DOCSLIB.ORG

Beneath the Surface of China's Social Credit System

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Beneath the Surface of China's Social Credit System Beneath the surface of China’s Social Credit System Author: Jacqueline Olsen Malmö University Supervisor: Mikael Spång Subject: Human Rights Bachelor thesis, spring 2020 1 Abstract China has developed a technological Social Credit System that monitors, collects, and analyses behavioural data from citizens and enterprises. The system categorises them trustworthy or untrustworthy according to their behaviour. This paper aims to investigate the technological elements of China’s Social Credit System and analyse its social functions. In doing so, I will address the human rights implications following from the system. The thesis uses a content analysis method and draws on three theoretical studies, including, dataveillance, social sorting and neoliberalism and subjectivity. The study shows that China intends to continue investing in immoral technological elements; might succeed to govern citizens in self-governing; and prioritises the system in front of scarce human rights regulations. The conclusion holds that China intends to continue developing and strengthening the Social Credit System to enhance the behaviour of their society, regardless of some human rights implications, to reach their desired outcome. Keywords: Social Credit System, Social functions, Technology, Human rights Word count: 13 985 2 Abbreviations AI – Artificial Intelligence API – Application Programming Interface BSN – Blockchain Service Network CCTV – Closed-Circuit Television CPC – Communist Party of China ICCPR – International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Ifri – Institute francais des relations international PBOC – People’s Bank of China PCI – Public Credit Information PRC – People’s Republic of China SCS – Social Credit System SMT – Statistical Machine Translation UDHR - Universal Declaration on Human Rights 5G – Fifth Generation 3 Table of contents Abstract……………………………………………………………………………….....…2 Abbreviations…………………………………………………………………………..…..3 Table of contents………………………………………………………………………..….4 1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………..…...5 1.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………….……5 1.2 Previous research and research problem…………………………………….…5 1.3 Aim & research questions……………………………………………………...6 1.4 Relevance to human rights……………………………………………………..7 1.5 Delimitations…………………………………………………………………...8 2. THEORY………………………………………………………………………………...8 2.1 Dataveillance…………………………………………………………………...9 2.2 Social Sorting………………………………………………………………….10 2.3 Neoliberalism and Subjectivity………………………………………………..11 3. METHOD……………………………………………………………………………….12 3.1 Qualitative research……………………………………………………………12 3.2 Content analysis…………………………………………………………...…..12 3.3 Codes and Coding……………………………………………………………..13 3.4 Sampling……………………………………………………………………....14 4. CHINA’S SOCIAL CREDIT SYSTEM………………………………………………..15 5. ANALYSIS……………………………………………………………………………..18 5.1 China’s surveillance systems……………………………………………….....18 5.2 Categorising Chinese citizens…………………………………………………25 5.3 Building human capital………………………………………………………..31 6. CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………………37 6.1 Discussion and findings……………………………………………………….37 6.2 Human rights discussion………………………………………………………39 6.3 Future research recommendations...…………………………………………..39 7. BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………....41 4 1. Introduction 1.1 Introduction China has built a Social Credit System (henceforth SCS) to create a harmonious society and further enhance their economic growth (Creemers, 2015). A common understanding of China's SCS is that the system is based on accountable principles and implemented in an incentive-grounded system for minimizing risk and managing Chinese citizens behaviour. The system is controlled by the government, regulated by various data-driven platforms and administrated by public and private institutions that collect, aggregate and analyse personal data from individuals and enterprises to delegate credit scores according to their behaviour. The incentive-grounded mechanism is built on a reward and punishment system that rewards trustworthy citizens and punishes untrustworthy citizens (Backer, 2018, Liang et. al, 2018 and Chen & Cheng, 2017). The SCS aims to "allow the trustworthy to roam everywhere under heaven while making it hard for the discredited to take a single step". The data-driven platforms are developed through advanced technological elements that China have been investing in during the last couple of years. The SCS collects personal data from individuals and enterprises by monitoring their online and offline behaviour through various surveillance mechanisms (Creemers, 2015). Many Western media platforms have argued that China’s SCS is like “Big Brother”, a system that controls its population by monitoring them (Liang et, al, 2018: 415). Monitoring Chinese citizens behaviour and categorizing them trustworthy or untrustworthy may infringe upon their human rights to privacy and non-discrimination (Løge, 2019: 2). To get an understanding of the SCS and its human right implications, I have focused my study on the systems technological elements and social functions. The analysis involves the qualitative directed content analysis method and is guided by three theoretical studies. 