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Articles by William Nee
China’s Uyghur crackdown has not ended — it has gone underground
On Aug. 3, Kaisar Abduqeyum Hoja, a Uyghur translator, died suddenly in his home in Urumqi. His sister, Gulchehra Hoja, a journalist with Radio Free Asia living in the U.S., did not learn of his death until a week later — and then only through intermediaries. In an age of instant global communication, that week of silence offers a window into how China’s repression of Uyghurs has evolved. I first met Hoja in 2018, when I was working for Amnesty International in Hong Kong.
Opinion - China’s Uyghur crackdown has not ended — it has gone underground
On Aug. 3, Kaisar Abduqeyum Hoja, a Uyghur translator, died suddenly in his home in Urumqi. His sister, Gulchehra Hoja, a journalist with Radio Free Asia living in the U.S., did not learn of his death until a week later — and then only through intermediaries. In an age of instant global communication, that week of silence offers a window into how China’s repression of Uyghurs has evolved. I first met Hoja in 2018, when I was working for Amnesty International in Hong Kong.
How China Games the Universal Periodic Review System
A United Nations review of China’s human rights record set to occur in January should shine a light on Beijing’s atrocity crimes. But there are three ways in which this Universal Periodic Review (UPR) may actually worsen rather than improve the human rights situation inside China. In 2006, the U.N. created the UPR, in which every U.N. member state must undergo an examination of its human rights performance every 4.5 years.
How China Games the Universal Periodic Review System - Renee Xia And William Nee
Columnists Actual . Favourites . Archive Aa Aa Aa - A + ..... © The Diplomat visit website
How China Games the Universal Periodic Review System - Tribune Content Agency
A United Nations review of China’s human rights record set to occur in January should shine a light on Beijing’s atrocity crimes. But there are three ways in which this Universal Periodic Review (UPR) may actually worsen rather than improve the human rights situation inside China. In 2006, the U.N. created the UPR, in which every U.N. member state must undergo an examination of its human rights performance every 4.5 years.
A UN Body Sheds Light on the Fate of Disappeared Uyghurs
A little-known United Nations body, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, is helping to shine a light on the extent of China’s enforced disappearances in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Starting from 2017, Chinese authorities intensified a large-scale campaign of repression that aimed to fundamentally transform the social, cultural, and religious life of this area, which has been traditionally inhabited by Turkic-speaking peoples.
8 Years After ‘709,’ Persecution of Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Continues
China Power | Society | East Asia The crackdown that began on July 9, 2015 is not just history; some of the targets are facing renewed pressure today. Starting on July 9, 2015, the Chinese government launched an unprecedented nationwide crackdown on human rights lawyers. In the following few months, police interrogated and detained over 300 lawyers and paralegal assistants and raided three law firms.
Chinese Ambassador’s Comments Reveal China’s Willful Misreading of Soviet History
China Power | Society | East Asia Lu Shaye’s gaffe underlines a serious problem: China’s complete refusal to acknowledge the abuses of the Soviet Union is impacting foreign policy decisions. Lu Shaye, China’s controversial ambassador to France, caused a diplomatic uproar over the weekend, as he implied that post-Soviet countries did not really have a right to exist in international law.
Chinese Ambassador’s Comments Reveal China’s Willful Misreading of Soviet History
Chinese Ambassador’s Comments Reveal China’s Willful Misreading of Soviet History April 27, 2023 By William Nee Originally published by The Diplomat on Apr. 27, 2023 Lu Shaye’s gaffe underlines a serious problem: China’s complete refusal to acknowledge the abuses of the Soviet Union is impacting foreign policy decisions.
A UN review shows the limits of China’s loud microphone communications strategy
Credit: Derek Brumby / iStock In a press conference on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress on March 7, 2023, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said, “China is moving closer to the center of the world stage. … But we don’t have enough microphones, and our voice is not loud enough. Some are still hogging the microphones, and there are quite many noises and jarring notes about China.”His statement makes it seem like a chaotic brawl at a karaoke parlor.
A UN review shows the limits of China’s loud microphone communications strategy
A UN review shows the limits of China’s loud microphone communications strategy April 17, 2023 By William Nee Originally published by OpenGlobalRights on Apr. 17, 2023 As the Chinese government seeks “center stage,” its compliance with its human rights obligations should be there as well. In a press conference on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress on March 7, 2023, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said, “China is moving closer to the center of the world stage.
Un examen de la ONU muestra los límites de la estrategia de comunicación con micrófonos ruidosos de China
Crédito: Derek Brumby / iStock En una conferencia de prensa al margen de la Asamblea Popular Nacional del 7 de marzo de 2023, el ministro chino de Asuntos Exteriores, Qin Gang, declaró: "China se está acercando al centro de la escena mundial. ... Pero no tenemos suficientes micrófonos, y nuestra voz no es lo suficientemente alta. Algunos siguen acaparando los micrófonos, y hay bastantes ruidos y notas chirriantes acerca de China" Su declaración hace que parezca una escena caótica en un karaoke.
