{"id":199062,"date":"2017-02-10T21:21:09","date_gmt":"2017-02-11T05:21:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/?p=199062"},"modified":"2017-02-13T17:49:36","modified_gmt":"2017-02-14T01:49:36","slug":"party-inspectors-hail-tycoons-gagging-key-achievement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/2017\/02\/party-inspectors-hail-tycoons-gagging-key-achievement\/","title":{"rendered":"Ren Zhiqiang’s Gagging Hailed as Key Achievement"},"content":{"rendered":"
Almost a year ago, the weibo<\/em> accounts of property tycoon Ren Zhiqiang were deleted<\/a> after he challenged Xi Jinping\u2019s call for media organizations to \u201ctake \u2018Party\u2019 as their surname.\u201d Now, South China Morning Post\u2019s Nectar Gan reports, municipal Party disciplinary authorities in Beijing have cited Ren\u2019s case as one of their key victories in 2016<\/strong><\/a>. From SCMP:<\/p>\n Beijing\u2019s municipal disciplinary and anticorruption watchdog has boasted in its annual report that its investigation into the outspoken property tycoon Ren Zhiqiang was one of its main achievements last year.<\/p>\n Ren, a Communist Party member known as the Big Cannon for his outspoken views, was placed on a year\u2019s probation last May for criticising President Xi Jinping\u2019s demand that the media must show absolute loyalty to the party.<\/p>\n [\u2026] Ren social media account on Weibo, which had 37 million followers, was shut down and the tycoon was forced to shut up.<\/p>\n The annual work report, delivered by Beijing\u2019s municipal disciplinary chief Zhang Fushuo, said the \u201cstern investigation and punishment of Ren Zhiqiang\u2019s public voicing of wrong remarks\u201d was a highlight last year in terms of punishing those who violate \u201cpolitical disciplines and political rules\u201d. [Source<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Although the fight against corruption<\/a> has been one of Xi’s flagship policies, many commentators have noted a shift in the focus of the disciplinary apparatus ahead of a mid-generational leadership shuffle at the 19th Party Congress<\/a>. The University of Hong Kong law professor Fu Hualing told The Financial Times last month, for example, after the annual number of graft prosecutions fell for the first time under Xi\u2019s rule, \u201cby and large the campaign that we have witnessed against corruption is coming to an end. Now it\u2019s really about political discipline<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Ren\u2019s banishment from social media came soon after new Party regulations forbade \u201cimproper discussion<\/a>\u201d of central government policies. The outspoken tycoon was far from the last to fall. In January alone, a think tank founded by liberal economist Mao Yushi<\/a>, whose staff includes several other former researchers from the official Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, was stripped of its websites and social media accounts<\/a>. Mao\u2019s own Sina Weibo account has also been closed<\/a>. A swiftly deleted Global Times editorial commented<\/a> that \u201call the liberals must learn the lesson that openly playing on opposition or [being] a denialist will not work in China.\u201d Earlier in the month, the deputy director of the Shijiazhuang Bureau of Culture, Radio, Film, TV, Press and Publication was fired for labeling Mao Zedong a \u201cdevil\u201d on Weibo<\/a>, and denouncing celebration of his birthday as \u201cthe world\u2019s largest cult activity.\u201d A lecturer at a Shandong agricultural college was sacked on similar grounds<\/a>. Meanwhile, a Party directive ordered \u201cjudicial and law enforcement professionals [to] follow the correct political direction and stay absolutely loyal to the party<\/a>,\u201d while new rules for the media and education sectors made similar demands<\/a>.<\/p>\n Against this background, official social media accounts helped circulate a list of tips on harmonious online activity for Party members and officials<\/strong><\/a>. From Sixth Tone\u2019s Lin Qiqing:<\/p>\n Party members should see messaging app WeChat\u2019s as a public place and will get punished if they \u201cgroundlessly criticize\u201d major policies, an article shared on WeChat by Party mouthpiece People\u2019s Daily warned on Sunday.<\/p>\n [\u2026] The listicle, also republished by dangjian.cn, a website affiliated with the Party\u2019s central publicity department, originates from a WeChat account called \u201cKeep Up With the Party.\u201d The account, which has nearly 100,000 subscribers, was started in February 2016 by Wang Xiaolian, a 32-year-old doctor from Beijing.<\/p>\n [\u2026] The article about WeChat was written by a contributor, a 23-year-old university student and Party member. \u201c[The article] aims to clarify some obscure knowledge, remind people to use WeChat Moments properly, and promote positive energy,\u201d Wang said, using a Party buzzword.<\/p>\n The guidelines also urge Party members to educate those who distribute \u201cnegative energy\u201d on Moments by \u201ctaking red faith as the most powerful weapon for resisting the penetration of Western ideologies.\u201d It also warned candidates running for public office against using WeChat to win support. [Source<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n