China's Censorship of the Internet and Social Media: The Human Toll and Trade Impact

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China's tightening censorship amidst a boom in the popularity of social media and the Internet raises important questions regarding both the human dimension and the trade impact of these trends. Chinese citizens are increasingly criticizing the government and Party while accessing greater information online, but face imprisonment and harassment for their actions. This hearing first examined the human toll from online censorship.

The U.S. Trade Representative is also seeking greater transparency on China's Internet censorship at the World Trade Organization. The second panel looked at the growth of China's Internet and the role that trade remedies can play in combating China's Internet censorship and ensuring U.S. companies have access to China's market. U.S. companies, from leading tech firms to small businesses, are shut out of China, while Chinese versions of these companies flourish and raise millions of dollars overseas, including in the United States.