1.2 Previous research and research problem Previous research has, for instance, studied the SCS's surveillance and big data's functions, to understand how the system collects personal behavioural data, and rates citizens and enterprises according to their behaviour. Grote and Bonomi have studied the social and political aspects of this (Grote & Bonomi, 2018: 1), while Chen and Cheng have addressed the legal framework applied to surveillance mechanism of the big data system and how it infringes upon citizens privacy (Chen & Cheng, 2017: 35). Backer and Liu have studied the assessment and rating mechanisms of the SCS, how it is controlled and what makes a person trustworthy or untrustworthy. Liu examines the 5 tension between public and private institutions who are responsible for administrating the SCS in different regions, while Backer discusses the effects of trustworthy and untrustworthy behaviour, and if the system could be applied in a western country (Backer, 2018: 1 & Liu, 2019: 30). China’s SCS is a fairly new political and social concept, involving advanced technological elements that are constantly evolving, due to this previous research is scarce. This thesis studies the latest technological development of the system, which will contribute to a recent study of the system. Except for Chen and Cheng and a few other scholars who briefly cover how the SCS’s infringes upon citizens right to privacy, no other research except a master thesis from Oslo University has studied the SCS from a human rights perspective (Løge, 2019). Since this thesis studies the human rights implications of the SCS, it will contribute to this gap of knowledge. The thesis draws on three different theoretical studies to analyse different perspectives of the SCS that may lead to human rights implications. Two of these theories have been used in studies covering the SCS in previous research, but one of them (neoliberalism and subjectivity) has only been applied in a blog post that discusses the SCS (Tümmler, 2018 & Lee,2019). Due to that, this thesis will contribute to a unique perspective of the SCS and in combination with the two other theories, the paper will investigate different dimensions and perspectives of the system than previous research. 1.3 Aim and research questions This thesis aims to investigate the technological elements of SCS and analyse its social functions. In doing so, I will address the human rights implications following from the system. To investigate the technological elements and the social functions of China’s SCS, I use relevant theories for understanding SCS. In the context of studies about surveillance, I primarily draw on research from dataveillance, which helps me understand the technological elements of surveillance that contribute to the social functions in the Chinese society. For analysing the social functions of the SCS, I use research from social sorting because the reward and punishment aspect of the system implicates that it categorises people, which this theory will help illustrate. In addition to this, I will draw on research from Neoliberalism and subjectivity, which will help me address the effect the system has on Chinese citizens behaviour. To achieve the aim, the following objectives have been applied. I will use the latest material released by China’s tech companies and the Chinese government, about 6 technological elements of the SCS; apply different international and national human rights legislations; discuss the social function of the technological system and how it infringes, directs and nudges upon people’s behaviour; study my chosen subject through the lens of two surveillance theories and one sociological theory; and contribute a section of this thesis to demonstrate the human rights relevance. The exploratory research questions are based on the expressed aim of this thesis and reads as follows: Research questions: 1) What are the technological elements and social functions of China’s Social Credit System? 2) What are the human rights implications of these technological elements and social functions? 1.4 Relevance to Human Rights As previously expressed in the objectives of the aim, I will demonstrate how China’s SCS might infringe up the human rights of Chinese citizens. It is important to understand the social functions of the SCS's technologies since this forms the way people think and behave,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Interpreting Social Credit System in Eight Dimensions
