Citation[]
Thomas Lum, Patricia Moloney Figliola & Matthew C. Weed, China, Internet Freedom, and U.S. Policy (CRS Report R42601) (July 13, 2012) (full-text).
Overview[]
The development of the Internet and its use in China have raised U.S. congressional concerns, including those related to human rights, trade and investment, and cybersecurity. The link between the Internet and human rights, a pillar of U.S. foreign policy towards China, is the main focus of this report. Congressional interest in the Internet in China is tied to human rights concerns in a number of ways. These include the following:
- The use of the Internet as a U.S. policy tool for promoting freedom of expression and other rights in China,
- The use of the Internet by political dissidents in the PRC, and the political repression that such use often provokes,
- The role of U.S. Internet companies in both spreading freedom in China and complying with PRC censorship and social control efforts, and
- The development of U.S. Internet freedom policies globally.