Sina Weibo Censors Terms Critical of Chen Guangbiao - Guy Who Wanted to Buy the New York Times

On January 5, 2014, the state-sponsored Global Times published a letter from Chen Guangbiao entitled “I Intend to Buy The New York Times, Please Don’t Take It as a Joke.” An excerpt: 

I had the idea of purchasing The New York Times when I first placed an advertisement in it in December, 2012, claiming China's sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands. I find Americans know little about a civilized and open China that has been enjoying unprecedented development. The tradition and style of The New York Times make it very difficult to have objective coverage of China. If we could purchase it, its tone might turn around. Therefore I have been involved in discussing acquisition-related matters with like-minded investors.

On January 8, 2014, the Global Times published a report entitled “Chinese Businessman Helps Immolation Victims Undergo Surgeries in NY.”An excerpt:

Two former Falun Gong practitioners who suffered horrific burns after setting themselves on fire in Beijing in 2001 will undergo surgery at a hospital in New York, Chinese businessman and philanthropist Chen Guangbiao said Tuesday.

Chen said he was paying personally for a series of medical procedures the two women will receive. The total amount is expected to exceed $2 million, including traveling, lodging and some other expenses.

On January 11, the Global Times published an editorial entitled “Diaosi, Goddesses and Rise of China.” An excerpt:

Chinese recycling tycoon Chen Guangbiao's high-profile attempt to buy the New York Times has drawn mockery both in China and abroad.

Some have compared the prestigious newspaper to a goddess and ridiculed Chen. A man who lives off "collecting waste iron and bronze" trying to touch their goddess? No way!

The metaphor well describes the West's image of itself. The West has led modern civilization for hundreds of years. It is no surprise that it looks down on the rest of the world.

On January 14, 2014, China’s official news agency Xinhua published an article entitled “A History of Chen Guangbiao’s Family Fortune: Selling Fake Medical Equipment Gained the First Batch of Funds” (陈光标发家史：卖假医疗设备赚第一桶金).

These screenshots show that the article, originally available here - http://news.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2014-01/14/c_126000961.htm - was subsequently deleted.

These screenshots were taken on January 15, and show that Sina Weibo was censoring searches for “Chen Guangbiao First Batch of Funds”(陈光标 第一桶金) and “Chen Guangbiao Cheats Hoodwinks” (陈光标 欺骗 忽悠).

Sina Weibo Censors Title of Video Game - "Battlefield 4"

On December 31, 2014, the state-sponsored Global Times published an article entitled “Video Game World Trapped in Cold War Mindset.” An excerpt:

China's ban on Battlefield 4: China Rising, a recent war simulation game designed by US company Electronic Arts, has stirred up interesting reactions back in the US.
. . . .
It is interesting to compare the Chinese elements in US video games and Hollywood blockbusters. There is an argument that while the US gaming industry, which has not switched focus to the China market, risks offending the Chinese without much hesitance, Hollywood movies like Iron Man 3 already kowtow to Beijing's stupendous box office returns by squeezing in China-related plots. Nonetheless, as China will reportedly lift the ban on sales of video game consoles, along with the launching of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone earlier this year, the US gaming industry will likely follow suit.

This screenshot was taken on December 27, 2013, and shows that Sina Weibo was censoring searches for “Battlefield 4” (占地4).

2014 Tiananmen Censorship Season Begins On Sina Weibo With "Return to Tiananmen"

These screenshots show that Sina Weibo has begun censoring searches for "Return to Tiananmen" (重回天安门).

Global Times Editor Hu Xijin Ponders Why So Many Wealthy Chinese Want to Emigrate

Global Times Editor Hu Xijin's Weibo

On February 13, 2014, the state-sponsored Global Times published an editorial entitled “Wealthy Migration Shouldn’t be Politicized” (“富人移民潮”的政治含义被夸大了). An excerpt:

Canada announced Wednesday the cancellation of the Immigrant Investor Program popular among wealthy Chinese.
. . . .
Chinese account for more than half of the immigrants who'll face mounting immigration difficulties with Ottawa shuttering the wealth-based visa scheme.
. . . .
In final analysis, maintaining the prosperity and stability of China conforms with the interests of the wealthy.

According to Forbes:

[A]mong the 59,000 applications pending for the program, more than 45,000 were from mainland Chinese. Data from some Canadian provinces indicated that about 99 per cent of applicants are mainland Chinese.

According to the Wall Street Journal:

[In 2013,] 6,895 Chinese nationals were issued visas through the [United States’ investor visa] program, outpacing all other nationalities by a wide margin, according to State Department data. South Koreans, the next largest group, were issued 364.

The Global Times’ editorial posed the following questions:

What has driven rich Chinese and the middle-class to migrate to the West? Does a lack of freedom and democracy in China's society make them feel insecure both physically and financially?