    Interpreting Social Credit System in Eight Dimensions 2 | 八个维度 解读社会信用体系 As 2020 is the last year of the five-year plan for the construction of a social credit system (SCS) under the Plan for Establishing a Social Credit System (2014– 2020) (the "Plan") issued by the State Council, 2019 has become a crucial year to achieve the goals of the Plan. Looking back, a series of policy documents and their consultation drafts that focus on top-level design and operational practices have been introduced intensively this year, proposing methodologies and roadmaps for social credit-based market monitoring modes and a governance model from multiple dimensions, such as collection and sharing of credit information, use of credit reports, joint rewards for compliance, joint sanctions on non-compliance, identification of sanctioned targets, management of joint sanction list, market and industry access prohibition, credit restoration mechanisms, credit information security and the protection of market players’ rights. In the meantime, the impact of the SCS as a new type of social governance tool for enterprises has gradually attracted a high level of attention. 3 | 八个维度 解读社会信用体系 What is SCS? • A key component of the socialist • Credit records and databases from market economic system regulatory authorities, financial Infrastruc- institutions, credit information Nature • A key component of the social governance system tures services, etc. • Connection and data sharing among credit databases • Improve the integrity awareness • Government integrity: mainly
    [Show full text]
  • China's Youth Social Credit System May Undermine CCP Legitimacy
    China’s Youth Social Credit System May Undermine CCP Legitimacy Mark Akpaninyie THE INTRODUCTION OF A YOUTH government has actively kept records on SOCIAL CREDIT SYSTEM (青年信用) its citizens for decades to maintain social to be established in China by the year 2020 control. The youth social credit system has sent many China analysts scrambling.1 is the latest iteration of this trend. This They assert that this plan will erode already system proposes the use of credit ratings as limited rights and constrain behavior the a method to cultivate core socialist values, government defines as subversive. Some to promote integrity, and to rebuild trust analysts fear that technological advances and public welfare. and the proliferation of personal data In June 2014, the State Council issued will enable the Chinese Communist plans to begin developing the social Party (CCP) to have a wider influence in credit system.4 In collaboration with the daily lives of Chinese citizens.2 With the Communist Youth League Central the goal of incentivizing and rewarding Committee, the National Development government-dictated “good citizenship,” and Reform Commission, and the this plan allegedly represents the CCP’s People’s Bank of China, a leadership successful suppression of dissent from an group to construct a youth credit system increasingly globalized, vocal youth. This was subsequently established to begin analysis is premature, if not mistaken. conceptualizing the system. The expressed Despite youth social credit pilot programs goal of the system is to promote “socialist rolling out in major cities, there are already core values,” to “serve the growth and clear indications these programs—which development of young people to promote use volunteerism, technology, and mass the construction of social integrity,” and surveillance to collect information on to “provide a wealth of public welfare citizens and rate their behavior—may fail.
    [Show full text]
  • The Xinjiang Detention Centers: a Perversion of Jeremy Bentham's
    The Xinjiang Detention Centers: A Perversion of Jeremy Bentham’s Ideal Panoptic Structure or its Stark Reality? by Jasper Orille Hogue A Thesis Submitted to Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for an Honours Degree in Political Science March, 2020 Copyright Jasper Orille Hogue Approved: _______________________ Dr. Ronald Landes Supervisor Date: ___________________ Abstract The Xinjiang Detention Centers: A Perversion of Jeremy Bentham’s Ideal Panoptic Structure or its Stark Reality? By Jasper Orille Hogue Abstract: The modern convergence of technology and social control has met its current peak in Xinjiang, China, as millions of ethnic and religious minorities are targeted, confined, and reformed in the region’s camp detention system. In an effort to contain social crisis and reinforce critical control over the region, the Chinese government has introduced harsh surveillance measures purposed to alter the region’s culture and identity. The design and purpose of this immense program is not a new structure to mankind however, as English philosopher Jeremy Bentham had developed a precursor of this system in the form of the Panopticon in the late 18th century. Tracing the development and structure of Bentham’s theoretical concept, it can be shown that the current detention system in Xinjiang is not a perversion of Bentham’s design, but it’s practical implementation in the modern surveillance state. March 28, 2020. 1 Introduction The existence of detention centres for various minority populations in the Chinese northwest region of Xinjiang was fully revealed in 2017. However, the totality of the system was not clear until the middle months of 2018, and the structure of the system itself was not released until the inner documents outlining the layout, methods, and principle purpose of the centres were leaked in late 2019.
