Rule of law

China’s new map depicting its claims to the South China Sea has provoked some fierce reactions from its neighbours. The fact is that the “new” map is anything but.

​The case of a family of 18 being punished for illegally building a bridge in Jilin province has brought to light the public’s distrust of the courts and grassroots governance and sparked criticism of the local government’s inaction in solving people’s problems. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu looks into the matter.

Is being “sentenced to death” by online public trial going too far? What recourse is there when accusations are made that turn out to be false? Zaobao’s China Desk looks into the Chinese phenomenon of going public with perceived injustices.

”Political swindlers“ are a problem in China’s political circles, with officials getting conned into providing favours for who they think are high-powered individuals with connections to the CCP’s top leadership, only to find themselves in trouble when the game is exposed. Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan gives examples of such cases, and efforts to clamp down on such fakery.

Following a residential building collapse in Hunan last year, several officials have been investigated, including Chongqing mayor Hu Henghua, who left Hunan 18 months ago. Does this mean that officials are now held accountable for incidents from their previous posts, and also for life? What does this say about China's current political climate?

A recent raid by Chinese authorities on a Chinese consultancy firm relating to national security sends a signal to the entire industry to be more aware of national security issues, and to take necessary measures to prevent possible espionage. But could the revised anti-espionage law and focus on national security issues become a convenient excuse for serving Beijing’s needs, such as its diplomatic needs and so on?

Consultant Ma Haotian notes that recent and past cases of celebrities getting banned for various transgressions show that morality in China can be taken to the extreme to exert control over people. He urges moderation and adjusting the so-called rules and standards of behaviour according to the times, so that people can act with more freedom and autonomy.

China’s anti-corruption agency announced on 5 February that three CCP cadres were under investigation for disciplinary issues — specifically, corruption. While the CCP’s anti-corruption efforts have apparently shown results, those under investigation usually come under scrutiny after they leave their posts. Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan looks at how effective such crackdowns are.

China’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) not only helped Beijing to adapt to contemporary global ocean governance, but also reinforced the importance for China to develop a maritime strategy to safeguard its maritime rights and interests. For instance despite China’s rejection of the 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling of the Philippines’ case against China in the case of the South China Sea, it still refers to UNCLOS (rather than simply dismisses it) to explain its decision. It can be expected that UNCLOS can be a tool of political contestation in the great power competition between Beijing and Washington.