The following examples of censorship instructions, issued to the media and/or Internet companies by various central (and sometimes local) government authorities, have been leaked and distributed online. Chinese journalists and bloggers often refer to those instructions as “Directives from the Ministry of Truth.” CDT has collected the selections we translate here from a variety of sources and has checked them against official Chinese media reports to confirm their implementation.
Since directives are sometimes communicated orally to journalists and editors, who then leak them online, the wording published here may not be exact. The original publication date is noted after the directives; the date given may indicate when the directive was leaked, rather than when it was issued. CDT does its utmost to verify dates and wording, but also takes precautions to protect the source.
Central Propaganda Department: During U.S. president Obama’s trips to Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar [Burma], Chinese leaders will simultaneously visit Thailand and Cambodia. Use only Xinhua copy. Do not comment. Downplay Obama’s visit. (November 13, 2012)
中宣部：美国总统奥巴马即将访问泰国柬埔寨缅甸，中国领导人同一时间访问泰国柬埔寨，只用新华社稿子，不评论，低调处理奥巴马访问。
Central Propaganda Department: With regards to the online contents about the story “Beijing Spends 70 Mil Yuan on Heating per Day,” all media are asked not to carry, report, or comment on this. (November 11, 2012)
中宣部：对网上有关“北京一天供暖花费近7000万元”的内容，请各媒体不转载不报道不评论。
