Huge: Hong Kong has just issued new amendments to its film censorship rules that effectively impose Beijing’s strict censorship standards there overnight, in the name of the National Security Law. They take effect today. HK censors are to ban the screening of “any film content that is objectively & reasonably capable of being perceived as endorsing, supporting, promoting, glorifying, encouraging or inciting” acts endangering national security.

Hey I’m legit weirded out by all the obviously China-related bots that have suddenly followed me lately. Wondering if other female China watchers are experiencing the same & if so, what’s the best way to handle this? Report as spam? Block? Here’s a sample of what I mean: They’re all Western “men” w self-congratulatory bios & joined Twitter v recently w a #-heavy handle. They make non-native spelling mistakes & have very few or no posts, all generic/innocuous to the point of real creepiness. They follow only women — and mostly only China journos.

Have a taste of Chinese rule of law at Beijing US embassy explosion site! Scene 1: A bystander (woman w flower print shirt @ far right) kindly decided to share images and video - apparently passed to her by a friend - w a scrum of journalists via WeChat The internet enables journalism/sharing! Er, sort of. Images of the bloodied ground (aftermath) come through on WeChat but not her video material despite multiple tries - already a bit fishy