China Says Ousted Security Tsar’s Influence Corrupted Others
Last year, China arrested Zhou and expelled him from the party, accusing him of crimes ranging from taking bribes to leaking state secrets.
Chinese Director’s Film For Greenpeace Shows How Smog Changes Everything
The film follows families from Hebei, in heavily polluted industrial northern China, and from Beijing, the prosperous Chinese capital next door, that has seen epic pollution emergencies recently.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership Can Help the U.S. Counter China’s Expansion
We’ve faulted President Obama for his less-than-full-throated support of free-trade agreements that enjoy the nominal backing of his administration. There was no such cause for complaint about his State of the Union address Tuesday night, however...
China Labor Activists Say Facing Unprecedented Intimidation
The number of strikes more than doubled in 2014 to 1,378 from 656 the year before, according to China Labor Bulletin, a Hong Kong-based advocacy group. April saw the biggest strike in decades, when about 40,000 employees of Adidas and Nike...
Sinica Podcast
01.19.15
China and Charlie
from Sinica PodcastFirst there were the terrorist attacks in Paris. And then there was the global reaction to the attacks, with its spate of frenzied free-speech cartooning. And then there was the counter-reaction to the initial reaction, which played out mostly on...
Food Detectives on a Tough Case
Behind the immaculate gray walls of the Customs and Border Protection’s laboratory here stands a cabinet containing three plastic vials filled with a sticky, yellowish substance. Honey, or so an importer has claimed.
China Arrests 60,000 in ‘Unprecedented’ 100-Day Drug Crackdown
China's top anti-drug official said the mass arrests had "sown terror" among drug criminals, according to a report Thursday in China's state-run newspaper Legal Daily. Liu Yuejin told the newspaper that he had called on China's police officers to...
Viewpoint
01.16.15
The Plight of China’s Rights Lawyers
As the year came to a close, at least seven prominent Chinese human rights lawyers rang in the New Year from a jail cell. Under President Xi Jinping, 2014 was one of the worst years in recent memory for China’s embattled civil society. Bookending...
Macau Sex Ring Bust Shows China Expanding Crackdown on Graft
Police in the former Portuguese colony arrested Alan Ho, handcuffing him and covering his head with a black hood, for allegedly operating a prostitution ring out of the casino complex of his uncle, Stanley Ho.
Viewpoint
01.15.15
Chinese Lawyers to Chinese Lawmakers: Let Us Defend Our Clients
Legal Opinion on Article 35 of the Ninth (Draft) Amendment to the Criminal Law: "We are a group of legal professionals who care about the rights of lawyers and reform of the judicial system and who have taken note of the draft for the Ninth Round of...
‘Better Than Nothing’: U.K. Foreign Office Backs Beijing’s Hong Kong Reforms
London is throwing its weight behind reform proposals in an attempt yet to heal a diplomatic rift with Beijing.
China Enlists Citizens to Patrol Border with North Korea
China is sending civilian militias to help secure the border it shares with North Korea in the wake of two reported killings of Chinese citizens by North Koreans that could strain ties between Pyongyang and its sole major ally.
China Pollution: Beijing Smog Hits Hazardous Levels
Pollution has soared to hazardous levels in Beijing, reaching 20 times the limit recommended by the World Health Organisation.
Environment
01.15.15
China-Latin America Summit ‘A Missed Opportunity’ on Low-Carbon Energy
The first major meeting of Chinese and Latin American leaders agreed closer cooperation on trade, investment, and industry, but is more likely to usher in deals on oil and gas rather than renewable energy, analysts said in response to a summit...
Obama’s Anti-Islamic State Push May Be Helping China Crack Down on Its Uighurs
en President Barack Obama in September secured passage of a U.N. Security Council resolution requiring nations to prevent their citizens from traveling abroad to participate in acts of terrorism, it was mostly hailed as a landmark achievement to...
Turks Are Held in Plot to Help Uighurs Leave China
Shanghai police arrested 10 Turkish citizens and two Chinese citizens and accused them of providing altered Turkish passports to terrorist suspects from the western region of Xinjiang.
China’s 109-Year-Old Dissenter Is Still Fighting for Democracy
Born when a Qing dynasty emperor was on the throne, the man who helped invent the Pinyin writing system used for transliterating Chinese worldwide turns 109 on Tuesday. But Zhou Youguang's outspoken support for democracy means his writings are...
Xi Calls for More Anti-Corruption Efforts Despite Achievements
Misconduct may have abated but had not vanished, he said, and although counter-corruption mechanisms had been developed, they were not perfect and temptations still existed.
