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It was a great honor to be invited on @mattlewis's podcast to speak about China!
But Matt asked some open-ended, big picture questions (such as “What should Americans know about China?”)– which I’ve reflected on a bit since.
So, here’s a THREAD to complement what I said. https://twitter.com/mattklewis/status/1247174456348418050
But Matt asked some open-ended, big picture questions (such as “What should Americans know about China?”)– which I’ve reflected on a bit since.
So, here’s a THREAD to complement what I said. https://twitter.com/mattklewis/status/1247174456348418050
First, important to know that the human rights situation in China remains fairly grim.
A few prominent examples of this:
- Suppression of human rights lawyers
- Tightened space for civil society
- Violations of freedom of religion
- Situation in #HK
- The crackdown on #Uyghurs
A few prominent examples of this:
- Suppression of human rights lawyers
- Tightened space for civil society
- Violations of freedom of religion
- Situation in #HK
- The crackdown on #Uyghurs
In July 2015, China began a massive crackdown on some of the bravest human rights lawyers, which, in the end, targeted nearly 250 human rights lawyers and activists.
This was a massive blow to China’s effort to build itself into a “rule of law” country. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/07/china-lawyers-targeted/
This was a massive blow to China’s effort to build itself into a “rule of law” country. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/07/china-lawyers-targeted/
The last lawyer caught up in this crackdown – Wang Quanzhang – was finally “released” from prison on Sunday.
However, he was only released into 14-day quarantine & the authorities have taken his cell phone and are likely to continue to control and him https://hongkongfp.com/2020/04/05/china-rights-lawyer-wang-quanzhang-released-after-five-years-in-jail/
However, he was only released into 14-day quarantine & the authorities have taken his cell phone and are likely to continue to control and him https://hongkongfp.com/2020/04/05/china-rights-lawyer-wang-quanzhang-released-after-five-years-in-jail/
Second, the government has tried to tighten the space for civil society.
They cracked down upon feminists – see this piece by @LetaHong https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/china-feminist-five
They cracked down upon feminists – see this piece by @LetaHong https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/china-feminist-five
The Chinese government has engaged in at least two big crackdowns on #labor activists and workers NGOs, in December 2015 and in 2019 against Jasic workers:
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/27/world/asia/china-labor-activists-guangdong-sentenced.html
See Kevin Lin’s piece: https://madeinchinajournal.com/2019/04/18/state-repression-in-the-jasic-aftermath-from-punishment-to-preemption/
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/27/world/asia/china-labor-activists-guangdong-sentenced.html
See Kevin Lin’s piece: https://madeinchinajournal.com/2019/04/18/state-repression-in-the-jasic-aftermath-from-punishment-to-preemption/
And see this brave campaign by @allisongrabbit
This Woman Is Running To Save The Love Of Her Life
Zheng Churan’s husband disappeared four years after she was arrested for protesting sexual harassment on public transportation. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/nishitajha/zheng-churan-feminist-five-china-running
This Woman Is Running To Save The Love Of Her Life
Zheng Churan’s husband disappeared four years after she was arrested for protesting sexual harassment on public transportation. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/nishitajha/zheng-churan-feminist-five-china-running
Universities were subjected to much tighter “ideological discipline” and Independent think tanks have been shut down:
Chinese liberal thinktank forced to close after being declared illegal https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/28/chinese-liberal-thinktank-forced-to-close-after-being-declared-illegal
Chinese liberal thinktank forced to close after being declared illegal https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/28/chinese-liberal-thinktank-forced-to-close-after-being-declared-illegal
The government passed a foreign NGO Management Law that makes it much more difficult to operate a foreign NGO in China, fund local groups, or engage in temporary activities.
