Top News 头条
Tomorrow, June 4, marks the 36th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre on June 4, 1989. The Tiananmen Mothers group, bereaved families of the victims, has authorized Human Rights in China (HRIC) to publish their statement, translated into English by HRIC, also reported on Radio Free Asia, to remember the treasured memories of the victims, tell the stories of survivors, and call for dialogue with the Chinese government. You Weijie, often referred to as the “spokesperson” of the Tiananmen Mothers, shared her story in an interview that has been translated into English for the first time. We remember and mourn the victims of the 1989 crackdown, in Beijing and all across China.
All over the globe, June Fourth vigils have been and will be held in solidarity: in Toronto, a 2000-strong crowd turned up at a candlelight vigil led by HRIC Executive Director and former student leader Zhou Fengsuo (full speech here) and Toronto Mayor Rosalind Chow; and in San Francisco, dozens of Chinese and Chinese American pro-democracy activists gathered at Portsmouth Square in San Francisco’s Chinatown to commemorate the victims by cleaning the Goddess of Democracy statue. For a list of events, an estimated 77 events in 40 cities in 10 countries, see this list compiled by the Hong Kong Democracy Council.
In Hong Kong, all forms of commemoration and public remembrance have been banned since 2020. Hong Kong’s Catholic church declines to say if Tiananmen mass will take place after 3 years of cancellations, but Hong Kongers are still seeking alternative methods to commemorate the event. Detained Hong Kong activist Chow Hang-tung will launch a 36-hour hunger strike while in prison, while other prolific pro-democracy activists like Fu Tong are choosing to commemorate the event in Taiwan vis-à-vis a Hong Kong human rights exhibition in Taipei showcasing artwork from the protest movement.
Law & Policy 法律与政策
China sets up international body in Hong Kong to rival World Court: According to Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, the International Organisation for Mediation is envisioned to be on par with United Nation bodies like the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. In recent years, China has sought to establish itself as an alternative power within the international system, pushing against norms of international human rights. Hong Kong’s Justice Secretary Paul Lam said the new body would help Hong Kong resist challenges from “hostile external forces,” a term which has been used to deflect criticism of the city’s handling of dissent.
NPC Calendar: June 2025: The 14th NPC Standing Committee will convene for its sixteenth session in late June, and the Council of Chairpersons is expected to meet in mid-June to decide on the agenda and dates of the session. Among others, the Committee is expected to review the draft Law on Publicity and Education on the Rule of Law [法治宣传教育法] and Public Health Emergency Response Law [突发公共卫生事件应对法].
Cyber Security & Digital Rights 网络安全与数字权利
When Victims Speak Out: Chinese authorities are keen to censor and silence stories about harassment that invite deeper questioning of a sensitive social issue, but stories have still managed to surface on social media through the determined voices of the victims.
Netizen Voices: Never-Ending Screenings of “Ne Zha 2” Are “Off the Rails”: Reportedly, Chinese companies and schools have organized patriotic outings and repeat viewings to boost box-office figures, articles and comments critical have been deleted from social media platforms, and Chinese bloggers and reviewers have reported being criticized or attacked online for expressing dissenting views.
Invasion of the Robots: Humanoid robots have become a popular tool in the arsenal of China’s external propaganda campaigns as “tech hype clickbait.” Most recently, a humanoid boxing tournament generated enthusiastic coverage across bona fide media outlets across the world.
Diaspora Community & Transnational Repression 海外社群和跨国镇压
Chinese Activists Are in Shock over Cuts to U.S. Human Rights Programs: Some activists say they “simply could not believe that the U.S. government, which for decades had expressed support for the cause of human rights in China, would move so quickly to end its support.” With several key tools for advancing human rights in China now off the table, the ability of the U.S. government to have an impact on human rights in China may be deeply diminished in the years to come.
British businessman accused of plotting to smuggle US military technology to China: John Miller and Cui Guanghai, a Chinese national, are accused of preventing a U.S. resident from protesting against Xi Jinping’s attendance at the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit in Los Angeles in November 2023, through acts of foreign repression. “In the weeks leading up to the Apec [(Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation)] summit, Cui and Miller are alleged to have directed and coordinated a plot to surveil the victim, install a tracking device on their car, slash the tyres on their car and then purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statues created by the victim depicting President Xi and his wife.”
Human Rights Defenders & Civil Society 人权捍卫者与公民社会
Hong Kong releases second group of democrats jailed for four years in national security trial: The four released are Kinda Li, Roy Tam, Henry Wong, as well as longtime political and LGBTQ activist Jimmy Sham, who also led one of Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy groups, the Civil Human Rights Front.
Related: Hong Kong activist Jimmy Sham to navigate ‘red lines’ after serving 4 years in jail over nat. security offence: Sham said: “It’s just my first day out, so as for what I can do in the future, where the red lines are drawn, I think I’ll have to figure things out first.”
Hong Kong nat. sec police question 2 other relatives of wanted activist Joe Tay: Tay’s other cousin and his wife were already questioned earlier this month.
China’s Reach & Internal Control 中国: 内控与外扩
Far From Home: Uyghur Workers in Factories Supplying Global Brands: Countries have responded to China’s use of Uyghur forced labor by refusing to buy products made in Xinjiang, particularly cotton and other products known for having forced labor in their supply chains. But a new joint investigation has found that “state-led programs to ship Uyghur workers out of Xinjiang are much more extensive than previously known,” calling into question the effectiveness of such measures.
Related: How China Uses Work to Reshape Uyghur Identity and Control a Strategic Region. Labor transfer programs are used by the Chinese government to force the assimilation of Uyghur populations, who are seen as inherently threatening by the central authorities. While some may join the programs willingly, likely due to ethnic discrimination which makes it difficult to find other jobs, experts say the programs are coercive at best, and “anyone who resists participating in a government program like a labor transfer can face arrest.”
Hong Kong police mull access to gov’t departments, MTR surveillance feeds, reports say: The push for surveillance access in Hong Kong comes amid a broader police drive to install up to 7,000 surveillance cameras citywide by 2027, even though more than 600 cameras were already installed last year.
International Responses 国际反应
Czech Republic summons Chinese ambassador over cyber attacks: According to Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, Beijing was responsible for a "malicious cyber campaign" targeting a network used for unclassified communication at the Foreign Affairs Ministry since 2022.
Marco Rubio says US will begin revoking visas of Chinese students: The announcement came alongside a State Department statement titled “New Visa Policies Put America First, Not China” published last week. China is the second-largest country of origin for international students in the U.S., behind India.
Related: China happy with restrictions on its students, lawmaker says: According to Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, ranking member on the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party, the move to revoke student visas actually plays into Beijing’s hands, because the CCP wants their students back.