Free Expression in China

The Issue

Presiding over an authoritarian one-party system, China’s leader Xi Jinping has overseen an extensive crackdown on free expression since he took power in 2012 and has further entrenched censorship controls on the Internet, media, and publishers. This crackdown has included attempted cultural and linguistic destruction targeting Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Mongolians and other ethnic minorities elevating to potential crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, and the crushing of civil and political rights in Hong Kong. As China’s economic and political strength has increased, the Chinese Communist Party has also expanded its censorship apparatus overseas to try and limit expression about China beyond its borders, engage in transnational repression against exiles and the diaspora, and erode international human rights norms.

The Chinese government is the world’s leading jailer of writers and public intellectuals. Writers, journalists, bloggers, and creative artists face censorship, harassment, imprisonment, and enforced disappearance because of their writing or creative expression. Topics deemed off limits include discussion of government policies like those around the COVID-19 pandemic, rights of ethnic and religious minorities, women and LGBTQ+ rights, imprisoned human rights defenders, social issues, corruption, and the lack of democratic reform. Nearly 100 writers are currently behind bars on politicized charges in China and Hong Kong. 

Despite the severe risks of speaking out, many in China and Hong Kong continue to raise their voices. Addressing Beijing’s assault on free expression and defending human rights standards globally is a key priority of PEN America’s research and advocacy work. We strive to build solidarity between American writers and their Chinese, Uyghur, Tibetan, Mongolian, and Hong Kong colleagues and advocate for the release of those jailed by Beijing for exercising their right to free expression.