Sina Weibo Begins Censoring “Hu Yaobang” As 25th Anniversary of the Clearing of Tiananmen Square Nears

On April 16, 2014, the state sponsored Global Times published an editorial entitled “Tribute to Hu Veils Value Differences” (请莫用胡耀邦英名反对他忠诚的事业). Some excerpts:

For reasons known to all, Hu is rarely mentioned in the Chinese media. Remarks about him that frequently appear on the Internet are often swayed away from official line, given that some either intentionally quoted Hu out of context or reevaluated Hu based on their own values.
. . . .
When commemorating the 90th anniversary of Hu's birth, the authorities praised his glorious life while circumventing the political controversy of his later years. It's right to do so. Hu has been written into the history of the nation and the Party as absolutely a positive spirit. Avoiding controversy shows not only respect for Hu but also a responsibility for the course of the Party and the country. This is also the case with judging other late Chinese leaders, one of the prerequisites to ensure Chinese society keeps moving forward.
. . . .
Those who oppose the leadership of the Party and who trumpet that China should copy the Western political model had better keep away from Hu's name.

由于众所周知的原因，中国官方提到胡耀邦的时候总的来说并不多，然而这并未影响社会对这位个性鲜明、富有魅力政治家缅怀的畅行。互联网上经常谈到他，只是令人遗憾的是，其中一些谈论者喜欢断章取义摘录他的几句话，或者出于各自的价值观对他另作评价，它们常常远离官方的阐述。
. . . .
官方纪念他90周年诞辰时，讲述了他伟大光荣的一生，同时回避了他晚年主政时的争议，这样做也是正确的。中国在前进，胡耀邦已经作为绝对正面的精神力量载入中国和中共史册，不争议是对他本人的崇敬，也是对党和国家事业的负责任态度。
. . . .
那些鼓吹中国照搬西方政治模式并希望借此搞乱中国的人，他们最好离胡耀邦的名字远一点。

These screenshots show that, days before the 25th anniversary of the Chinese government’s clearing of Tiananmen Square in June 1989, Sina Weibo began censoring search results for “Hu Yaobang” (胡耀邦).

China’s Major Internet Companies Censor Search Results for “Chai Ling”

According to Wikipedia (English / Chinese):

Chai Ling was one of the key student leaders during the Tiananmen Square protests (also known as the June Fourth Movement) of 1989. She has attended Peking University, where she obtained a BA in psychology; Princeton University, where she received a MPA in public affairs and international relations; and Harvard Business School, from which she also graduated with an MBA.

柴玲从北京大学心理系本科毕业。1987年到1989年就读于北京师范大学研究生。柴玲是1989年六四事件中的学生领袖，天安门广场绝食倡导者之一，并担任保卫天安门广场指挥部总指挥。1993年获普林斯顿大学国际关系与政治学硕士学位。1996年入读哈佛大学商学院。1998年取得工商管理硕士学位。

These screenshots were taken on May 25, 2014, and show that Baidu, Qihoo, Sina Weibo, and Tencent Weibo were censoring searches for “Chai Ling” (柴玲).

Baidu Doesn’t Censor Searches for “Tiananmen Massacre” On Its Japan Search Engine

Below, the left-hand screenshot was taken on May 28, 2014, and shows that when a user in Japan searches for “Tiananmen Massacre” (天安门大屠杀) in Chinese on Baidu.com, Baidu informs them that “In accordance with relevant laws, regulations, and policies, some search results have not been displayed.” (根据相关法律法规和政策，部分搜索结果未予显示。) Baidu restricts search results to about a dozen websites that under the direct control of the central government and the Communist Party, such as:

• Xinhua
• China News
• Guangming Daily
• China Youth Daily
• People’s Daily
• China Radio International
• Taiwan.cn

The same search done on Baidu’s Japan search engine, Baidu.jp, returns apparently uncensored results, with the first three results being from Youtube.

This screenshot shows that when a user searches Baidu.com for “Tiananmen Massacre” on Youtube.com, they are not shown a censorship notice, but rather are told that Baidu cannot find any search results.

This screenshot shows an article from the People’s Daily website from 2007. It says that Baidu’s Japan website had been blocked by the Great Firewall, the suspected reason being pornography.

