The Chinese Communist Party governs China as an authoritarian, one-party state. The Party sharply curbs freedom of expression, association, and religion. It equates criticism of the Party with “subversion” and rejects judicial independence and media freedom. The Party also extensively censors the Internet and maintains highly repressive policies in the ethnic minority regions of Tibet and Xinjiang. Chinese citizens have become more and more rights-conscious and increasingly challenge official abuses including, land seizures, forced evictions, and corruption. A small rights defense (weiquan) movement persists despite risks including surveillance, detention, arrest, enforced disappearance, and torture. The Chinese government's growing global influence also poses increasing challenges to key international human rights norms and institutions.