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Jessie Lau

Jessie Lau

Jessie Lau is a journalist, researcher and artist covering global identity, human rights, and politics.

Jessie Lau is a journalist, researcher, and artist covering global identity, human rights and politics — with a focus on China and other parts of Asia. Her work has been published by The Guardian, Foreign Policy, and The Economist, among others. She serves as Board Member and Online Editor-in-Chief at NüVoices, and was formerly a staff reporter with the South China Morning Post. Based in London and Hong Kong, she holds a MSc in international history from the London School of Economics, an LLM in international studies from Peking University, and a BA in English from the University of California, Berkeley. Website: www.laujessie.com. Twitter: @_laujessie

Posts by Jessie Lau
December 01, 2021

‘Patriots Only’: Hong Kong’s New Election System in Action

By Jessie Lau and Shui-yin Sharon Yam
Changes to Hong Kong’s election system, as well as the overarching national security law, have all but killed any formal political opposition.

June 04, 2021

Hong Kongers Plan Mass Prayer in Solidarity With Palestine

By Jessie Lau
After police denied permission for a protest, advocates planned a prayer to raise local awareness of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
June 03, 2021

Post-National Security Law, Hong Kong Struggles to Remember Tiananmen

By Jessie Lau
For the second year in a row, the customary June 4 vigil has been banned by authorities.

May 24, 2021

Hong Kong’s Transgender Community Speaks Out Against Stigma

By Jessie Lau
A new survey sparks discussion on discrimination against transgender people.

May 14, 2021

Hong Kong’s Vaccination Drive Leaves Out Refugees

By Jessie Lau
Hong Kong is one of the easiest places in the world to get a vaccine and access to public health services. Unless you’re a refugee, that is.

May 07, 2021

Hong Kong Domestic Workers Decry Mandatory COVID-19 Testing

By Jessie Lau
Activists say the community is being singled out unfairly, a continuation of long-standing discriminatory practices.
May 03, 2021

Why Martin Lee’s Arrest Is Such a Worrying Sign

By Jessie Lau
For many, the arrest and conviction of Hong Kong's “father of democracy” signal a cataclysmic shift in the city’s political climate.

April 27, 2021

A Beijing-Born Director Made Oscar History. Why Isn’t China Celebrating?

By Jessie Lau
The case of Chloe Zhao represents the increasing pressures on ethnic Chinese creators abroad.

April 17, 2021

Hong Kong Tries to Boost Flagging COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign

By Jessie Lau
With public trust in tatters, vaccine hesitancy has become a serious hurdle for the government’s pandemic strategy.

March 31, 2021

Less Democracy, More ‘Patriots’: Hong Kong’s New Electoral System

By Jessie Lau
The most significant government reforms since the city’s handover in 1997 consolidate Beijing's control over Hong Kong's government.

March 26, 2021

Joint Xinjiang Sanctions Widen Rift in China’s Ties With the West

By Jessie Lau
The European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada rolled out coordinated sanctions, and Beijing hit back in a “disproportionate” response.
March 22, 2021

Legal Challenges Look to Advance LGBTQ+ Rights in Hong Kong

By Jessie Lau
A court case filed by a gay widower highlights Hong Kong's conservative approach to gender.

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