CDT has recently acquired and verified a collection of propaganda directives issued by central Party authorities to state media at the beginning of this year. These directives were issued on an almost daily basis in early 2020, and we will be posting them over the coming weeks. The following seven directives were released on January 23, 2020.
Reminder: During Spring Festival all message and comments sections on interactive platforms (including third-party platforms) must be closed. If they cannot be closed they must be managed by a specialist who reports to the editor-in-chief on duty. (January 23, 2020) [Chinese]
This directive was a repeat of one issued the previous day.
According to the spirit of a spokesperson’s report, Indian Prime Minister Modi plans to travel to the eastern section of the China-India border. Do not hype this matter, and do not reprint or quote from foreign media reports.
China and India have engaged in regular disputes and skirmishes on the border between the two countries, which have escalated in recent months.
State Councilor Wang Yi is to visit Southeast Asia in February to deal with bilateral maritime issues, issues concerning Xinjiang, and other complex and sensitive factors with a low profile.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his counterparts from several Southeast Asian countries in Laos in late February, where managing the emerging coronavirus crisis was the main topic of discussion. China and ASEAN states signed an agreement to “accelerate information exchanges, combat any fake virus-related news and support small businesses that are hobbled by the outbreak.”
Danish anti-Chinese activists plan to display Hong Kong-related statues outside of Denmark’s parliament building. Do not report on this matter.
On January 23, a statue designed by Danish sculptor Jens Galschioet was erected outside the Danish parliament. According to Reuters, “The sculpture, which weighs around three tonnes, depicts 15 bodies twisted around each other. Its plinth bears the messages ‘Denmark stands with Hong Kong’ and ‘The old cannot kill the young forever’.” Galschioet produced the work in collaboration with the environmentalist Alternative political party, and the Danish branch of Amnesty International.
Anti-Chinese forces in the U.S and the West are intending to expose so-called “documents concerning Xinjiang.” With no exceptions, do not report on this matter, do not reprint, do not quote, do not comment on related foreign reports. Handle negative information promptly.
On February 18, The New York Times published a report based on a leaked database, known as the “Karakax List.” The 137-page list, which had been leaked to journalists after circulating among activists and overseas Uyghurs, includes religious and political data on over 300 detainees from Karakax, information on their family members and acquaintances, and the ostensible reason for their detention.
Isabel [dos Santos], the daughter of former president of Angola is being investigated for corruption. Handle related information in a low-key fashion, do not hype, and do not reprint or cite information from foreign media. If there are any official responses, report in strict accordance.
On January 23, Isabel dos Santos, daughter of former Angolan president Jose Eduardo dos Santos, was charged with “money laundering, influence peddling, harmful management … forgery of documents, among other economic crimes,” while serving as head of state-owned oil firm Sonangol. Sonangal has been involved with several joint venture projects with China.
Concerning the ICBC Madrid branch criminal investigations into money laundering, cautiously and prudently report on the matter based on information from the People’s Bank of China and ICBC. Do not independently report or comment, do not reprint foreign media reports.
Four Madrid-based employees of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China were arrested and later sentenced to between three and five months on money-laundering charges. Their arrests were part of an investigation into the laundering of hundreds of millions of Euros through the bank branch, much of it for Chinese organized crime networks.
Since directives are sometimes communicated orally to journalists and editors, who then leak them online, the wording published here may not be exact. Some instructions are issued by local authorities or to specific sectors, and may not apply universally across China. 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. See CDT’s collection of Directives from the Ministry of Truth since 2011.
