On September 12, 2017, shortly after registering an account on Twitter, @ComYouthLeague tweeted:
【开推语】各位网友好：共青团中央官方推特上线啦！我们将在这里传递党团信息、倾听青年心声、分享青春故事、传播青春能量、服务青年需求，搭建起团员青年与团组织沟通的桥梁。期待您的关注与支持！ pic.twitter.com/c2ASpD4Mmp
— 共青团流亡中央 (@ComYouthLeague) September 12, 2017
[Opening Twitter Address] Hello all online friends: The Communist Youth League’s official account is now online! Here we will pass on information about the Party caucus, listen attentively to the voices of the youth, share stories of youthfulness, spread youthful energy, and serve the needs of the youth. We will build a bridge for connecting the youth to the organized system through communication. We look forward to your attention and support!
[Meme mocking a 2012 official statement on “national rejuvenation,” an official campaign that has been heavily promoted under Xi’s tenure, explained in the archives of China Digital Space]
Since that inaugural tweet, the anonymous operator of the handle has continued regularly posting snarky comments and memes critical of Xi Jinping and the Communist Party of China from this parody account, often mimicking the brand of rhetoric used by official accounts online. Bearing the username “Communist Youth League in Exile,” the current bilingual account description reads “Parody • Counterfeit account certified by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League • Ranked first in the Wanted List • Offering the best Chinese politically satirical jokes • Best Political Satire in China • Unless otherwise noted, all tweets are fake news • fake news only” [italics indicate English in original account description].
The parody account quickly caught the attention of CCP authorities, who officially complained to Twitter about the handle fast enough to attract the attention of Reuters within days of that first tweet. @ComYouthLeague became one of 27 accounts bearing a username suggesting official affiliation with the Communist Youth League to be labeled imposters by the CCP.
According to CDT founder and editor-in-chief Xiao Qiang, due to the increasingly harsh penalties for political critique, and the ever-reinforcing system of online controls enacted by the CCP, “the ‘Communist Youth League in Exile’ Twitter account can only use its honest mockery of Xi Jinping to shed light on this harsh reality to those outside of the Great Firewall.”
CDT has translated a selection of recent tweets from @ComYouthLeague. While much of the humor may be lost in translation, Xiao notes that “it’s not about how funny they are, it is about someone (who is likely living inside of China) still expressing his or her brave critique of Xi in such a manner. It is the courage that matters here, not the humor.”
【山东首创VR检验党性】山东邹平党性教育服务中心精心设计党性VR体检中心。VR场景围绕习近平总书记“撸起袖子加油干”的讲话进行设计。如在VR场景中党性检验不合格，将会有专家进行会诊并提供治疗方案，让党员重振党性。https://t.co/2CV6k806fq pic.twitter.com/sp5kRYVTHV
— 共青团流亡中央 (@ComYouthLeague) May 7, 2018
[Shandong Creates VR Test of Party Nature] Zouping, Shandong Party Spirit Education Service Center meticulously designed the Party Spirit VR Examination Center. The VR scene centers on General Secretary Xi Jinping’s “Roll Up Our Sleeves and Work Hard” address. If one fails to test for suitable Party spirit in the VR scene, experts will be consulted and a treatment plan will be enacted to allow the Party member to recover their Party spirit.
【习近平会见金正恩】周一朝鲜最高领导人金正恩乘专列来到北京。中国国家主席习近平在办公室亲切接待了金正恩。由于多年未来中国，金正恩难免感到有些羞涩。习近平大大方方地拉着金正恩的小手，邀请他坐在身边说，中朝血肉情愿，要把这里当成家一般，常来坐坐，唠唠家常。 pic.twitter.com/a5edFO1o0W
— 共青团流亡中央 (@ComYouthLeague) March 27, 2018
[Xi Jinping Meets Kim Jong Un] On Monday North Korea’s highest leader Kim Jong Un took a special train to Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping amiably received him in his office. Having not visited China for many years, it was hard for Kim to keep from feeling a little bashful. Xi Jinping confidently held Kim Jong Un’s little hand, invited him to sit by his side, and said that the bond between China and North Korea is built upon blood, that here they are considered one family, and family should often come to sit and chat as such.
