Transnational Bodies

Hong Kong: 47 Charged Under Security Law

March 08, 2021

Following an informal public opinion poll to coordinate pro-democracy candidates for a Legislative Council (LegCo) election in July 2020, The Hong Kong government has decided to use the National Security Law to charge 47 democracy figures with “conspiracy to commit subversion”.
Forbes: WHO Covid-19 Report Dropped

March 08, 2021

The World Health Organization (WHO) team that investigated the origins of Covid-19 will not release their report from its mission to China due to escalating political and scientific accusations that the investigation was fundamentally compromised by Chinese officials.
WIPO: China Extends Lead over U.S. in Global Patents Filings

March 08, 2021

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has announced that China was the biggest source of applications for international patents in the world in 2020 for the second year in a row with 68,720 applications.
NYPost: Court Packing Would Destroy Judicial Independence

March 03, 2021

President Biden recently announced the creation of a commission to recommend “reforms” to the judicial system that will most likely include the idea of court-packing, which, the authors warn, will destroy judicial independence and transform judges into political actors.
Brookings: Create an Office of Subnational Diplomacy at State Department

February 24, 2021

The Brookings Institution is promoting the creation of a new office of subnational diplomacy within the State Department that will place State Department diplomats within local governments following U.S. President Joe Biden’s pledge for new partnerships between local and federal governments.
Scott: Australia’s Stand-off with Big Tech is Only The Beginning

February 24, 2021

Mark Scott writes for Politico that following Australia’s stand-off with Facebook, a new standard has been set that will have a significant impact as various countries worldwide attempt to define what the internet should resemble going forward.
NSL: Nearly 5,000 Hong Kong Citizens Apply for New UK Visa

February 23, 2021

Nearly 5,000 Hong Kong citizens sign up for new UK visa since London has made changes to its visa rules to give Hong Kong residents fleeing the New Security Law (NSL) a chance to settle in Britain.
Facebook Faces Criticism in Australia for News Ban

February 22, 2021

Politico reports that in a move quickly gaining international reactions, Facebook has created new rules blocking news content amid a dispute with the Australian government over a planned law leaving Australian users unable to view and share local and international news.
BBC World News Banned in Mainland China

February 16, 2021

After Britain revoked Chinese state television’s broadcast license, China barred Britain’s BBC World News from its television networks and Hong Kong’s public broadcaster said it would stop relaying BBC World Service radio.
Lai Case Reveals NSL’s Effect on Hong Kong’s Legal System

February 15, 2021

The conclusion of the Court of Final Appeal (CFA), concerning the case of Pro-Democracy Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai, ruled that the National Security Law (NSL) is a distinctive legal regime which runs in parallel with, and if necessary over-rides, the existing legal system in Hong Kong.