The 'General Principles for Content Review of Online Audiovisual Programs' were released, requiring online audiovisual programs to be reviewed before broadcast and strictly restricting subjective speculative commentary, mocking serious topics, and negative controversial topics.
The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television called out Sina Weibo, AcFun, and Phoenix New Media, ordering them to halt audiovisual program services and carry out comprehensive rectification, pointing out that they extensively broadcast non-compliant current affairs audiovisual programs and social commentary programs.
Former CIA officer Kevin Mallory was lured to Shanghai in the spring of 2017 and sold top-secret defense intelligence to China, ultimately receiving a 20-year prison sentence.
In June 2017, then Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang stated that the Sino-British Joint Declaration, as a historical document, no longer had any practical significance and was not binding on the Central Government's administration of Hong Kong.