Beijing Calls on 2 Million+ Propagandists to Use Weibo, Sina Weibo Censors "2 Million Outside the System"

On January 18, 2013, the state-sponsored Beijing News published an article entitled "Planning For Hundreds of Cultural Renovation Projects to Be Completed This Year" ( 百项文物修缮今年完成计划 ). Some excerpts:. At the opening of the Beijing Municipal Propaganda Director's Meeting there was a call for propaganda workers to all "use Weibo," and actively give rein to positive forces. This year Beijing will formulate and implement an Internet Development Action Plan for Beijing, and make strategic use of the media and strive to create world-class portal web sites. . . . . Yesterday, during the Beijing Municipal Propaganda Director's Meeting Lu Wei, Beijing's Standing Committee member, Propaganda Director, and Deputy Mayor, said that the city's propaganda ranks comprised over 60,000 people working within the system, and over 2,000,000 working outside the system. It is necessary to strengthen positive guidance of hot-point issues, and every propaganda worker mus