Hong Kong’s Leader Says Concessions to Protesters Could Lead to Anarchy
Leung Chun-ying, the chief executive of Hong Kong, offered the proposals in his first major policy package since the street demonstrations ended last month. Since Mr. Leung came to office in 2012, he has repeatedly vowed to redress the city’s...
Good Times Are Over for Local Governments
Two pieces of recent news have piqued the public's interest. First, local governments reported their latest debt figures to the Ministry of Finance. The numbers have not been made public, but sources say many officials reported large amounts in...
China Has Just Banned the Burqa in Its Biggest Muslim City
Moves like these are likely to further alienate an already disenchanted minority group—the Uighurs, who feel their culture and economy is being overrun by Han Chinese.
Firebombs Thrown at Jimmy Lai’s Home and Company in Hong Kong
Apple Daily has been a vocal advocate of the recent demonstrations for expanded democracy in Hong Kong. Mr. Lai frequently attended the protests, which saw several main thoroughfares occupied for more than two months. He was arrested and released...
Chinese Spy Chief Ma Jian Detained as Corruption Crackdown Widens
It is not clear what triggered the probes, but it is believed to be linked to a high-profile anti-graft investigation into activities at the top of Founder Group, a Peking University-owned technology conglomerate.
Compilation of Xi Jinping’s Anti-Graft Remarks Published
A circular issued jointly by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the CPC's discipline agency asked Party officials to take the essence of the remarks to heart and behave in line with the decisions so as to ensure an...
Myanmar-China Trafficking: Sold by Father for $1000
Along the Chinese border, it is not just drugs being traded—Burmese women and children are being bought and sold.
China Steps up Political Arrests, Prosecutions
A total of 2,318 people were arrested or indicted on charges of “endangering state security”, the US-based Dui Hua Foundation said, citing statistics from China’s central prosecution office.
Environment
01.09.15
China’s Polluters Hit with Biggest-Ever Fines
from chinadialogueTwo days before a new environmental law came into effect, six polluting companies in Jiangsu were ordered by the province’s highest court to pay 160 million yuan ($26 million) in restoration costs for illegally dumping almost 25,000...
Sri Lankan Poll Upset a Blow to China’s Indian Ocean Plans
Mahinda Rajapaksa, who tightened ties with China during his decade-long rule, conceded defeat today in Sri Lanka’s closely-fought presidential election. His successor Maithripala Sirisena used his campaign to criticize the island nation’s...
Caixin Media
01.09.15
Baby Hatch Programs Struggle to Cope With Number of Infants With Birth Defects
Giving birth to her first baby granted Zheng Yuling no happiness, but instead brought pain and sadness. The seriously ill girl died hours after birth, and Zheng's husband, Chen Dafu, was arrested on suspicion he abandoned the newborn.
...
Conversation
01.08.15
What Does Hong Kong’s Post-Protest Report Signal For Relations with Beijing?
This week, we saw the release of the official government “Report on the Recent Community and Political Situation in Hong Kong.” It concluded...
China Wants Taxes Paid by Citizens Living Afar
As Chinese individuals and companies head overseas in greater numbers, the country’s tax authorities are starting to follow.
China to Boost Support for NGOs That Sue Environment Polluters
The nation will work to reduce court charges for NGOs in public non-profit environmental litigation, according to a statement on the website of China’s Supreme People’s Court. Defendants will be required to pay court costs when plaintiffs win...
China’s Empty Promise of Rule by Law
I’m afraid that those of you who excitedly applauded the Communist Party’s rehashing of the term “governing the country according to the law” have forgotten the famous words of Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Jiang Yu, who once warned sternly, “Don...
China Creates New Avenue for Afghan Peace Talks
China has taken the unusual step of a hosting a delegation of Afghan Taliban officials, creating a potential new avenue for peace negotiations between the insurgents and the government in Kabul.
North Korean Defector: ‘Bureau 121’ Hackers Operating in China
On the streets of the neon-lit Chinese city of Shenyang, you'll find a restaurant, hotel, and other businesses owned and operated by the North Korean government. You'll also find a secret network of North Korean hackers, known as Bureau 121,...
China to Expand Unemployment Benefits to Lure Migrants to Cities
Chinese municipal governments must widen unemployment benefits to residents who are not registered locally, China said on Wednesday, as it dismantles hurdles to urbanization efforts by easing conditions for migrant workers.
China Wants Taxes Paid by Citizens Living Afar
The Beijing billionaires who set up cryptically named companies in the British Virgin Islands to hold their fortunes are in the cross hairs. So are the Guangdong salesmen living and working in Africa and Latin America. China’s tax officials are...
China to Expand Unemployment Benefits to Lure Migrants to Cities
China's reform-minded leaders have shown greater tolerance for slower economic growth, viewing healthy employment levels as a top policy priority and an important condition for social stability.
