China Change » Civil Society

A Year On: Remembering Dr. Jiang Yanyong, the Truth-Teller Who Saved Lives

Hermann Aubié, March 12, 2024 One year ago today, on March 11, 2023, the world lost a remarkable figure: Dr Jiang Yanyong (蒋彦永), a Chinese surgeon who first became known to the world for exposing a government cover-up during the SARS crisis of 2003. He thus played a crucial role in ensuring that both his compatriots and people worldwide were [...] Keep reading »

A Beautiful China – Five – Be True to the Law: Campaigning for a Seat as a People’s Congress Delegate

Xu Zhiyong, translated by Joshua Rosenzweig, March 10, 2024 Note From the Editor Born in 1973, Dr. Xu Zhiyong (许志永) is a legal scholar, pioneer of China’s rights defense movement, and a founder of the New Citizens Movement. On April 10, 2023, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison on charges of “subverting state power.” Before this, he [...] Keep reading »

A Beautiful China – Four – Working to Abolish the Custody and Repatriation System in the Wake of Sun Zhigang’s Death

Xu Zhiyong, translated by Leo Timm, February 26, 2024 Note From the Editor Born in 1973, Dr. Xu Zhiyong (许志永) is a legal scholar, pioneer of China’s rights defense movement, and a founder of the New Citizens Movement. On April 10, 2023, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison on charges of “subverting state power.” Before this, he had se [...] Keep reading »

A Beautiful China – Three – An Era of Change Is Upon Us

Xu Zhiyong, translated by Yaxue Cao, February 20, 2024 Note From the Editor Born in 1973, Dr. Xu Zhiyong (许志永) is a legal scholar, pioneer of China’s rights defense movement, and a founder of the New Citizens Movement. On April 10, 2023, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison on charges of “subverting state power.” Before this, he had s [...] Keep reading »

A Beautiful China – Two – A Life in Pursuit of One Dream

Xu Zhiyong, translated by Elizabeth Lindley, February 15, 2024 Note From the Editor Born in 1973, Dr. Xu Zhiyong (许志永) is a legal scholar, pioneer of China’s rights defense movement, and a founder of the New Citizens Movement. On April 10, 2023, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison on charges of “subverting state power.” Before this, [...] Keep reading »

A Beautiful China – One – China’s Twentieth Century

Xu Zhiyong, translated by Joshua Rosenzweig, February 12, 2024 Note From the Editor Born in 1973, Dr. Xu Zhiyong (许志永) is a legal scholar, pioneer of China’s rights defense movement, and a founder of the New Citizens Movement. On April 10, 2023, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison on charges of “subverting state power.” Before this, [...] Keep reading »

Whither China? — Xu Zhiyong’s Letter of Appeal

November 30, 2023 In August, while waiting for appeal, Dr. Xu Zhiyong wrote the following statement (Chinese original), not so much to the court as to his compatriots. In June, he and Ding Jiaxi were sentenced to 14 years and 12 years in prison respectively on subversion charges, ostensibly for an informal two-day gathering in Xiamen in December 20 [...] Keep reading »

Shanghai Halloween 2023

November 11, 2023 This year, a phenomenal Halloween party occurred in the streets of Shanghai, of all places. It interests us because it offers a unique window to observe the young people in China. The themes are eclectic, some political and social. The fact that such a crowd was able to amass is extraordinary, given the Chinese authorities’ [...] Keep reading »

On the Lack of a Fair Judiciary in China: Reflections of a Criminal Defense Lawyer (Two)

Li Jinxing, September 28, 2023 Li Jinxing (李金星), arguably one of the most prominent defense lawyers in today’s China, has dedicated much of his career to overturning wrongful convictions, a Sisyphean task in the People’s Republic. Over the past decade or so, he proved instrumental in reversing a series of wrongful convictions, including j [...] Keep reading »