Hong Kong rights group shuts down after years of advocating for workers
A Hong Kong group that advocated for workers rights for decades announced its shutdown abruptly on Thursday, citing financial difficulties and debt issues.
China Labor Bulletin planned to stop updating its website content and appeared to have deleted Facebook and Instagram social media accounts used by the nonprofit rights organisation. 'The company can no longer maintain operations and has decided to dissolve and initiate the relevant procedures,' it said in a statement on an archived web page Friday.
Founded in 1994, the organization maintained a database tracking workers' strikes, protests, workplace accidents and other labor rights incidents in China.
As dozens of civil society groups disbanded or left Hong Kong in the wake of the 2020 Beijing-imposed national security law, China Labor Bulletin continued providing valuable resources for journalists and academics in the southern Chinese city.
Critics say the drastic political changes in Hong Kong indicated the decline of Western-style civil liberties that China promised to keep intact when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
However, Beijing and Hong Kong governments insisted the law was crucial to bring stability to the city following massive anti-government protests in 2019.
China Labor Bulletin's founder Han Dongfang, a former railway worker who participated in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. He told the Central News Agency of Taiwan that the shutdown was his decision and he would stay in Hong Kong.
Han's decision appeared sudden to many Hong Kong civil society observers. Three weeks ago, he wrote on social media platform LinkedIn about his work anniversary and his team's progress. 'Let's keep our faith up at this abnormal time and continue our important work,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
"China-India relations maintain a hard-won momentum of improvement:" Chinese Vice Foreign Minister
New Delhi [India], June 14 (ANI): Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong held a new round of China-India Vice Foreign Minister-Foreign Secretary Dialogue with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Delhi, and met with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, a statement by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Sun Weidong stated that, with the concerted efforts of both sides, China-India relations maintain a hard-won momentum of improvement and development. Both sides should follow the important common understandings reached by the two leaders during the meeting in Kazan, view and handle the bilateral relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, continuously increase political mutual trust, advance exchanges and cooperation in various areas together, properly handle disagreements and differences, push the bilateral relations forward on the track of sound and steady development, and jointly play a constructive role in maintaining international and regional peace, stability, development and prosperity, the statement said. Sun Weidong and Vikram Misri on Thursday held a candid and in-depth exchange of views on bilateral exchanges and cooperation as well as international and regional issues of mutual interest, as per the statement. The Indian side reaffirmed its support for China's Shanghai Cooperation Organization presidency. The two sides agreed to jointly make preparations for the 24th Special Representatives' Meeting on China-India Boundary Question, which will be held at an appropriate time. The two sides will continue to hold commemorative activities for the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, push for the resumption of direct flights and exchange of resident journalists at an early date, facilitate people-to-people exchanges, resume bilateral dialogue mechanisms steadily, and ensure Indian pilgrims' smooth visit to Mount Gang Rinpoche and Lake Mapam Yun Tso in the Xizang Autonomous Region of China, as per the statement. Sun Weidong expressed sympathy and condolences to the Indian side over the air crash accident in Gujarat, India on June 12. (ANI)
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Trump signals support for Chinese students; will US resume international student visa processing soon?
Live Events MORE STORIES FOR YOU ✕ Foreign students scrub social media as US expands visa vetting What's changing for international students in the US right now? « Back to recommendation stories I don't want to see these stories because They are not relevant to me They disrupt the reading flow Others SUBMIT The Trump administration is expected to ease restrictions on international student visas after President Donald Trump indicated a softer approach toward Chinese students . His remarks suggest that the pause on student visa processing may soon be lifted, according to a report by the Times of his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said, 'We will provide to China what was agreed to, including Chinese students using our colleges and universities.' He further added, 'We have 500,000 students coming in from China,' highlighting the role foreign students play in supporting US part of ongoing US-China negotiations, the administration agreed to permit Chinese student inflow in line with trade deal commitments. Trump stated he had always supported foreign student enrollment in the US, as it benefits schools and visa processing remains on hold temporarily. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has directed all US embassies and consulates to pause visa interviews. This step is part of preparations for expanded social media screening.(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)'Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional students of exchange visitor (F, M and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued septel (separate telegram), which we anticipate in the coming days,' the official cable this week, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce indicated that the pause was temporary. 'People should watch for those spaces to be open, and should continue to apply. This is not going to be a lengthy or an ongoing dynamic,' Bruce said during a media clarified that the pause is procedural. 'It was meant for a specific, almost an administrative adjustment,' she added. Bruce confirmed that the timeline for reopening visa interviews would be short. 'And that process, we were told, would be rapid,' she said.(With inputs from TOI)
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Trump administration gives personal data of immigrant Medicaid enrollees to deportation officials
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump's administration this week provided deportation officials with personal data including the immigration status on millions of Medicaid enrollees, a move that could make it easier to locate people as part of his sweeping immigration crackdown. An internal memo and emails obtained by The Associated Press show that Medicaid officials unsuccessfully sought to block the data transfer, citing legal and ethical concerns.