See analysis via Siodhbhra Parkin and China NGO Project at @ChinaFile https://www.chinafile.com/ngo/latest/how-china-regulates-foreign-non-governmental-organizations
See analysis via Siodhbhra Parkin and China NGO Project at @ChinaFile https://www.chinafile.com/ngo/latest/how-china-regulates-foreign-non-governmental-organizations
Third, the space for #religiousfreedom has constricted with the revision of the Regulations on Religious Affairs:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/08/china-must-scrap-new-laws-tighten-authorities-grip-on-religious-practice/
Also, many “house churches” have been shut down, & prominent and outspoken pastors have been jailed, like Wang Yi https://time.com/5757591/wang-yi-prison-sentence-china-christianity/
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/08/china-must-scrap-new-laws-tighten-authorities-grip-on-religious-practice/
Also, many “house churches” have been shut down, & prominent and outspoken pastors have been jailed, like Wang Yi https://time.com/5757591/wang-yi-prison-sentence-china-christianity/
In #HongKong, in response to numerous street protests, the HK gov has used aggressive policing and prosecution tactics to enforce China’s vague definition of national security, even when it violates international human rights laws and standards. https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa17/0944/2019/en/
Finally, the situation for Uyghurs, and other predominantly Muslim minorities, has really become terrible over the past few years. Up to a million people have been subjected to “re-education” facilities. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/China_hidden_camps
Han Chinese cadres go to homes of ethnic minorities to “visit”, sleep there, ostensibly help them but also spy on them.
See @dtbyler piece: https://www.chinafile.com/reporting-opinion/postcard/million-citizens-occupy-uighur-homes-xinjiang
See @dtbyler piece: https://www.chinafile.com/reporting-opinion/postcard/million-citizens-occupy-uighur-homes-xinjiang
Many #Uyghur intellectuals – people with no plausible links to terrorism or extremism – have been given absurdly long prison sentences in unfair trials.
See the case of, @SamiraImin’s father, historian and publisher Iminjan Seydin https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/uyghur-academic-jailed-inciting-extremism
See the case of, @SamiraImin’s father, historian and publisher Iminjan Seydin https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/uyghur-academic-jailed-inciting-extremism
Worryingly, Uyghurs are now being sent off to work in factories in eastern China, where they are continue to be controlled and where the products they produce enter global supply chains.
(Amnesty will be campaigning on this issue later this year). https://www.aspi.org.au/report/uyghurs-sale
(Amnesty will be campaigning on this issue later this year). https://www.aspi.org.au/report/uyghurs-sale
I also mentioned in the podcast that China’s influence in international institutions is increasing.
See my op-ed in @InkstoneNews on how the Trump administration gave China that opening.
https://www.inkstonenews.com/politics/william-nee-us-pulls-out-unhrc-other-nations-must-be-guard-against-china/article/2152008
Also this @hrw report is important: https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/09/05/costs-international-advocacy/chinas-interference-united-nations-human-rights
See my op-ed in @InkstoneNews on how the Trump administration gave China that opening.
https://www.inkstonenews.com/politics/william-nee-us-pulls-out-unhrc-other-nations-must-be-guard-against-china/article/2152008
Also this @hrw report is important: https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/09/05/costs-international-advocacy/chinas-interference-united-nations-human-rights
With all this said, human rights are only one component of the US-China relationship. My impression is that the trend lines in other fields have also been negative.
While it’s important to recognize the facts, people can have disagreements over what to do & theories of change
While it’s important to recognize the facts, people can have disagreements over what to do & theories of change
But, as I mentioned in the podcast, it’s more important now than ever –- when US-China ties are at an all-time low -- for people to pay attention to China, not to demonize Chinese people due to actions of the gov, work together, and disavow racism. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/23/us/chinese-coronavirus-racist-attacks.html
In any case, I’d like to thank Matt once again for the opportunity to be on the show. Matt provides great longform conversations that are intelligent & avoid toxic partisanship.
I’ve learned so much from his various guests over the years so I hope I didn’t disappoint too badly!
I’ve learned so much from his various guests over the years so I hope I didn’t disappoint too badly!
