Facebook employees are raising concerns about the Chinese government’s use of ad money to promote propaganda about happy Uyghurs in Xinjiang, the Wall Street Journal reports. Might Facebook eventually follow Twitter in restricting political advertisements in response?
Beijing has formalized new election rules for Hong Kong that cut in half the number of directly elected seats in LegCo, the city's parliament, and require all candidates to be vetted for their loyalty to Beijing by a committee.
In a high-level meeting in Alaska, top U.S. officials confronted China about breaking international rules, saying Beijing was making the world “far more violent and unstable.” China shot back by accusing the U.S. of hypocrisy on a range of issues, including human rights.
As senior diplomats from the U.S. and China prepare to meet in Alaska tomorrow, expectations are extremely low. Meanwhile, the U.S. sanctioned 24 officials for having undermined Hong Kong’s autonomy, and the EU reportedly approved sanctions in response to human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
As expected, the National People’s Congress in Beijing passed a resolution to change the electoral system in Hong Kong. The new rules will effectively ensure that pro-democracy politicians remain in a permanent minority in the territory.
The annual gathering of the National People’s Congress in Beijing kicked off with modest goals for the economy and environment, and plans for the more complete subjugation of opposition forces in Hong Kong.
According to a new Gallup poll, 79% of Americans now have an unfavorable view of China — more than right after the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989. Pew, meanwhile, found that nine-in-ten Americans see China as a competitor or enemy.
Hong Kong’s protest movement in 2019 divided families. Many of the city’s young protesters are still finding ways to mend broken relationships.
Last summer, the National People’s Congress in Beijing bypassed the Hong Kong Legislative Council to impose a national security law. Next month, the NPC is expected to take a similar action to ensure that only “patriots,” as Beijing defines them, hold public office in the city.