The Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location (RSDL, 指定居所监视居住 zhi3ding4 ju1suo3 jian1shi4 ju1zhu4) law is arguably one of the most feared laws in China. This law allows the police to detain a person, transport them to a secret location, of ten called a “black jail” and not inform the person’s relatives and legal representation. This is the law that China uses to “disappear” people.
RSDL has been used on numerous foreigners in China, where they have disappeared for 6 months or longer. RSDL has been used against human rights lawyers, as well as Ai Weiwei 艾未未, an artist. Let’s dive into China’s Criminal Procedure Law and see what the law actually says. Links to original Chinese documents as well as Google translations are provided. Here is some commentary and case studies
I am not so interested in any country’s constitution, but I make an exception for China. China has laws on its books but seemingly then acts against these laws. This is untrue. Laws in China are meant to protect the CCP and should be interpreted differently than Western laws. While there are laws on China’s books, they are loosely enforced, allowing for interpretation by local governments.
China’s recent Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, was enacted very quickly, 2021 June 06, in expectation to punish governments, companies, families and people from other countries that put sanctions on China, and freeze all assets of their foreign companies.
As with most other Chinese laws, this law is far reaching and vague. For any country that implements sanctions against China (adopt discriminatory restrictive measures against Chinese citizens and organizations, and interfere in my country’s internal affairs), their companies, all the people who work in those companies and their families, directly or indirectly involved, can be charged and expelled from China, with all visas cancelled. All assets within China can be frozen, all transactions prohibited, and “Other necessary measures”. All people of China cannot help implement any sanctions and are commanded by law to resist all sanctions.
Lay flat image from a Chinese forum. I’m laying flat, you come and do what you wish.
It has always been tough for the vast majority of people in China. The wealth disparity is huge in China. If you are from a top city in China, then chances are that your life will be much easier than the rest of China. This has led to a despairing attitude called “Laying Flat”, where young people opt out of the usual social progressions of Chinese life: house, marriage, kids.
These Anti-espionage security regulations were released 2021 Apr 24 and have some very serious implications not only for foreigners in China, but also Chinese citizens who travel abroad. Because it is a law it has far reaching implications.
The 反间谍安全防范工作规定 fan3jian4 di2an1quan3 fang2fan4 gong1zuo4 gui1ding4 or the China Anti-Espionage Security Regulations essentially puts all foreigners in China under scrutiny, regardless of organization. It is far reaching in breadth.
But wait, there’s more. Any Chinese person that goes abroad could also have anti-espionage training. The law also gives the government widespread access to all buildings, facilities, computer systems and networks for anti-espionage investigations, which includes Western companies.
China’s Coast Guard Law, adopted 2021 Jan 22, effective 2021 Feb 01, gives many of its neighbour countries great concern, and with good reason. The law, in Chinese, is quite long. If you view this document as concerning a police force, its contents are not as shocking, but as I believe, most country’s Coast Guards are not maritime police forces, but part of the Ministry of Natural Resources, or even part of the military during war times. This is not the case for China. China’s Coast Guard is certainly a maritime police force, and has all the powers of one.
China, Changzhi air quality is so terrible it is off the AQI scale. 2021 Mar 15. aqicn.org
The air quality in Northern China is the worst in a long time. The PM2.5 and PM 10 levels are off the scale it is so bad. This endangers the health of a wide swath of people in Northern and central China.
China, Changzhi air quality is so terrible it is off the AQI scale. 2021 Mar 15. aqicn.org
Sandstorms and pollution in China Beijing, 2021 Mar 15, where air quality levels were so terrible they were off the charts.
Galanz bread maker MB15001 in yellow, max 750g loaf, Made in China
Kicked to the curb, this little Galanz bread maker MB15001A was. I could tell it was clean and little used. This little ditty did not need much work to get working, apart from brushing off some snow. I just plugged it in and it started beeping at me, telling me to feed it. Is this “Made in China” product any good?
I have spent significant time in both Japan and China. When people say that China will progress just like Japan, I find it startling. The two cultures are not even remotely close to each other. This NYT article Testing Is Key to Beating Coronavirus, Right? Japan Has Other Ideas highlights some of the unique characteristics of Japan. While it does not specifically outline the differences between Japan and China, if you have lived in China and think about it, some Japanese traits are simply mind boggling.
