China
TRACKING DISSENT
China Dissent Monitor, Freedom House’s new database and research tool, debuts
China’s authoritarian regime has become increasingly repressive in recent years. The ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to tighten control over all aspects of life and governance, including the state bureaucracy, the media, online speech, religious practice, universities, businesses, and civil society associations, and it has undermined an earlier series of modest rule-of-law reforms. The CCP leader and state president, Xi Jinping, has consolidated personal power to a degree not seen in China for decades. Human rights activists and lawyers continue to speak out, though at great personal cost.
Introducing the China Dissent Monitor
Despite increasingly repressive rule under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), dissent in China is frequent and widespread. That's according to the China Dissent Monitor, a new data and research project from Freedom House. The project includes a database of specific protest incidents and a quarterly analysis of dissent in China.
Sign up for the China Media Bulletin
The China Media Bulletin is a monthly email newsletter that provides unique insight on censorship, media freedom, and internet freedom issues related to the People's Republic of China, drawing on both English and Chinese-language sources.
The newsletter features cutting edge analysis of censorship, surveillance and tech issues in China, including:
- Featured analysis of a major development or trend
- Short news updates on the media, netizen activism, and legal changes
- Spotlight on popular censored images
- Tracking the Chinese government’s growing media influence around the world
- Ways to take action
Freedom House's Report on Beijing's Global Media Influence
Our latest report, Beijing’s Global Media Influence: Authoritarian Expansion and the Power of Democratic Resilience, offers the most comprehensive assessment to date of Beijing’s global media influence and the ways in which democracies are responding. It draws on media investigations, interviews, scholarly publications, Chinese government sources, and on-the-ground research by local analysts in 30 countries, and includes in-depth case studies for each country, appraising the scale and scope of CCP media influence efforts and the strength of the local response. The report also offers recommendations on how democracies can improve their performance.
Freedom in the World — China Country Report
China is rated Not Free in Freedom in the World 2022, Freedom House's annual study of political rights and civil liberties worldwide.
Freedom on the Net — China Country Report
China is rated Not Free in Freedom on the Net, Freedom House's comprehensive study of internet freedom around the globe.
China Special Reports
Beijing's Global Megaphone
The Expansion of Chinese Communist Party Media Influence since 2017
The Battle for China's Spirit
Religious Revival, Repression, and Resistance under Xi Jinping
The Politburo's Predicament
Confronting the Limitations of Chinese Communist Party Repression
Policy Recommendations: China's Global Media Influence
The Chinese Communist Party has expanded its efforts to shape news content around the world through promoting its own propaganda,, suppressing critical viewpoints, and obtaining control over key content-delivery systems. The following policy recommendations could help counter the negative impact of Beijing’s foreign media influence campaigns.
News & Perspectives:
In the Media
Explore the China Media Bulletin
The monthly China Media Bulletin provides unique insight on censorship, media freedom, and internet freedom issues related to the People's Republic of China, drawing on both English and Chinese-language sources.