Access to Justice (司法公正)

Xi Jinping tells parliament China must not be complacent
British Broadcasting Corporation, March 20, 2018
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-43466685

最高法：案件当事人婚姻登记等信息被纳入查询范围 (Supreme People’s Court and Ministry of Civil Affairs to share social credit information including marriage status, social organization registration, individual income, and a “blacklist of dishonest people or groups”)
The Paper, March 19, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2033629

专访：用李明哲案件恐吓整个台湾 (China use Lee Ming-Che case to scary Taiwan)
Deutsche Welle, March 19, 2018
https://goo.gl/1uPXmg

Xinjiang authorities up detentions in Uyghur majority areas of Ghulja city
Radio Free Asia, March 19, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/detentions-03192018151252.html

China improves social credit system
Xinhua News Agency, March 19, 2018
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201803/19/WS5aafcebea3106e7dcc14292d.html

浙江发布首起对编外人员使用监察留置措施案件 (Zhejiang Provincial Supervision Commission unprecedentedly “retains in custody” (liuzhi) a worker who is neither a Party member nor public servant)
Xinhua News Agency, March 16, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/local/2018-03/16/c_1122548541.htm

Access to Information (信息公开)

Soldiers put on social credit blacklist for leaving service
Sixth Tone, March 19, 2018
http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1001938/Soldiers%20Put%20on%20Social%20Credit%20Blacklist%20for%20Leaving%20Service

India: Chinese hackers spying on Indians using WhatsApp, warns army
Deutsche Welle, March 19, 2018
http://www.dw.com/en/india-chinese-hackers-spying-on-indians-using-whatsapp-warns-army/a-43042013

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Detained Chinese environmental worker released after public outcry
环保人士调研广东信宜非法开采排污遭拘留
Radio Free Asia, March 19, 2018
EN: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/release-03192018105728.html
CH: https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/ql1-03192018103305.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Five important takeaways from China’s national people’s congress
The New York Times, March 19, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/19/world/asia/china-national-peoples-congress-xi-jinping.html

China's radical plan to limit the populations of Beijing and Shanghai
The Guardian, March 19, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/mar/19/plan-big-city-disease-populations-fall-beijing-shanghai

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

Xi Jinping warns he is ready to “fight bloody battles” against China's enemies
The Guardian, March 20, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/20/xi-jinping-warns-fight-bloody-battles-chinas-enemies

The Taiwan travel act in context
The Diplomat, March 19, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/03/the-taiwan-travel-act-in-context/

Hong Kong (香港)

Hongkongers may be barred from elections over “end one-party dictatorship” slogans, says top Beijing delegate
Hong Kong Free Press, March 20, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/20/hongkongers-may-barred-elections-end-one-party-dictatorship-slogan-says-top-beijing-delegate/

Related:
Hong Kong election disqualification for those who lobby against one-party rule a “betrayal” to city values
South China Morning Post, March 19, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2137916/hong-kong-election-disqualification-those-who-lobby-against

Hong Kong’s Chinese national anthem law “shouldn’t include rule for schools”, legal scholar says
South China Morning Post, March 19, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2137863/schools-clause-national-anthem-bill-will-undermine-law-warns

Related:
Insult China’s national anthem at your peril
Human Rights Watch, March 19, 2018
https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/19/insult-chinas-national-anthem-your-peril

年輕大狀陳偉彥：大律師本應無畏無懼 (Young Barrister Joe Chan says “Barrister should be fearless”)
Standnews, March 19, 2018
https://goo.gl/6sFjNA

Two Hong Kong activists admit roles in anti-Beijing protest, where crowds thronged liaison office and charged at officers
South China Morning Post, March 19, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2137923/two-hong-kong-activists-admit-roles-anti-beijing-protest

Commentary (评论)

The voters speak, and surprise: Democrats no longer do “better than expected”
Hong Kong Free Press, March 20, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/20/voters-speak-surprise-democrats-no-longer-better-expected/

習近平會做「終身領導人」嗎? (Will Xi rule for life?)
The New York Times, March 20, 2018
https://cn.nytimes.com/opinion/20180320/deng-yuwen-forever-xi-jinping/zh-hant/

Xi reforms will tighten his control over China
中國通過機構改革加強行政管控
Financial Times, March 19, 2018
EN: https://www.ft.com/content/bf2a315a-2b6b-11e8-9b4b-bc4b9f08f381
CH: http://big5.ftchinese.com/story/001076807

Access to Justice (司法公正)

When China’s top lawmakers don’t go by the Communist Party’s playbook
South China Morning Post, March 19, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2137742/when-chinas-top-lawmakers-dont-go-communist-partys

中國即將通過國家監察法 紀委「雙規」將合法化 (China to pass Supervision Law, legalizing detention of party members during investigation)
British Broadcasting Corporation, March 19, 2018
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-43451802

China anti-corruption chief Wang Qishan named Xi Jinping's deputy
British Broadcasting Corporation, March 17, 2018
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-43440877