A Nuanced Approach to China Needs Human Rights at the Core
Calls for a rethink against groupthink can’t neglect real atrocities. Police stand on guard during a rally for the victims of a deadly fire, as well as a protest against China's harsh COVID-19 restrictions, in Beijing on Nov. 28, 2022. Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images Foreign policy pundits have been calling for a rethink to counter Washington’s alleged groupthink. There’s a certain truth in that. But one element has been missing from the mainstream of the new doves on China: human rights.
A Nuanced Approach to China Needs Human Rights at the Core
A Nuanced Approach to China Needs Human Rights at the Core April 7, 2023 By William Nee, a research & advocacy coordinator at Chinese Human Rights Defenders. Originally published by FP on Apr. 07, 2023 Calls for a rethink against groupthink can’t neglect real atrocities. Police stand on guard during a rally for the victims of a deadly fire, as well as a protest against China’s harsh COVID-19 restrictions, in Beijing on Nov. 28, 2022.
How China Tries to Bamboozle the United Nations - The Diplomat
In current days, the China watching neighborhood has been consumed with speak of a surveillance balloon that crossed over the continental United States earlier than being shot down off the nation’s coast. Beijing has insisted that the balloon was “civilian” and “meteorological” in nature – and simply occurred to drift over most of the United States’ most delicate nuclear websites.
How China Tries to Bamboozle the United Nations
China Power | Society | East Asia At Geneva next week, the Chinese government will try to convince a U.N. committee that it is a paragon of economic, social, and cultural rights. In recent days, the China watching community has been consumed with talk of a surveillance balloon that crossed over the continental United States before being shot down off the country’s coast.
Xi Jinping Has Critics in China. They Have Paid a Steep Price.
Xi Jinping Has Critics in China. They Have Paid a Steep Price. October 14, 2022 By William Nee Originally published by The Diplomat on Sep 27, 2022 Human rights defenders in China face arrest and lengthy detention for calling out Xi’s mistakes. In the lead up to the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party on October 16, all eyes will be on one man: Xi Jinping.
Xi Jinping Has Critics in China. They Have Paid a Steep Price.
China Power | Society | East Asia Human rights defenders in China face arrest and lengthy detention for calling out Xi’s mistakes. In the lead up to the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party on October 16, all eyes will be on one man: Xi Jinping.
China’s Heavy-Handed Push to Prevent a UN Report on Xinjiang
The Debate | Opinion Beijing’s full-court press to kill the report reveals a lot about Xi Jinping’s ideal form of international order. What does the Xinjiang Roller Skating Association care about? Roller skating, you might guess, maybe even rollerblading. But you might be surprised to learn that Xinjiang’s roller skating enthusiasts apparently care about a long-delayed human rights report on the Xinjiang region that should finally come out soon from the United Nation’s Human Rights Office.
The crackdown on trade unions in Hong Kong: what response from responsible investors?
The Hong Kong government has vowed to potentially further criminally punish the leaders of the now disbanded the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU), which was Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy trade union. Since the National Security Law (NSL) came into effect on July 1 2020, alarming reports drip out of Hong Kong on a daily basis, as the Beijing authorities chip away at the remaining freedoms.
China’s Insistence on ‘Zero COVID’ in Hong Kong Has a Deeper Meaning
China Power | Politics | East Asia Beijing’s attack on Hong Kong’s elite may have consequences that outlast the pandemic. Credit: Depositphotos A massive spike, followed by a severe drop off: this seems to be how the highly infectious, but relatively less deadly, Omicron variant of COVID-19 has played out in many countries and regions around the world.
Hong Kong’s National Security Law Made Amnesty International’s Departure All But Inevitable
Deeply saddened, but not surprised. That was my main reaction when I awoke on October 25 to the news that Amnesty International would be closing both of its offices in Hong Kong. It would be shutting down its local branch by the end of the month, and the office for East Asia, also located in Hong Kong, would cease operations there by the end of 2021. In 2014, Amnesty International hired me as a China researcher, and I later became a business and human rights analyst in 2018.
Journalism Becomes a Victim of China’s New Nationalism
Journalism Becomes a Victim of China’s New Nationalism October 27, 2021 By William Nee After a half a century, very few Chinese people have reconsidered the correctness of this war, just like back then the company of soldiers didn’t doubt the ‘wise policy decisions’ of their superiors.” On October 6, investigative journalist Luo Changping made this comment on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like service, when discussing the historical circumstances depicted in a new Chinese blockbuster, The Battle at...
