China
China (中国), officially the People’s Republic of China, is the most populous country in the world. It exhibits low performance across all four categories in the Global State of Democracy framework. Since it does not hold national elections, its Representation score is 0. Over the past five years, it has experienced notable declines in Civil Liberties and Freedom of Expression. There have been no significant advances in that time period. Measured by nominal GDP, it is the world’s second largest economy (and first if measured by Purchasing Power Parity). China has a mixed market economy, significantly influenced by the state through strategic plans and state-owned enterprises. It is the world’s biggest exporter and manufacturer and the leading consumer of several natural resources.
China has been headed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) since 1949. The end of the century of humiliation (1839-1949), which still influences the official public narrative, marked the beginning of modern China. Xi Jinping leads China today, having assumed leadership in 2012. He ushered in an anti-corruption campaign that was also used to eliminate much of the internal opposition to Xi’s rule. With the elimination of term limits, the change of internal rules of the CCP, and the assumption of an unprecedented third term, Xi Jinping effectively ended China’s collective leadership system, which had been implemented to protect against the abuses of previous regimes, and greatly expanded the day-to-day presence of the CCP in society.
Uninterrupted economic growth in the 1970s and 1980s resulted in an extreme reduction in poverty. It also gave rise to more demands for political rights, culminating in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protest. Post-Tiananmen China saw further gradual economic liberalization and growth.
China also faces internal territorial challenges. It disputes Taiwan’s independence, and its foreign policy has become increasingly assertive around its claim. In Hong Kong, China has repeatedly breached the One Country, Two Systems agreement that was designed to allow Hong Kong to maintain its own political system until 2047. Of special concern for human rights are the crimes against humanity committed by China in the two autonomous regions of Tibet and Xingang. These regions, the only two where the ethnic Han are not a majority, are subject to invasive surveillance, cultural repression and, especially in Xinjiang, mass detention and “re-education” in concentration camps.
China’s performance on gender equality has been static in the lower-mid range over the past decades. Women’s educational and professional achievements as a result of the emergence of the market economy have been remarkable, yet gender wage gaps and unequal political representation – including the all-male Politburo Standing Committee – remain stark. Gender violence and discrimination continue to be widespread, and feminist movements are suppressed. Reproductive rights remain limited, though the One-Child Policy was relaxed in 2015. Ethnic Uyghurs in Xinjiang face harsher consequences as a result of the government efforts to curb population growth.
Post-pandemic China will be defined by the impact of nearly three years of pandemic-related isolation and the continuation of Xi Jinping’s total control of the CCP and the state. It will be important to watch events in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, which could impact Rights. Internationally, it will be critical to watch how China’s growing influence in the world impacts democratization elsewhere and at home.
Monthly Event Reports
April 2023 | Prominent human rights lawyers handed lengthy jail terms
Two of China's most prominent human rights lawyers, Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi, were sentenced to 14 and 12 years in prison, respectively, on 10 April, convicted of subversion of state power following closed-door trials. The move follows as Xu and Ding had taken part in a peaceful meeting of activists in Xiamen in December 2019, pushing for democratic rights. Prior to their sentencing, Xu and Ding were arbitrarily detained and subject to torture. The two activists were prominent members of the New Citizens' Movement, a loose network of civil rights activists promoting government transparency and exposing corruption. Rights experts note that the sentences highlight the increasingly repressive situation for human rights defenders in China under President Xi Jinping's administration.
March 2023 | Xi Jinping begins historic third term as head of state
The National People’s Congress (NPC) confirmed Chairman Xi Jinping’s third term as head of state on 10 March. Analysts note that Xi’s re-appointment completes the expansion of his powers over the Chinese political system. The widely expected “ceremonial” move comes after he was handed an unprecedented third term as the Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in October 2022. Xi’s allies were also appointed to key government roles throughout the two-day annual session, including the party’s second-in-command, Li Qiang taking over as premier. The “Two Sessions” also unveiled sweeping reforms that extends the CCP’s grip over finance, technology and other sectors.
February 2023 | Hong Kong passes landmark gender recognition ruling
Hong Kong’s top court on 6 February ruled that a policy preventing transgender people from changing their gender on ID cards unless undergoing full sex reassignment surgery is a violation of their rights and is considered unconstitutional. The ruling is considered a historic milestone for expanding LGBTQIA+ rights in Hong Kong, with activists hoping that the ruling influences and opens doors for neighbouring Asian countries to follow suit.
December 2022 | Hong Kong media tycoon sentenced
Pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced to nearly six years in prison on fraud charges on 10 December 2022 for the alleged violation of a lease contract by his company, Apple Daily. Lai has been serving a 20-month sentence since April 2021 after being convicted in three cases of "unauthorized assembly" for participating in peaceful protests, and faces life in prison under separate charges under Hong Kong’s National Security Law. Domestic and international rights watchdogs decried the charges as baseless and politically motivated.
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