    [Show full text]
  • “Individualism in Modern China: the Social Credit Issue”
    Department of Political Science Chair of Sociology “Individualism in Modern China: The Social Credit Issue” THESIS SUPERVISOR CANDIDATE PROF. Antonio La Spina Valentino Grassi Student No. 078402 Politics, Philosophy and Economics B.A. 2017/2018 Academic Year 1 Index 1. Introduction 2. The concept of Individualism and its Importance for Social Management and SCS System 2.1. Western Individualistic Theories: Modernist, Interactionist and Discourse Approach 2.1.1. Modernist theorists. 2.1.2. Interactionist theorists. 2.1.3. Discourse theorists. 2.2. Alexis de Tocqueville’s conception of Individualism 2.3. Chinese Individualism 3. Social Management and Forms of Social Control 3.1. Social Management: the key concept to improve people’s livelihood 3.2. Xi Jinping reform process as a key tool to consolidate the operational capacity of the CCP 3.3. Neo-socialist approach to social management 3.4. Previous Social Engineering Programs 3.4.1. People’s Commune 3.4.2. Dang’an: the predecessor of Social Credit System? 3.4.3. Hukou - Housing Registration System 4. Social Credit System 4.1. Origins of Credit Score System 4.2. Private and Governmental Data Sources 4.3. The Core of China’s Social Credit System: Companies Regulations 4.4. SCS Implementation: Media Communication and Criticisms 4.5. SCS Implementation: The Rongcheng Case 5. Conclusions 2 1. Introduction The aim of this dissertation is to analyse the current and future implementation of a new and unique system of social and market control: the Social Credit Score system (heretofore referred to as SCS). Especially in the last decade, China represented the most interesting actor on the global scenario for many reasons.
    [Show full text]
  • AI, China, Russia, and the Global Order: Technological, Political, Global, and Creative Perspectives
    Approved For Public Release AI, China, Russia, and the Global Order: Technological, Political, Global, and Creative Perspectives A Strategic Multilayer Assessment (SMA) Periodic Publication December 2018 Contributing Authors: Shazeda Ahmed (UC Berkeley), Natasha E. Bajema (NDU), Samuel Bendett (CNA), Benjamin Angel Chang (MIT), Rogier Creemers (Leiden University), Chris C. Demchak (Naval War College), Sarah W. Denton (George Mason University), Jeffrey Ding (Oxford), Samantha Hoffman (MERICS), Regina Joseph (Pytho LLC), Elsa Kania (Harvard), Jaclyn Kerr (LLNL), Lydia Kostopoulos (LKCYBER), James A. Lewis (CSIS), Martin Libicki (USNA), Herbert Lin (Stanford), Kacie Miura (MIT), Roger Morgus (New America), Rachel Esplin Odell (MIT), Eleonore Pauwels (United Nations University), Lora Saalman (EastWest Institute), Jennifer Snow (USSOCOM), Laura Steckman (MITRE), Valentin Weber (Oxford) Opening Remarks provided by: Brig Gen Alexus Grynkewich (JS J39), Lawrence Freedman (King’s College, London) Editor: Nicholas D. Wright (Intelligent Biology) Integration Editor: Mariah C. Yager (JS/J39/SMA/NSI) This white paper represents the views and opinions of the contributing authors. This white paper does not represent official USG policy or position. Approved For Public Release Approved For Public Release Disclaimers This white paper represents the views and opinions of the contributing authors. This white paper does not represent official USG policy or position. Mention of any commercial product in this paper does not imply DoD endorsement or recommendation for or against the use of any such product. No infringement on the rights of the holders of the registered trademarks is intended. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) of the linked websites, or the information, products or services contained therein.
    [Show full text]
  • Econsoc 21-1
    Volume 21 · Number 1 · November 2019 economic econsoc.mpifg.de sociology _the european electronic newsletter 21.1 Note from the editor Content 1 Note from the editor The Brave New World The Brave New World of Big Data by Akos Rona-Tas of Big Data 4 Aadhaar: Uniquely Indian Dystopia? by Reetika Khera Akos Rona-Tas 13 Biometric IDs and the remaking of the Indian (welfare) state by Ursula Rao 22 Multiple social credit systems in China by Chuncheng Liu 33 Credit Scoring in the United States by Barbara Kiviat his issue is organized around plate readers can follow cars in 43 Bringing Context back into privacy the theme of Big Data as our many big cities and highways, regulation and beyond. About limitation on new social world, one that while cameras in public spaces re- purpose as an (old) response to (new) data Thas been taking shape thanks to three cord every second they see. Many challenges important recent advances in infor- of these sensors work without us by Karoline Krenn mation technology, all accelerated in even noticing them, like high reso- the last few years. lution satellite photos that can now 54 OpEd First, there has been an enor- deliver resolutions of 30 centime- by Jenny Andersson mous increase in our capacity to ters, while others, like our own gather and transmit data. Sensor digital cameras, require our active 56 Book reviews and communication technology al- participation by taking the pictures lows the inexpensive collection of and then uploading the digital im- Editor vast quantities of information, aid- ages.
