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 four directives were released on February 23, 2020.
Regarding sudden sensitive incidents involving Tibet, please carry out reporting in accordance with the deployment of unified arrangements; do not rush to report, do not hype, do not create speculative reports. (February 23, 2020) [Chinese]
This is a pre-emptive directive warning of potential disturbances surrounding Losar, the Tibetan New Year, on February 24. Public celebrations were canceled this year because of the coronavirus epidemic. In the past, Losar has sometimes become a focal point for protest, notably with boycotts of celebrations spurred by the suppression of unrest in Lhasa in 2008 and later self-immolations.
Recently, some foreign media have reported that the U.S. will revoke preferential WTO status on subsidies for some developing countries, including China. Do not report, comment, or quote foreign media on this matter without prior arrangement. (February 23, 2020) [Chinese]
Bloomberg News reported on February 10 that the Trump administration would reject the preferential status of more than twenty self-declared developing countries including China, India, Brazil, Singpore, and South Korea, in order to facilitate investigations into their industrial subsidy practices. Similar instructions on the story were issued on February 22.
Do not report on online talk of Hainan Airlines Group being "split up" or "taken over" without prior arrangement. (February 23, 2020) [Chinese]
HNA Group announced on February 29 that the government of Hainan had appointed a new executive chairman and a working group of officials to oversee its operations after the coronavirus outbreak cut off much of its primary source of income. Bloomberg reported that, "The government rescue of the fallen giant […] makes HNA one of the biggest corporate casualties of the outbreak," and "symbolizes the end of an era defined by excesses" in the debt-fueled acquisition of foreign assets.
If a department is in need of video content or collection please contact the content planning service center with your order. (February 23, 2020) [Chinese]
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.
