The China Thread

[Josquius]

I've had to order my birth certificate to get my kids passport.
I didn't need any ID to prove who I was. Just had to know details of where and when I was born and my parents names.
Seems here that I could order anyone's birth certificate.

As well, somewhat unusually, Bo has denied himself guilty of wrongdoing.

Is it a crime in China to deny your guilt?

Nope, but as I understand it, it's pretty uncommon for many trials (as it apparently is in Japan). Things usually don't go to trial until the outcome is established (whether through evidence, confession, or fiat from higher up).

Yep. Huge misconception about Japanese law that many people have here. You always see cries about its mega high conviction rate as if this proves something is rotten. But it's basically as you say, they don't take things to court unless they're certain.
There are dodgy things in the Japanese legal system of course but not that.
Doesn't help that things are based on civil rather than common law too, which confuses Americans no end.

You see similar misunderstandings from nutters in the UK about the EU: the number of single candidate unanimous elections. They don't get the democracy happened before the vote.

[Berkut]

Huh, I did not know that.

I always kind of thought the state taking your identity papers was a pretty serious move.

[Monoriu]

Huh, I did not know that.

I always kind of thought the state taking your identity papers was a pretty serious move.

When I renewed my British and Canadian passports, I also had to hand them in. 

[DGuller]

Handing in or mailing in your passport sounds like the kind of nonsense you have to do in 2021 because no one can be bothered to do things differently, even though the technology exists nowadays to make things simpler for everyone.  There isn't a competing chain of German embassies out there advertising less hassle, is there?

[Jacob]

Yep. Huge misconception about Japanese law that many people have here. You always see cries about its mega high conviction rate as if this proves something is rotten. But it's basically as you say, they don't take things to court unless they're certain.
There are dodgy things in the Japanese legal system of course but not that.
Doesn't help that things are based on civil rather than common law too, which confuses Americans no end.

You see similar misunderstandings from nutters in the UK about the EU: the number of single candidate unanimous elections. They don't get the democracy happened before the vote.

You're responding to a post from 2013 

[Josquius]

Wow. Woops.
Whilst I was replying to a current one too so no idea how that happened.

[Eddie Teach]

Has your opinion changed over the past 8 years? 

[crazy canuck]

Handing in or mailing in your passport sounds like the kind of nonsense you have to do in 2021 because no one can be bothered to do things differently, even though the technology exists nowadays to make things simpler for everyone.  There isn't a competing chain of German embassies out there advertising less hassle, is there?

If eliminating hassle was the objective, there are indeed better ways.  And that is likely the way the private sector would go in order to reduce cost.  But of course the main objective is to reduce fraud and so I am not sure the private sector solution you imply would be the best solution.

[Tamas]

Handing in or mailing in your passport sounds like the kind of nonsense you have to do in 2021 because no one can be bothered to do things differently, even though the technology exists nowadays to make things simpler for everyone.  There isn't a competing chain of German embassies out there advertising less hassle, is there?

This whole business of putting passports, IDs, driving licences in the mail as a regular thing shocked me a bit coming to the UK from Hungary. Sure, it's a hassle to go to the county office, bring my papers and have the renewal/request done there but FFS my life could be stolen from under me if the wrong person get their hands on the letter with my papers. Especially in a country where a credit card is a valid form of identification.

[Duque de Bragança]

When I got my new passport a couple of years ago, the consulate asked if I wanted to pick it up when it's ready or to have it sent to me. I said I'd pick it up. Of course they sent it via unregistered letter instead.

[Syt]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-57578926

Apple Daily: Hong Kong pro-democracy paper announces closure

Hong Kong's largest pro-democracy paper Apple Daily has announced its closure, in a blow to media freedom in the city.

The tabloid's offices were raided last week over allegations that several reports had breached a controversial national security law.

Police detained the chief editor and five other executives, and company-linked assets were frozen.

The publication had become a leading critic of the Hong Kong and Chinese leadership.

The Apple Daily management said that "in view of staff members' safety", it had decided "to cease operation immediately after midnight" - making Thursday's publication the final printed edition.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the paper's closure was a "chilling blow to freedom of expression in Hong Kong".

The digital version of the 26-year old paper will no longer be updated after midnight.

A separate announcement by publisher Next Digital thanked the readers for their "loyal support" as well as its journalists, staff and advertisers.

The closure comes after sustained pressure on the paper from the authorities.

Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, who has long been a critic of the Chinese Communist Party, is already in jail on a string of charges.

Last Thursday, some 500 police officers raided the publication's newsroom, saying its reports had breached the city's new national security law, which makes undermining the government a criminal offence.

The arrests struck fear in employees at the paper and a number quit the publication soon after.

An editorial staff member at the paper described the feeling of unease as "having a knife over your head". "If you don't leave by yourself, you may be held criminally responsible," she told BBC Chinese.

A current affairs reporter for Apple Daily said after last week's raid: "I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I was angry at the ruthlessness of the regime. I was also sad that Hong Kong might not have Apple Daily but I also felt fear."

[Duque de Bragança]

Did Mono get the last issue? 

[grumbler]

The lamps are going out all over China. We shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.

[Barrister]

The lamps are going out all over China. We shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.

Never say never.  If one thing I've learned in watching world events is that when change happens, it can happen incredibly quickly.

[Jacob]

I don't think Xi is quite as secure as we sometimes think. But yeah, China is going in a dark direction at the moment (and there's no guarantee that any Xi successor would be better).