As usual, the Chinese government is responding to public outrage—this time over animal cruelty—with its familiar tools: censorship, intimidation, & dispersal. Peaceful expression, including compassion, should never be treated as a threat to state security.

#HongKong# pro-democracy leader Wu Chi-wai’s been detained at Heathrow Airport, had his passport confiscated & told he’ll be deported in 7 days. He’s an ex #PoliticalPrisoner#, released on 30 June, & should be allowed to enter the UK on a BN(O) visa.

A Chinese human rights lawyer has been arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) even though he had a pending claim for asylum. That raises concerns that the Trump administration could deport him to China where he would face persecution.

🇨🇳#China# I am receiving disturbing news about the imminent deportation of Chinese HRD, journalist and whistleblower Bai Zhaodong, from Thailand to China. He fled China in November 2023 having been persecuted and criminalized for exposing large scale corruption and financial fraud implicating officials. He remains detained in Bangkok, reportedly in poor health and without adequate medical care. Despite an ongoing resettlement process, his relocation to a safe third country has twice been obstructed. I urge the Thai authorities to immediately halt any deportation proceedings, facilitate his prompt relocation, and ensure his safety and access to adequate healthcare. @ChinaMissionGva @UN_SPExperts

Today, the Chinese Communist Party (#CCP#) was the first to announce that the Trump administration would not renew the national emergency declared under Executive Order 13936 on #HongKong—apparently# as part of a financial concession. The Treasury Department has now confirmed that decision. The CFHK Foundation is stunned that the administration allowed U.S. policy to be announced by the CCP before informing the American public, and we strongly oppose this decision. President Trump's decision not to renew the Hong Kong national emergency is a textbook case of the appeasement and weakness that members of Congress and so-called China "hawks" have rightly condemned in the past. Compounding this failure, the concession did not even secure #JimmyLai#'s release from prison, despite the President's repeated promises to do so. Serious questions now surround the nature of these concessions and who truly benefits from them. The public deserves answers: Do sanctions on Hong Kong officials for human rights abuses remain in place? Is the administration restoring Hong Kong's economic, trade, and financial privileges? And what, precisely, has been conceded to the Chinese Communist Party? Congress must also act to codify the executive order's provisions into law, consistent with legislation it has already passed by strong bipartisan majorities. Make no mistake: repression in Hong Kong continues to intensify, and democracy advocates and freedom fighters remain behind bars. The Administration and Congress should support the people of Hong Kong at this critical moment. This decision amounts to nothing less than a betrayal.

China is once again bullying our ally to do its bidding. Thailand should not deport Bai Zhaodong, a journalist targeted by the Chinese government. Instead, it should do the right thing and resettle Bai and others in safe third countries. Anything less is unacceptable.

US immigration crackdown has affected many human rights activists who've sought refuge from authoritarianism. Just this morning, Chinese human rights lawyer Wu Shaoping (吳紹平) has been taken into ICE custody in Pennsylvania. He should be freed.

US immigration crackdown has affected many human rights activists who've sought refuge from authoritarianism. Just this morning, Chinese human rights lawyer Wu Shaoping (吳紹平) has been taken into ICE custody in Pennsylvania. He should be freed.

Chinese govt removed prominent Chinese newspaper Southern Weekend's brave investigation into the dam failure that killed > 39 people in the Guangxi flood. The article, published yesterday, disappeared within 24 hours. Full text:

Chinese govt's irate over this new @PIIE paper arguing that China's economic model isn't just hurting developed economies (i.e. "China Shock") but also squeezing developing countries, foreclosing the latter's path to development. So, we should all read it:

As the annual Hong Kong Book Fair opens this week, two of the city’s best-known independent bookstores, Elmbook and Luckwin, won’t be there. On July 2, authorities barred them from exhibiting.

Hong Kong's arrested 5 booksellers, raided 2 bookstores & intercepted book shipments. The "seditious" book intercepted is @EmilyZFeng's "Let Only Red Flowers Bloom," about Xi Jinping's ideological control, which kind of proves the point. News from Inmedia:

‼️At least 4 critics of Beijing are at risk of forced return as Thai Prime Minister visits China starting July 16. They’re journalist Bai Zhaodong, activists Tan Yixiang, Zhang Xinyan and Zhou Junyi:

Another heartbreaking account of the Chinese government's ongoing atrocities in the Uyghur homeland: @HKokbore waited a decade to hear his mother's voice, only to receive news of her passing. Beijing's inhumane brutality continues to haunt Uyghur exiles.