Related:
Surprise choice for China’s new anti-graft watchdog signals Communist Party’s authority over the state
South China Morning Post, March 18, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2137735/yang-xiaodu-surprise-choice-head-chinas-new-powerful

Detained Chinese rights group spokeswoman denied visit from defense lawyer
人权斗士徐秦被监视居住 律师会见遭拒
Radio Free Asia, March 16, 2018
EN: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/spokeswoman-isolation-03162018164533.html
CH: https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf-03162018103211.html

中國網絡安全法：外企為何抱有疑慮? (Why foreign enterprises worry about the China's Cybersecurity Law?)
Financial Times, March 16, 2018
http://big5.ftchinese.com/story/001076746

多部门：适当限制特定严重失信人乘坐民航火车，5月起实施 (Multiple departments issue opinions on restricting “seriously untrustworthy people” from travelling on trains and planes)
Chinanews.com, March 16, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2031193

China steps up pressure on dissidents who oppose changes to constitution
广东维权人士接受外媒采访被警方警告
Radio Free Asia, March 16, 2018
EN: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/pressure-03162018151240.html
CH: https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf3-03162018103356.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

China propaganda kicks into overdrive as “helmsman” Xi re-anointed president
Reuters, March 18, 2018
https://goo.gl/4d4AM3

Digital protectionism and national security
Financial Times, March 17, 2018
https://www.ft.com/content/112e233c-2912-11e8-b27e-cc62a39d57a0

How a viral eye roll broke the silence on China's heavily censored web
Global Voices, March 16, 2018
https://advox.globalvoices.org/2018/03/17/how-a-viral-eye-roll-broke-the-silence-on-chinas-heavily-censored-web/

最高法网络公开审判流程信息新规解读：杜绝“选择性公开” (Supreme People’s Court issues regulations to prohibit “selective” disclosure of judicial process information online)
China Court, March 16, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2031366

2017年四季度9省份名义GDP负增长 (9 provinces record negative nominal GDP growth in Q4 2017, likely resulting from correction of false data)
Nikkei, March 16, 2018
http://cn.nikkei.com/china/ceconomy/29646-2018-03-16-08-58-45.html

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Made-in-China halal: Online discussions on “Halalification”
What’s on Weibo, March 17, 2018
https://www.whatsonweibo.com/made-in-china-halal-online-discussions-on-halalification/

Young China: How the restless generation will change their country and the world
China File, March 16, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/library/books/young-china

Related:
異鄉人——竺晶瑩：從「盛世」中出走，那些與我同行的中國年輕人 (The Stranger: Story of young Chinese and I who exit from a “Golden Age” China)
The Initium, March 16, 2018
https://theinitium.com/article/20180316-strangers-sandi/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Why ghost marriages live on in rural China
Sixth Tone, March 19, 2018
http://bit.ly/2ppmdLi

China widens Xi's corruption crackdown
Agence France-Presse, March 18, 2018
https://www.afp.com/en/news/23/china-widens-xis-corruption-crackdown-doc-12m7op1

China has new three-year plan to clean up environment, minister says
South China Morning Post, March 18, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2137666/china-has-new-three-year-plan-clean-environment

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China’s new frontiers in dystopian tech
The Atlantic, March 18, 2018
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/04/big-in-china-machines-that-scan-your-face/554075/

Deleted, suspended, demoted: Censorship, Silicon Valley-style
Al Jazeera, March 18, 2018
https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/listeningpost/2018/03/deleted-suspended-demoted-censorship-silicon-valley-style-180317111051502.html

工业和信息化部关于做好电信业务经营不良名单和失信名单管理工作的通知 (MIIT: New credit system for telecommunications industry will blacklist/expose harmful, dishonest companies)
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, March 16, 2018
http://www.miit.gov.cn/n1146285/n1146352/n3054355/n3057709/n3057714/c6088105/content.html

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

China urges US to “correct mistake” on Taiwan
Agence France-Presse, March 18, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/18/china-urges-us-to-correct-mistake-on-taiwan

Prague opened the door to Chinese influence. Now it may need to change course.
Foreign Policy, March 16, 2018
http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/03/16/prague-to-czech-chinese-influence-cefc-energy-communist-party/

Related:
“We Are Chinese”: How China is influencing Sierra Leone’s presidential election
The Diplomat, March 16, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/03/we-are-chinese-how-china-is-influencing-sierra-leones-presidential-election/

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong’s proposed national anthem law deviates from common law norms, says legal scholar
Hong Kong Free Press, March 19, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/19/hong-kongs-proposed-national-anthem-law-deviates-common-law-norms-says-legal-scholar/

Related:
No need for formal consultation over law against national anthem abuse, says Hong Kong leader
South China Morning Post, March 17, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2137650/no-need-formal-consultation-over-law-against-national-anthem

專訪余英時 拒絕變順民 寄語港人：不要放棄 (Renowned Sinologist Yu Ying-shin encourages HongKongers to never give up and become docile people)
Apple Daily, March 18, 2018
https://hk.news.appledaily.com/wonder/realtime/article/20180318/57946191

