Hu Jintao Just as Surprised as You About YouTube Being Blocked

This morning, Chinese President Hu Jintao called an emergency press conference and expressed shock at accusations that the Chinese Government was somehow responsible for the recent blockage of YouTube. “The allegations are completely untrue.  Just because the Government has haphazardly blocked websites containing content that it deems inappropriate in the past is no reason to assume that this is the case today.” When greeted with skepticism,... Read More

Backsliding

The international financial crisis has brought the underlying tensions in Mainland China between strengthening the rule of law and fostering economic growth to the fore. The case of the export-driven economic powerhouse Guangdong Province illuminates the priorities of the Chinese government and the implications that the economic downturn may have for the rule of law across the Mainland. The Political and Economic Background In the midst of an economic... Read More