China Cities Crack Down on Illegal Cabs Using Car-Hailing Apps
The Chinese capital will impose fines of as much as 20,000 yuan ($3,200) each on 41 unauthorized vehicles that offered rental services via the apps, CNR said Jan. 7.
Stampede Highlights China’s Reliance on Outsourcing Security
A week after the tragedy, authorities have yet to provide an official explanation for what went wrong.
Maoists in China, Given New Life, Attack Dissent
They pounce on bloggers who dare mock their beloved Chairman Mao. They scour the nation’s classrooms and newspapers for strains of Western-inspired liberal heresies. And they have taken down professors, journalists and others deemed disloyal to...
China Lodges Protest after North Korea Man ‘Kills Four’
"China's public security bureau will handle the case according to law," a ministry spokeswoman said, suggesting the suspect will be prosecuted in China rather than handed back to Pyongyang.
The Politburo’s Predicament
Freedom House
Drawing on an analysis of hundreds of official documents, censorship directives, and human rights reports, as well as some 30 expert interviews, the study finds that the overall degree of repression has increased under the new leadership. Of 17...
Reporting & Opinion
12.23.14
China in 2014 Through the Eyes of a Human Rights Advocate
from China ChangeThis time last year, volunteers and I were busy writing and translating articles to prepare for the New Citizens Movement trials. Many Chinese voices were speaking out forcefully against these trials: law professors, rights lawyers, liberal...
China Building Base Near Isles Disputed With Japan, Kyodo Says
The dispute over the East China Sea islets—known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese—clouds ties that remain fractious even after Chinese President Xi Jinping met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Beijing last month. Encounters...
China Indicts Jackie Chan’s Son on Drug Charge
Beijing police detained the younger Chan at his Beijing apartment in August along with Taiwanese movie star Ko Kai. Police said Chan and Ko both tested positive for marijuana and admitted using the drug, and that 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of it were...
China Offers Russia Ruble Help
China says it is willing to provide assistance to Russia following recent sharp drops in the value of its currency, said a senior official, as President Vladimir Putin’s regime faces continuing strains with the U.S. and Europe.
China Said to Probe U.S. Claims of North Korea Role in Sony Hack
The dispute between the U.S. and North Korea is escalating after hackers forced Sony to pull a comedy movie about the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, exposed Hollywood secrets, and destroyed company data.
U.S. Blames North Korea for Sony Cyber Attack, Vows ‘Consequences’
It was the first time the United States had directly accused another country of a cyber attack of such magnitude on American soil and sets up a possible new confrontation between longtime foes Washington and Pyongyang.
As Obama Opens to Cuba, China Experts Remember Benefits from U.S. Engagement
As Washington moves to restore diplomatic ties with Cuba after decades of trying to isolate and overthrow the Castro regime, Chinese people and China experts in the United States have been reminded of a much more momentous opening 36 years ago...
China’s Housing Resists Efforts to Spur Market
Every urban real estate market is different in mainland China, driven by myriad municipal and provincial regulations and the varying strength of local economies. But the outcome is the same: The property market is under serious pressure.
Maldives to Officially Join China's Maritime Silk Route Policy
"With projects such as oil exploration and bridge construction in the agenda for discussion, the meeting will benefit economies of both countries. This is a great achievement to us as well," Minister of Economic Development Mohamed Saeed told...
Conversation
12.16.14
What Must China and Japan Do to Get Along in 2015?
Last week, Akio Takahara, a professor at the University of Tokyo currently visiting Peking University, wrote a New York Times Op-Ed praising recent diplomatic efforts by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan and Chinese President Xi Jinping to deflect...
Viewpoint
12.16.14
Why Marx Still Matters: The Ideological Drivers of Chinese Politics
In days of greater political brouhaha, “to go and see Marx” used to be a slang expression among Chinese Communists, to refer to death. More recently, a considerable number of commentators have pronounced the expiry of Marxism itself. China’s...
China’s Double-Edged Pact
Whether China is a climate hero or a climate villain is a matter of polarized debate. At one extreme, the world’s biggest carbon-emitter is portrayed as a wasteful bogeyman that obstructs efforts to halt global warming and “steals” clean-tech...
Mark Zuckerberg Wants to Make It Clear He's Cool with China
Lu Wei, the Chinese Internet czar who heads a censorship system that keeps many popular American sites—including, of course, Facebook—out of China, was touring American tech companies recently. Chinese media reported that when he arrived at...
China Shocked by Fatal Riot in Madagascar
"We hope the Madagascar government will take necessary measures to properly handle the attack at the Morondava sugar plant and to erase the ill impact this incident has brought to the country's international image and its ability to attract...