China’s Major Internet Companies Censor Search Results for “Wu’erkaixi”

According to Wikipedia: (English / Chinese):

Örkesh Dölet (Uyghur: ئۆركەش دۆلەت), commonly known monomymously as Wu'erkaixi (or Wuer Kaixi, is a Chinese dissident known for his role during the Tiananmen protests of 1989. An ethnic Uyghur, he was born in Beijing on February 17, 1968 with ancestral roots in Ili, Xinjiang. He achieved prominence while studying at Beijing Normal University as a hunger striker who rebuked Chinese Premier Li Peng on national television. He now resides in Taiwan as a political commentator.

吾尔开希，原名吴尔凯西·多莱提（维吾尔语：ئۆركەش دۆلەت，拉丁维文：Örkesh Dölet，中华民国户籍姓名为吾尔开希多莱特；1968年2月17日－），是中国民运人士，维吾尔族，出生于中华人民共和国北京市，新疆伊宁人，是八九学运的领导成员，与王丹、柴玲等同为当时学生领袖之一。于北京成长，亦曾在新疆接受三年教育。现为中华民国国民，定居于台湾台中市，并从事金融业。至今仍遭中华人民共和国政府通缉。

These screenshots were taken on May 25, 2014, and show that Baidu, Qihoo, Sina Weibo, and Tencent Weibo were censoring searches for “Wu'erkaixi” (吾尔开希).

China's Major Internet Companies Censor Searches About Man Whose Legs Were Crushed by a Tank in 1989

This screenshot was taken on May 25, 2014 and shows that a search on Sina Weibo for “Fang Zheng’s Legs” (方政 双腿) returns one result - a post with a photo of many in a wheelchair with both legs missing and the caption: “Fang Zheng’s legs were crushed by a tank traveling at high speed.” (方政双腿被高速行驶的坦克车碾过。)

 

 These screenshots show were taken on the same day, and show that the same search on Baidu, Qihoo, and Tecent’s Weibo returns a censorship notice.

China's Search Engines, Weibos Censor "April 26 Editorial" (Regarding Students in Tiananmen Square)

People's Daily April 26, 1989 Editorial

According to the People’s Daily’s “This Day in Party History” website:

On April 26, 1989, the People’s Daily published an editorial entitled “It is Necessary to Take a Clear-cut Stand against Disturbances.” The editorial noted that some abnormal phenomena have occurred during the mourning activities for comrade Hu Yaobang. After a mass rally to mourn his death, a handful of people with ulterior motives went on to manipulate the mood of young students who were grieving over comrade Hu Yaobang, and waved the flag of democracy to damage the democratic legal system, with the goal of dividing the people's hearts, bring chaos to the nation, and destroy the stability and unity of the entire political system. This was a planned conspiracy, an ongoing disturbance whose very essence is to fundamentally deny the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and the socialist system. This was a significant political struggle which has been placed before the entire party and the all the people of the nation. The editorial called on the entire party and all the people of the nation to unite and stand up in opposition against the disturbance.

1989年4月26日，《人民日报》发表题为《必须旗帜鲜明地反对动乱》的社论。社论指出，在悼念胡耀邦同志的活动中，出现了一些不正常的情况。在追悼大会后，极少数别有用心的人继续利用青年学生悼念胡耀邦同志的心情，打着民主的旗号破坏民主法制，其目的是要搞散人心，搞乱全国，破坏安定团结的政治局面。这是一场有计划的阴谋，是一次动乱，其实质是要从根本上否定中国共产党的领导，否定社会主义制度。这是摆在全党和全国人民面前的一场严重的政治斗争。社论号召全党和全国人民团结起来，旗帜鲜明地反对动乱。

These screenshots were taken on May 24, 2014, and show that Sina’s and Tencent’s Weibos and Baidu’s and Qihoo’s search engines were all censoring search results for “April 26 Editorial.” (四二六社论)

This screenshot shows that the full text of the editorial is available on the People’s Daily website here: http://cpc.people.com.cn/GB/64184/64186/66681/4494004.html

Sina Weibo Begins Censoring "Tiananmen" and "25 Years Ago"

These screenshots show that, just weeks before the 25th anniversary of the clearing of Tiananmen Square, Sina Weibo has begun censoring search results for "Tiananmen" (天安门) and "25 Years Ago" (二十五年前).