    [Show full text]
  • Disciplining of a Society Social Disciplining and Civilizing Processes in Contemporary China
    Disciplining of a Society Social Disciplining and Civilizing Processes in Contemporary China Thomas Heberer August 2020 Disciplining of a Society Social Disciplining and Civilizing Processes in Contemporary China Thomas Heberer August 2020 disciplining of a society Social Disciplining and Civilizing Processes in Contemporary China about the author Thomas Heberer is Senior Professor of Chinese Politics and Society at the Insti- tute of Political Science and the Institute of East Asian Studies at the University Duisburg-Essen in Germany. He is specializing on issues such as political, social and institutional change, entrepreneurship, strategic groups, the Chinese developmen- tal state, urban and rural development, political representation, corruption, ethnic minorities and nationalities’ policies, the role of intellectual ideas in politics, field- work methodology, and political culture. Heberer is conducting fieldwork in China on almost an annual basis since 1981. He recently published the book “Weapons of the Rich. Strategic Action of Private Entrepreneurs in Contemporary China” (Singapore, London, New York: World Scientific 2020, co-authored by G. Schubert). On details of his academic oeuvre, research projects and publications see his website: ht tp:// uni-due.de/oapol/. iii disciplining of a society Social Disciplining and Civilizing Processes in Contemporary China about the ash center The Roy and Lila Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation advances excellence and innovation in governance and public policy through research, edu- cation, and public discussion. By training the very best leaders, developing power- ful new ideas, and disseminating innovative solutions and institutional reforms, the Center’s goal is to meet the profound challenges facing the world’s citizens.
    [Show full text]
  • Disenchanting Trust: Instrumental Reason, Algorithmic Governance, and China's Emerging Social Credit System
    Media and Communication (ISSN: 2183–2439) 2021, Volume 9, Issue 2, Pages 140–149 DOI: 10.17645/mac.v9i2.3806 Article Disenchanting Trust: Instrumental Reason, Algorithmic Governance, and China’s Emerging Social Credit System Sheng Zou International Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; E-Mail: [email protected] Submitted: 30 October 2020 | Accepted: 25 January 2021 | Published: 6 April 2021 Abstract Digital technologies have provided governments across the world with new tools of political and social control. The devel- opment of algorithmic governance in China is particularly alarming, where plans have been released to develop a digital Social Credit System (SCS). Still in an exploratory stage, the SCS, as a collection of national and local pilots, is framed officially as an all-encompassing project aimed at building trust in society through the regulation of both economic and social behav- iors. Grounded in the case of China’s SCS, this article interrogates the application of algorithmic rating to expanding areas of everyday life through the lens of the Frankfurt School’s critique of instrumental reason. It explores how the SCS reduces the moral and relational dimension of trust in social interactions, and how algorithmic technologies, thriving on a moral economy characterized by impersonality, impede the formation of trust and trustworthiness as moral virtues. The algorith- mic rationality underlying the SCS undermines the ontology of relational trust, forecloses its transformative power, and disrupts social and civic interactions that are non-instrumental in nature. Re-reading and extending the Frankfurt School’s theorization on reason and the technological society, especially the works of Horkheimer, Marcuse, and Habermas, this article reflects on the limitations of algorithmic technologies in social governance.
    [Show full text]
  • Orwell's Nightmare: China's Social Credit System
    Orwell’s Nightmare: China’s Social Credit System “Nothing that he does is indifferent. His friendships, his relaxations, his behavior towards his wife and children, the expression of his face when he is alone, the words he mutters in sleep, even the characteristic movements of his body, are all jealously scrutinized. Not only any actual misdemeanor, but any eccentricity, however small, any change of habits, any nervous mannerism that could possibly be the symptom of an inner struggle, is certain to be detected. He has no freedom of choice in any direction whatever.” George Orwell, 19841 Arriving in Shanghai last December, I struck up an unexpected conversation with my taxi driver. Stuck in traffic, the driver pointed to a prominent electronic scoreboard on the side of the road displaying car plate numbers and asked if I knew what it was. Interpreting my silence as an invitation for soliloquy, he said: “If you honk your horn in Shanghai, your car plate number will be displayed in one of those electronic scoreboards. This is to publicly shame you.” I had no clue that Shanghai had, as of 2007, prohibited honking, ostensibly to reduce noise level in the city.2 I asked, “what happens if you have to honk to avoid accidents?’ The driver shrugged, “There is nothing you can do. You just have to be patient and wait for others. But you cannot honk, unless you want to pay a fine.” He bemoaned that the penalty for honking used to be 200 RMB (about $30), but with the new technical system in place since last September, additional penalties would kick in.