毛泽东在黄河 VS 习近平在长江 pic.twitter.com/SvuG16nULV
— 共青团流亡中央 (@ComYouthLeague) April 25, 2018
Mao Zedong at the Yellow River VS Xi Jinping at the Yangtze River
【不惧制裁，中兴开发出人列计算机】美国对中兴实行芯片禁售，但中兴自主创新，从《三体》中获得灵感，研制出了人列计算机，由人组成计算机的的各个部位，由旗帜代替二进制进行运算。目前人列计算机已经能完成初中水平运算，预计很快能达到博士水平，将彻底告别美国芯片的制约。 pic.twitter.com/MUAtOQZYRk
— 共青团流亡中央 (@ComYouthLeague) April 21, 2018
[Unafraid of Sanctions, ZTE Develops a Human-Arranged Computer] The U.S. has implemented a ban on ZTE microchips, but ZTE continues to innovate. Inspired by “The Three-Body Problem,” they have developed a human-computer, with each part of the machine made from humans and a flag used instead of binary code to perform its operations. As of now, the human-computer can already complete junior high-level* operations, and is predicted to soon reach the PhD level. This will thoroughly bid farewell to the American microchip restrictions.
[*”Junior high-level” is a reference to Xi’s pejorative nickname “junior high student” (chūzhōng shēng 初中生). Xi’s education was interrupted during the Cultural Revolution, and there have been allegations that Xi may not have legitimately earned his higher degrees. This nickname is often used following a public gaffe by Xi.]
对中美贸易战的一点战况总结。 pic.twitter.com/zy3sIWeG21
— 共青团流亡中央 (@ComYouthLeague) April 20, 2018
A short summary of the China-U.S. trade war
[Image text: Xi Jinping in the trade war; My perception; Reality】
正式宣布！本次贸易战中国初战告捷，胜利持续时间长达17小时17分钟26秒。 pic.twitter.com/yqQ1fLs25U
— 共青团流亡中央 (@ComYouthLeague) April 5, 2018
Official announcement! In the initial battle of this trade war, China was victorious! The victory lasted 17 hours, 17 minutes, and 26 seconds.
[Image text: In China-U.S. Trade War, China’s Approach is Resolute, Victorious in First Battle;
Becoming More Severe! Trump Requests Considering Seeking $100 Bil in Tariffs from China ]
【中朝关系表面上波澜不惊，但是背后保持着亲密往来】针对近些年来中朝关系趋冷的传闻，外交部进行了反驳，虽然外界看来中朝往来有所减少，但在背后沟通从未间断，中朝友谊发展不断深入。 pic.twitter.com/qNIoVqlznv
— 共青团流亡中央 (@ComYouthLeague) March 28, 2018
[China-NK Relations Placid on the Surface, but are Maintained by Intimate Contacts in the Background] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has refuted rumors that China-DPRK relations have chilled in recent years. While the world has noticed that China-North Korea dealings have lessened, background communications have not been interrupted, and the Sino-Korean friendship has unceasingly deepened.
听说愚者在忙着建墙 pic.twitter.com/pvy7ORYMIE
— 共青团流亡中央 (@ComYouthLeague) March 25, 2018
We’ve heard that a certain fool is busy building a wall*.
[*In late March, the official Weibo of Party mouthpiece People’s Daily posted a comment critical of recently announced U.S. tariffs on China, including the phrase “The sage builds a bridge, the fool builds a wall” (智者建桥，愚者建墙). This is also an allusion to China’s “Great Firewall,” which has been heavily reinforced under Xi’s rule.]
图修改了一下。 pic.twitter.com/nS4oh8mkTS
— 共青团流亡中央 (@ComYouthLeague) March 26, 2018
Editing that photo real quick.
国家的掌舵者 人民的领路人 pic.twitter.com/susP8A2PFX
— 共青团流亡中央 (@ComYouthLeague) March 18, 2018
The Helmsman of the Nation, the Leader of the People
The frequent occurrence of Winnie-the-Pooh as a representation of CCP General Secretary and PRC President Xi Jinping alludes to a long sensitive nickname that netizens applied to Xi in 2013.
Just as official Party organs attempted to force the Chinese-language @ComYouthLeague account off of Twitter last year, the official Party mouthpiece People’s Daily made a similar bid to have @relevantorgans, an account parodying China’s English-language soft power moves, booted in 2014. @relevantorgans is still posting as of May 29, 2018:
Beijing-based foreign journalist friends, please be careful when hitting “Reply All.” We put a lot of effort into spying on you individually, and we hate to feel like it was wasted.
— The Relevant Organs (@relevantorgans) May 29, 2018