Journalism Becomes a Victim of China’s New Nationalism | National Review
A poster for The Battle at Lake Changjin displayed at a movie theater in Shanghai, China, October 19, 2021. (Aly Song/Reuters) For mild criticism of a new anti-American Chinese film, Luo Changping has been detained.
In China, ‘Xi Jinping Thought’ Is the Only Accepted Religion
China Power | Society | East Asia To understand China’s crackdown on religion, we need to look beyond the repression of any single faith. It is no surprise that China under President Xi Jinping is becoming increasing hostile to freedom of religion. However, recent cases show some of the main tactics the government is employing to control and suppress Christianity in China.
China’s 709 Crackdown Is Still Going On
China Power | Politics Since the mass arrests on July 9, 2015, the Chinese government has never eased up on its pressure against human rights lawyers. Credit: Depositphotos Starting from the early hours on July 9, 2015, police across China set out in teams to conduct a series of coordinated raids. Organized by the Ministry of Public Security, these police nabbed people from hotel rooms in the middle of the night. They shut off the electricity at the homes of their targets.
Leader Carrie Lam must not let the memory of the Tiananmen Massacre die in Hong Kong on her watch
Leader Carrie Lam must not let the memory of the Tiananmen Massacre die in Hong Kong on her watch May 27, 2021 Authorities have an obligation under both international and domestic law to respect the right of peaceful assembly, writes William Nee.
ChinaFile
Columbia University Press: In early 20th-century China, Chen Diexian (1879-1940) was a maverick entrepreneur—at once a prolific man of letters, captain of industry, magazine editor, and cosmetics magnate. He tinkered with chemistry in his private studio, used local cuttlefish to source magnesium carbonate, and published manufacturing tips in how-to columns.
Attacks on foreign journalists in China cast shadow over Beijing’s upcoming Olympics
Attacks on foreign journalists in China cast shadow over Beijing’s upcoming Olympics August 7, 2021 By William Nee On July 20, in the central plains of Henan province, one of China’s most important regional cities, Zhengzhou, received a record-shattering 622mm of rainfall within a 24-hour period. It was described as a “once in a millennium” event in Chinese media. As the rains fell, videos of unimaginable devastation and heroic rescue efforts poured on to social media.
现在正是投资中国新兴维权组织的好时机！
虽然中国的社会财富不断增长，但慈善文化还没有完全形成。慈善事业能够在保障人权方面产生实质性的影响，而且不应受政府行政权力的干涉。所以， 大额捐助人和西方组织在这方面能够发挥积极的作用。 中国已经发展成为世界第二大经济体。在一些大城市，例如北京、上海和广州，摩天大楼鳞次栉比，高速公路令人惊叹，还有完善的公共交通体系。然而在过去的30年里，虽然经济飞速发展，但政治改革却停滞不前，各种社会问题层出不穷，比如：严重的大气和水污染、户籍政策带来的制度性歧视、腐败泛滥，以及巨大的贫富差距等。 近年来，各种由草根民众组成的公民社会组织如雨后春笋般涌现。他们希望通过建设性的方式来解决各种社会问题，同时推进法制建设和人权保障。由于中国政治现状的复杂性，这些组织在国内很难得到资金援助，所以对西方政府和援助机构来说，现在正是支援这些组织的历史机遇。...
Now is the time to invest in China’s nascent rights groups
Even as China grows in wealth, it has yet to fully develop a culture of philanthropy – one that is free and clear of government influence and able to effect real change in human rights. Large donors and Western organizations would do well to pay attention. China has already become the world’s second largest economy. Cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen have lofty skyscrapers, impressive highways, and comprehensive public transportation systems.
Now is the time to invest in China’s nascent rights groups
Even as China grows in wealth, it has yet to fully develop a culture of philanthropy – one that is free and clear of government influence and able to effect real change in human rights. Large donors and Western organizations would do well to pay attention. China has already become the world’s second largest economy. Cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen have lofty skyscrapers, impressive highways, and comprehensive public transportation systems.
Electric car companies still powering human rights abuses
Thousands of car enthusiasts will descend on southern California this weekend for the start of the LA Auto Show. However, behind the glitz of the cars on show lies a darker side to the industry. Eco-conscious customers are entitled to know whether their new cars are as ethical as the adverts claim. Electric vehicles are a big focus of this year’s show, with dozens of models on display.
While China, US squabble, the world’s crises worsen
The leaders of the two superpowers have dropped the ball on two of the world's major crises. Photo: AFP “One of the many great things about our just signed giant Trade Deal with China is that it will bring us closer together in so many other ways. Terrific working with President Xi, a man who truly loves his country.
