CDT’s year-end roundups of memorable quotes and censored terms have both highlighted public frustration with the state of the economy and the government’s efforts to enforce positive perceptions of it. The trend continued this week with a "rollover scene" or "propaganda train wreck" after National Bureau of Statistics spokesperson Fu Linghui announced economic data for November. Fu summed it up in a pithy 15 characters: “Production Up, Demand Up, Employment Stable, Markets Warming, Quality Excellent.” People’s Daily reported:
The employment situation was stable overall. The surveyed national urban unemployment rate for November was 5%, holding steady from the previous month at a lower level than earlier in the year. The surveyed unemployment rate of migrant workers with rural household registration was 4.4%, down 0.3% from the previous month, and the youth unemployment rate also fell.
“Major economic indicators showed a significant rebound during the fourth quarter, public confidence has been effectively boosted, and there’s a striking increase in positive changes. Looking at the year overall, the principal targets for economic and social development are on track for success.” [Chinese]
When state broadcaster CCTV shared the good news on Weibo, a skeptical backlash led it to hide most of the comments. Several of the handful still visible consisted only of the two characters “关注” (guānzhù, or "Following"). CDT Chinese editors selected comments from elsewhere on Weibo and X on the economic data and the stifling of public reactions:
星云_StarC1oud: [quoting the notice at the top of the comments section] “The following comments were selected by the author”
我是穿越来的吗: Tell me which part of that headline is true! Don’t exaggerate!
boboo2k16: Everything’s always excellent, never just pretty good.
Mr·MAJ: What a shambles.
leryex: Wages down, achievements zero.
两三片雪山前: A thousand-plus comments, and only single digits visible. So stable!
Harumi四号机: Open the comments, let us have a go at singing its praises, too.
一谦四益Shawn: If the economy’s that good, they should raise interest rates.
傻乎乎真好玩: A stirring ode to a golden age.
芋雨鱼玉的郁了: The whole country is filled with an air of optimism. [From a widely mocked People’s Daily Online headline in February, which soon became a sensitive term.]
杏杳杏: If I believe you, will you guarantee my salary won’t be cut next year?
山色树影斑驳: Production down, demand down, employment feeble, markets waning, quality excrement.
SILLIN: Quick, raise interest rates to stop the economy overheating.
好想吃碗仔翅: In a place this great, there’ll definitely be a lot of people marrying and having at least two children. [A reference to official efforts to reverse population decline by encouraging marriage and childrearing.]
笨狗社会生存指南: A masterclass in shamelessness.
Stunninged: This unemployed graduate wants to downvote, but can’t find the button.
Wuyu_666666: Good luck with the collapse. [Chinese]