    [Show full text]
  • Seeing Like an Authoritarian State
    The Peter A. Allard School of Law Allard Research Commons Faculty Publications Allard Faculty Publications 11-1-2019 Seeing Like an Authoritarian State Cristie Ford Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.allard.ubc.ca/fac_pubs Part of the Law Commons Citation Details Cristie Ford, "Seeing Like an Authoritarian State" in Liav Orgad & Wessel Reijers, eds, A Dystopian Future? The Rise of Social Credit Systems (2019) Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies Global Citizenship Governance, European University Institute Working Papers RSCAS 2019/94, 15-17. This Working Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Allard Faculty Publications at Allard Research Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of Allard Research Commons. RSCAS 2019/94 Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies Global Citizenship Governance A Dystopian Future? The Rise of Social Credit Systems Edited by Liav Orgad and Wessel Reijers European University Institute Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies Global Citizenship Governance A Dystopian Future? The Rise of Social Credit Systems Edited by Liav Orgad and Wessel Reijers EUI Working Paper RSCAS 2019/94 This text may be downloaded only for personal research purposes. Additional reproduction for other purposes, whether in hard copies or electronically, requires the consent of the author(s), editor(s). If cited or quoted, reference should be made to the full name of the author(s), editor(s), the title, the working paper, or other series, the year and the publisher.
    [Show full text]
  • Business and Human Rights
    BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS Findings • As the Chinese Communist Party and government engage in increasingly egregious human rights violations, domestic and international businesses are increasingly at risk of complicity in abuses committed by the Chinese government. Of particular concern are: reports that companies are involved in the govern- ment’s suppression of ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), including through the use of forced labor; companies’ complicity in government surveillance of individuals throughout China; and companies engaging in censorship on behalf of Chinese authorities. • In the XUAR, the actions of the Party and government may constitute crimes against humanity according to scholars and rights groups, and companies that work in the region are at great risk of complicity in those crimes. Experts have docu- mented the rapid expansion of a network of mass internment camps in which authorities have arbitrarily detained over a million individuals from predominantly Muslim ethnic minor- ity groups. Commercial entities have been directly involved in the construction of these camps and supplied them with a wide range of goods and services. The company Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, in particular, has supplied surveillance systems to the camps as part of a public-private partnership with XUAR authorities. U.S.-based firms such as Intel, Ambarella, and Nvidia reportedly continue to supply Hikvision with critical components. According to a March 2019 report, the California State Teachers’ Retirement System and the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System both continued to own Hikvision stock. • The Commission observed numerous reports this past year of forced labor associated with government repression of ethnic minority groups in the XUAR.
    [Show full text]
  • Authoritarianism with Chinese Character- Istics: Political and Religious Human Rights Challenges in China
    AUTHORITARIANISM WITH CHINESE CHARACTER- ISTICS: POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS CHALLENGES IN CHINA HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIA, THE PACIFIC AND NONPROLIFERATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION DECEMBER 10, 2019 Serial No. 116–86 Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs ( Available: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/, http://docs.house.gov, or http://www.govinfo.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 38–546PDF WASHINGTON : 2020 COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York, Chairman BRAD SHERMAN, California MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, Texas, Ranking GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York Member ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia STEVE CHABOT, Ohio THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida JOE WILSON, South Carolina KAREN BASS, California SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts TED S. YOHO, Florida DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois AMI BERA, California LEE ZELDIN, New York JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas JIM SENSENBRENNER, Wisconsin DINA TITUS, Nevada ANN WAGNER, Missouri ADRIANO ESPAILLAT, New York BRIAN MAST, Florida TED LIEU, California FRANCIS ROONEY, Florida SUSAN WILD, Pennsylvania BRIAN FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania DEAN PHILLIPS, Minnesota JOHN CURTIS, Utah ILHAN OMAR, Minnesota KEN BUCK, Colorado COLIN ALLRED, Texas RON WRIGHT, Texas ANDY LEVIN, Michigan GUY RESCHENTHALER, Pennsylvania ABIGAIL SPANBERGER, Virginia TIM BURCHETT, Tennessee CHRISSY HOULAHAN, Pennsylvania GREG PENCE,
    [Show full text]