In Pursuit of a Complete Reinvention of Marketing/Quarterly Marketing Revolution Newsletter
Executive Insight Video The Artistry and Impact of Great Storytelling Presented by Rachel McClary, Ph.D. Chief Marketing Officer Arcserve
In Pursuit of a Complete Reinvention of Marketing/Quarterly Marketing Newsletter
VLOG - MarTech Success Thrives OR Dies with Marketing Operations Written and Produced by Brand & Demand Solutions Team Frost & Sullivan
Google CEO Has Serious Questions to Answer on China Censored Search
Google CEO Sundar Pichai will appear before Congress later today to defend his company against allegations of political bias. Google is accused of rigging search engine results against US conservatives, so Pichai can expect the grilling to focus on Google’s domestic operations. But given some of Google’s current activities further afield, lawmakers in Washington would be wise to broaden the scope of their inquiry.
Google CEO has serious questions to answer on China censored search
Google CEO Sundar Pichai will appear before Congress later today to defend his company against allegations of political bias. Google is accused of rigging search engine results against US conservatives, so Pichai can expect the grilling to focus on Google’s domestic operations. But given some of Google’s current activities further afield, lawmakers in Washington would be wise to broaden the scope of their inquiry.
With the US gone, the world must keep an eye on China’s human rights
William Nee is a China Researcher for Amnesty International’s East Asia Regional Office in Hong Kong. He carries out research on human rights in China, particularly on freedom of expression, human rights defenders, the death penalty, and he also monitors the situation in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. Before joining Amnesty International, William worked for China Labour Bulletin as Development Director.
Tiananmen anniversary lays bare China’s contradictory attitude towards history
History. Few words are more important, or even sacred, to Chinese culture. China prides itself on having a rich history and illustrious culture that goes back 5,000 years. And yet, when it comes to the treatment of history, China’s ruling Communist Party suffers from a case of Orwellian “double think” – holding two mutually contradictory ideas at the same time without recognizing the contradiction.
Pakistan’s post-graduation corridor bumps
Pakistan’s stock market, up 17% on the MSCI Index through November, has been frontier Asia’s pacesetter this year as it prepares to return to the core universe in the coming months and sell a 40% stake to a strategic buyer, with Chinese exchanges bidding in the context of the US$45 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
China rising: Meet two fighters leading the MMA charge
Big things are expected from these Chinese fighters as mixed martial arts continues to spread across the country, with local and American players lining up to tap the estimated potential earnings of up to US$724 billion by 2025. Ma Jiawen Age: 20Fights out of: Tianjin K1 ClubFights in: ONE Championship featherweight division (145lbs)Record: 3-2 The Tianjin native is fast turning into a human highlight reel.
How censorship aids China’s execution machine
The executions of Nie Shubin and Jia Jinglong occurred more than 20 years apart, yet the Chinese authorities have used the plight of both men to send starkly different messages on the death penalty. Nie Shubin, who was executed in 1995 for rape and murder, received a rare posthumous exoneration earlier this month. Officials made much of how this wrongful execution had been corrected and that lessons had been learnt.
Rahul under pressure to 'dish dirt on Prime Minister Modi’
Pressure is building on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to reveal details of corruption involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a party meeting, press conference or an alternative forum as the last day of India’s winter session is likely to be washed out on Friday. Days after Rahul asked lawmakers to be ready for an “earthquake” in Parliament when he speaks on demonetization, he said on Wednesday that he had explosive information on corruption involving Modi.
China’s dangerous sense of entitled victimhood
Almost every nation in the Asia-Pacific can claim, with some justification, to be a victim. Some are victims of European colonialism or the injured party of American imperialism. Others were victims of Japanese aggression during the first half of the 20th Century. Even Japan can declare its victimhood, as it was the first (and so far, only) target of nuclear weapons.
Why growth hacking will transform Asian businesses in 2017
With the inevitable changes happening in the world’s economy and politics, you won’t be able to follow the old-fashioned marketing playbook to grow your business. Considering the fact that technology has influenced the way businesses operate in both the local and global market, it is necessary to develop a new approach to customer acquisition, and customer engagement.
China’s Disturbing Detention of Hong Kong Booksellers
It wasn’t supposed to unfold like this. The mainland Chinese authorities expected Lam Wing Kee – one of the five “missing” booksellers accused by the authorities of running an “illegal business operation” – to quietly return to Hong Kong, and otherwise remain silent, as three of his colleagues have done. But Lam Wing Kee decided to speak out and defend “the rights and freedoms of human beings.” Lam blew apart the Chinese authorities’ tenuous tale of voluntary cooperation.
China: Tiananmen’s legacy 26 years on, turning back the clock
26 years have passed since the tragic days in 1989 when thousands of peaceful pro-democracy protesters were brutally repressed in and around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. But even though the tanks have long left the city’s infamous square, President Xi Jinping, appears as determined to quash anyone perceived as challenging the Communist Party’s hegemony. We are witnessing one of the darkest periods for freedom of expression in China since the bloodshed of 1989.
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