's new cybersecurity legislation impact freedom of speech?
Global Voices, January 16, 2018
https://advox.globalvoices.org/2018/01/16/how-will-macaus-new-cybersecurity-legislation-impact-freedom-of-speech/

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

中國最大同志社區被關閉之後，哪裏是同志運動和言論的天花板？ (China shutting down the largest online gay community questions boundaries of LGBT movement)
The Initium, January 17, 2018
https://theinitium.com/article/20180117-mainland-yilutongxing-lgbt-movement/

长沙抗日老兵无钱医病身亡 逾百政府拆迁人员上门抢尸 (Hunan veteran dies after fighting against forced eviction thugs and has his body taken away by local government)
Radio Free Asia, January 16, 2018
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql2-01162018113401.html

近百位尘肺病患者及遗属连日在深圳市政府维权 (Nearly 100 pneumoconiosis victims and family members demand compensation at Shenzhen government)
Radio Free Asia, January 16, 2018
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/yf2-01162018110547.html

新疆巴州蒙古族学校被摘牌 引发海内外蒙古人抗议 (Inner Mongolia government changing ethnic schools’ names sparks protest from ethnic communities inside and out of China)
Radio Free Asia, January 16, 2018
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/ql1-01162018105653.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Another Chinese city admits releasing “fake” economic data
Reuters, January 17, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/economy/article/2128629/another-chinese-city-admits-releasing-fake-economic-data

卧底发现：江苏苹果手机代工厂压榨工人工作累报酬低 (Undercover investigation finds Apple factory in Jiangsu exploits workers with poor pay and long hours)
Voice of America, January 17, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/apple-factory-20180116/4210749.html

Related:
Workers making iPhones in China exposed to toxic hazards, report says
The Guardian, January 16, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/jan/16/workers-making-iphones-in-china-exposed-to-toxic-hazards-report-says-apple-catcher-technology