The following censorship instructions, issued to the media by government authorities, have been leaked and distributed online. The name of the issuing body has been omitted to protect the source.
Resolutely block and delete the foreign media article “‘Daddy Xi’ Again Ignites Leader Worship Among the Chinese People” and related news. Strictly control related commentary on interactive comment sections. (March 9, 2015)
坚决封堵和删除境外网站《“习大大”再次燃起中国人的领袖崇拜之情》一文和相关信息，互动环节严格控制有关评论。[Chinese]
First published in English as “Move Over Mao: Beloved ‘Papa Xi’ Awes China,” the New York Times’ Andrew Jacobs and Chris Buckley compare Xi’s “blend of populism, fervor and fear” to that of Mao Zedong. As part of Xi Jinping’s image crafting campaign, state media have taken to using the term of endearment “Daddy Xi.”
The New York Times’ English- and Chinese-language web portals have been blocked in China since 2012, after the paper published an exposé on wealth accumulated by the family of former premier Wen Jiabao. Last month, the Times’ official Weibo account was deleted, as were accounts belonging to several staff journalists.
Since directives are sometimes communicated orally to journalists and editors, who then leak them online, the wording published here may not be exact. 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.
