April 2024
News Brief
Tibet
Pressure on Atsok Gompa
Recent reports reveal mounting Chinese government pressure on Atsok Gompa, a sacred Tibetan monastery slated for forced relocation to make way for the new Yangchu Hydropower Station on the Machu River.
Educator Expelled
A Tibetan teacher, Dhonyoe, was expelled in early April from Meruma Central Primary School in Ngaba County’s Meruma Township for teaching Tibetan language and history. His teaching license was also suspended.
Gonpo Kyi’s Sit-Ins
Gonpo Kyi staged sit-ins outside the TAR Higher People’s Court after they passed their verdict on her wrongfully imprisoned brother Dorjee Tashi. Despite beatings and intimidation by police, she continues to protest.
Taiwan
Aid Package Approved
A $95B aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan that had been stalled in Congress for months was approved by the US Senate and signed by Biden. It provides $8.1B in aid for Taiwan and other US allies in the Indo-Pacific.
Ma and KMT Visit China
Former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou (KMT) met with Xi Jinping in Beijing. Soon after, a delegation of 17 KMT lawmakers headed by KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi visited China in late April.
National Security Staff
President Lai named the incoming national security team, with National Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo heading the defense ministry and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu replacing him at the NSC.
Hong Kong
BN(O) Not Recognized
Hong Kong’s treasury chief reaffirmed to a visiting UK minister that emigrants who want to withdraw their pensions from the city’s official fund cannot use British National (Overseas) passports as proof of identity.
HK$1.2B Spent On ‘Patriots-Only’ Local Election (2023)
The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau revealed that the HK government spent over HK $1.2B on last year’s “patriots-only” District Council election, which was marked by a record low voter turnout.
Dual National Sentenced
The first dual national convicted and jailed under the national security law, a Portuguese national was sentenced to 5 years in prison for “demonising China” in social media posts advocating for HK independence.
East Turkestan
EU Parliament Approves Forced Labor Product Ban
Driven by lawmakers concerned about Uyghur human rights, the EU Parliament approved a ban on the sale, import, and export of goods made using forced labour.
Social Media App Ban
Authorities have banned Uyghurs from using social media apps including Chinese-owned TikTok and tools to circumvent censorship, in what experts say could be the start of another major crackdown.
1 in 26 Uyghurs Imprisoned
A report by the Uyghur Human Rights Project found that an estimated 1 in 26 Uyghurs and other non-Han people in the Uyghur Region are imprisoned, making it the region with the world’s highest prison rate.
China
WhatsApp, Threads Deleted from China App Store
Apple has removed WhatsApp and Threads from its app store in China, following an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China.
“Do You Think Xi Jinping is a Dictator?” Censorship
Chinese content creator Hu Chenfeng was suspended from Bilibili and Weibo after a livestream viewer asked him, “Do you think Xi Jinping is a dictator?”
Propaganda on Spies
The Ministry of State Security, China’s powerful civilian spy agency, released a video emphasizing the threat and omnipresence of foreign spies. This new round of propaganda stokes fear among ordinary citizens.