HRIC Weekly Brief
May 21, 2024
Top News 头条
Last week, citizen journalist Zhang Zhan was released from prison after four years for reporting on the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan. After her release, Zhang disappeared and her family was unresponsive, sparking fears that she may be under another form of confinement. Today, after a week of international pressure, Zhang was finally able to obtain an ID card and communicate with the outside world, confirming that she has been released and is with her family, although she is still under surveillance.
On Thursday, a seminar and exhibition were held at the UK parliament to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre. It was a significant moment: the first time such an event was held in a national parliament. HRIC’s executive director Fengsuo Zhou reflected on the enduring significance of June 4th, particularly emphasizing the global impact of democratization efforts in China.
Law & Policy 法律与政策
Tianjin Free Trade Zone Releases China’s First Negative List for Cross-Border Data Transfer: A new “Negative List” outlines the types of data that must undergo a security assessment, carried out by the Cybersecurity Administration of China, in order to be transferred out of the country. The list includes 45 types of data, such as public health and telecoms.
Degrees Law of the People’s Republic of China: The Degrees Law specifically defines the purpose of higher education as upholding the leadership of the CCP, and limits eligibility to citizens “who support the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the socialist system.”
Anti-Money Laundering Law (Current vs. Draft Comparison): The new draft would expand the scope of the legislation, particularly in regard to national security.
Taiwan spooked by China's expanded state secrets law: Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Commission called the law “vague” and noted that such unclear laws have been used in the past to target Taiwanese and other foreign nationals. "You never know where the red line is," said Taiwanese professor Tao Yi-chun.
Hong Kong's foreign judges should resign: Despite their esteemed backgrounds, these judges are lending their reputations to a judicial system that has strayed far from its once-celebrated independence and respect for international human rights norms.
Cyber Security & Digital Rights 网络安全与数字权利
Chinese Surveillance Technology Expands at Home and Abroad: In addition to new rules allowing warrantless search of electronic devices, a new dramatic expansion of state surveillance capacity in Shanghai’s central Xuhui District “will capture and analyze 25.9 million faces daily.”
Related: ‘The Sentinel State’: China’s Pervasive Surveillance Apparatus: Minxin Pei advocates for raising public awareness about the importation and use of China-made surveillance technologies in developing countries.
How China is using AI news anchors to deliver its propaganda: AI “news avatars” are proliferating on social media, delivering propaganda messages that can be created with the click of a button. Experts say this trend will increase as the technology becomes more accessible.
Canada security intelligence chief warns China can use TikTok to spy on users, CBC reports: The head of Canada's Security Intelligence Service says that data gleaned from TikTok users "is available to the government of China."
Google, Youtube Facilitate Hong Kong Government Censorship of Protest Anthem: In compliance with a court order, Youtube has censored 32 videos of the protest anthem “Glory to Hong Kong,” marking them as unavailable for Hong Kong viewers. However, “backup” and “re-upload” versions of the song quickly reappeared on the platform.
Diaspora Community & Transnational Repression 海外社群和跨国镇压
Ex-Royal Marine charged with spying for Hong Kong found dead in park: Matthew Trickett, who was charged with working for the Hong Kong intelligence services to spy on dissidents in the United Kingdom, has been found dead in a park near his home. The death is considered unexplained, though Trickett reportedly tried to take his life while in custody.
Why a Tactic Used by Czars is Back With A Vengeance: Authoritarian governments’ use of transnational repression as a tactic to silence dissidents abroad has rapidly expanded in recent years. “Experts say one of the most effective forms of defense would be to make asylum, residency, and citizenship easier to obtain,” in order to reduce targets’ vulnerability.
Chinese agents highly active in democratic Taiwan, dissidents say: Two Chinese dissidents living in Taiwan report being followed and harassed by Chinese agents, and even offered money in order to take pictures of “anti-China” or sensitive military activities for the Chinese government. “[China] has so many political collaborators in Taiwan,” said dissident Xiao Yuhui.
China vows to punish critical Taiwanese commentators, families for 'slander': It was not specified what remarks the five pundits made, which Chinese laws they violated, or what punishment China would impose on them and their families.
Human Rights Defenders & Civil Society 人权捍卫者与公民社会
江水平被警方带走或与其举牌抗议普京有关 [Jiang Shuiping taken away by the police, may be related to his holding a sign to protest against Putin]: Hunan residents Jiang Shuiping and Luo Qun were forcibly detained by police on May 20, current status unknown. Two days prior, Jiang posted photos online calling Russian president Vladimir Putin a war criminal, which may have led to his arrest.
Head of embattled Hong Kong journalists' union to step down: Ronson Chan, head of the Hong Kong Journalists’ Association, has announced that he will be stepping down due to pressure from the authorities, who told him the organization would continue to be targeted if he stayed.
Related: Hong Kong news industry can ‘ask questions’ but not provoke conflicts, city’s leader says.
China’s Reach & Internal Control 中国: 内控与外扩
Beijing’s Culinary Crusade: Erasing Uyghur Identity through Food: So-called “household school” classes, put on by the All-China Women’s Federation, attempt to erase “backward” Uyghur culinary tradition by training women to cook traditional Han dishes. This approach reflects the authorities’ general approach to systematically replacing all facets of Uyghur culture.
China’s ‘virtual invasion’ of India and the cultural genocide of Tibet: China claims that the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh belongs to Tibet, which belongs to China in its entirety, and has expressed this claim through the publication of maps with Chinese names for locations in the region. So far, four sets of Sinicized names have been released, the latest in March 2024.
International Responses 国际反应
Taiwan’s new president takes office and calls on China to cease hostile actions: Lai Ching-te called on China to “cease their political and military intimidation against Taiwan, share with Taiwan the global responsibility of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan strait as well as the greater region, and ensure the world is free from the fear of war.”
Report: Vehicles shipped to US used parts made in China with forced labor: A U.S. Congressional investigation found that BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and Volkswagen have used parts made by Uyghur forced labor, from a supplier that is already banned in the United States.
US bars imports from 26 Chinese textile firms over suspected Uyghur forced labor: 26 companies that produce cotton have been added to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List. Cotton harvested in the Xinjiang region has been specifically found to have a high risk of forced labor concerns.