最年長被告 周樹榮：公民抗命就係無畏無懼 (Oldest defender in anti-NPC interpretation protest says civil disobedience means being fearless)
Inmediahk, March 18, 2018
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1055839

Hongkongers who lobby for end to “one-party dictatorship” run risk of election disqualification, top Beijing delegate warns
South China Morning Post, March 17, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2137638/hongkongers-who-urge-end-one-party-dictatorship-run-risk

Commentary (评论)

Never mind the partisan labels: the real loser of Hong Kong’s by-elections was our political system
Hong Kong Free Press, March 19, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/19/never-mind-partisan-labels-real-loser-hong-kongs-elections-political-system/

Youth commissions? Hong Kong should stop prosecuting and disqualifying young people to regain their trust
Hong Kong Free Press, March 18, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/18/youth-commissions-hong-kong-stop-prosecuting-disqualifying-young-people-regain-trust/

Xi’s indefinite grasp on power has finally captured the West’s attention – now what?
The Conversation, March 16, 2018
https://theconversation.com/xis-indefinite-grasp-on-power-has-finally-captured-the-wests-attention-now-what-92721

Human rights are not enough
The Nation, March 16, 2018
https://www.thenation.com/article/human-rights-are-not-enough/

Policy analysis on China’s civil society organizations
China-Europe Association for Civil Rights, March 15, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/ngo/analysis/policy-analysis-chinas-civil-society-organizations

Access to Justice (司法公正)

When Xi speaks, Chinese officials jump. Maybe too high.
The New York Times, March 16, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/16/world/asia/xi-jinping-china-power.html

New China “crime” crackdown targets threats to party rule
Associated Press, March 15, 2018
https://www.voanews.com/a/new-china-crime-crackdown-targets-threats-to-party-rule/4301254.html

709案代理律师李昱函被起诉 (Rights lawyer and 709 Crackdown legal counsel Li Yuhan officially charged)
Radio Free Asia, March 15, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/gf1-03152018114321.html

哥哥拘押中死亡 广东张唯楚找工作受阻 (Guangdong police warns local company not to hire woman who demands justice for bother died under detention)
Radio Free Asia, March 15, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf1-03152018114044.html

代表热议贯彻落实全面依法治国基本方略, 党的领导是深化依法治国实践主心骨 (NPC deputies stress Party leadership as pillar of “intensifying governing the country by law”)
Legal Daily, March 15, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-03/15/content_7497575.htm

全国政协十三届一次会议共收到提案5360件, 发展社会主义民主政治方面建议反映比较集中 (CPPCC concludes with 5,360 proposals received, most focus on developing “socialist democracy” and “enhancing comprehensive Party leadership”)
Legal Daily, March 15, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-03/15/content_7497572.htm

Related:
China Focus: China's top political advisory body concludes annual session, stressing CPC leadership
Xinhua News Agency, March 15, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-03/15/c_137041743.htm

Access to Information (信息公开)

China says political education for students now back on track
Reuters, March 16, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-parliament-education/china-says-political-education-for-students-now-back-on-track-idUSKCN1GS0DI

In Pictures: An eye-roll goes viral in China, as censors put a lid on it
Agence France-Presse, March 15, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/15/pictures-eye-roll-goes-viral-china-censors-put-lid/

A bar street falls quiet as Beijing puts a limit on foreigners
北京加強管控，酒吧被要求限制外國顧客人數
The New York Times, March 15, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/15/world/asia/china-beijing-foreigners.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20180316/china-beijing-foreigners/zh-hant/

Guns for hire: China’s social media militia engage on command
Sixthtone, March 12, 2018
http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1001904/guns-for-hire-chinas-social-media-militia-engage-on-command

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Ethnic Uyghurs protest Chinese security crackdown
Associated Press, March 16, 2018
https://apnews.com/7817b44ef57641d8a36cd1fe17a1e379

Chinese protest removal of presidential term limits outside China
北加州华人集会抗议习近平修宪终身执政
Radio Free Asia, March 15, 2018
EN: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/removal-03152018144934.html
CH: https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/zhengzhi/ck-03152018094024.html/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Will Wang Qishan’s new job become a problem for the Communist Party?
South China Morning Post, March 16, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2137398/will-wang-qishans-new-job-become-problem-communist

聚焦监察法草案：留置调查措施不是刑事强制措施 (China Discipline Inspection Daily: “Retention in custody” (liuzhi) not a criminal coercive measure, investigation will abide by constitution and “utilize” Party rules)
China Discipline Inspection Daily, March 15, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2029456

China’s peasants left for the cities to seek their fortune, and it made them miserable
The Washington Post, March 15, 2018
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/03/15/chinas-peasants-left-for-the-cities-to-seek-their-fortune-and-it-made-them-miserable/

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

以法为鉴 浙江首个互联网+失信联动惩戒平台上线 (Zhejiang launches first online credit information sharing and punishing platform)
Chinanews.com, March 16, 2018
http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0316/c1001-29871491.html