The Global Times did not answer those questions.

On February 12, 2014, Hu Xijin (胡锡进), editor of the Global Times, posted this on his Sina Weibo:

Occasionally the Global Times will publish articles on on extremely sensitive topics, but will not put them online. The reason for this is that that the online public opinion ecology will intensify their sensitivity, and this acts at cross purposes with our intent to desensitize these issues. Our explorations can only begin offline, with the hope that society will gradually adapt. Progress is a difficult thing.
环球时报现在有时会刊登话题超敏感的文章，但该文不上网。原因是网上的舆论生态会加剧该文的敏感性，与我们让敏感话题脱敏的初衷南辕北辙。我们的探索只能先从网下开始，期待社会逐渐产生适应性。前进是项艰难的事情。

The following day (the day of the editorial’s publication), Hu posted this on his Sina Weibo:

I met an old friend, very wealthy, opened his own medium-sized company. The kind of guy who will spend 20, 30 thousand on a vacation to Hainan, but who has nothing but complaints about the country. I asked him why, and he said the most important reasons were unhappiness, air, and food safety, no right to speak, not to mention the country's politics. He said a man has aspirations, but there is no way to have any impact in this country. Today, everyone in China feels unhappy, and feels they're not getting what they should be getting. This truly is a problem.
遇一老友，很有钱，自己开个不大不小的公司，去海南度个假花二三十万的人，但对国家一肚子牢骚。问他为什么，他说不痛快，空气，食品安全，最重要的，没有话语权，对国家政治说不上话。他说，男人嘛，都要有点抱负，但影响国家无门。中国现在人人觉得不开心，都觉得有些该得到的没得到。这的确是问题。

Sina Weibo Censors Professor Chen Hongguo's Resignation Announcement

At 10:15 am on December 23, 2013, Chen Hongguo (谌洪果), an associate professor of law at Northwest University of Politics and Law in Shaanxi Province, posted the following announcement on his Sina Weibo:

This morning I have submitted my resignation letter to the school. I now publish this “Open Announcement of Resignation.” Let us be calm and rational, and exercise our rights appropriately as ordinary citizens.
今天早上我已经向学校提交了辞职申请。现在此发布《辞职公开声明》。让我们做温和理性、善待权利的普通公民。

His post included an image of his Public Announcement of Resignation.

These screenshots show that within hours his post was deleted.

Later that evening Chen posted this:

Explanation: Although my resignation announcement was deleted, I will nevertheless remain rational, respectful, and well-intended. Things are difficult for me, but I will go on loving. Taking things as they come, for the sake of my family’s happiness.
说明：我的辞职声明虽然被删了。但我会一如既往保持理性、尊重和善意。我自己很艰难，但我会继续爱。走一步看一步吧，为了家的幸福。

On January 27, 2014, the state-sponsored Global Times published an editorial entitled “Renegade Scholars.” An excerpt:

Chen has tried to invite prominent scholars to give lectures to his students but ran into difficulty with the school authorities. In 2012, Chen started organizing a book club among students called Citizens for Self-governance and Cooperation, to read and discuss works such as On Liberty by John Stuart Mill, and Science as a Vocation by Max Weber, among others. The school ordered Chen to shut it down, but Chen's teaching position remained intact.

The fracas escalated when the school tried to stop him from attending an academic conference in Hong Kong. Chen went anyway, and when he came back, his exit-entry permit was revoked. He tried applying for a new one but the school stalled the process, Chen wrote on his Weibo.
. . . .
The main reason for his resignation was that he felt that space for academic exchanges and teaching was getting narrower, Chen wrote in the public letter.

These screenshots show that, the day after Chen posted his resignation letter, Sina Weibo began censoring “Chen Hongguo Open Announcement of Resignation” (谌洪果 辞职公开声明).

These screenshots show that the text of Chen’s announcement was also removed from his Sina blog.

Qihoo and Sina Weibo Censor Searches Related to Report on Offshore Holdings of China's Elite

As noted previously by this blog, on January 21, 2014, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists published an article on its web site entitled “Leaked Records Reveal Offshore Holdings of China’s Elite” (机密文件披露中国精英的海外资产). Some excerpts:

Close relatives of China’s top leaders have held secretive offshore companies in tax havens that helped shroud the Communist elite’s wealth, a leaked cache of documents reveals.

The confidential files include details of a real estate company co-owned by current President Xi Jinping’s brother-in-law and British Virgin Islands companies set up by former Premier Wen Jiabao’s son and also by his son-in-law.

美国一家独立新闻组织取得的机密档案和资料库显示，中国高层领导的近亲在加勒比海避税天堂持有隐秘的离岸公司，有助中共精英在海外隐藏巨额财富。

这些文件包括国家主席习近平的姐夫在海外与他人合伙的地产公司注册资料，以及前国务院总理温家宝的儿子、女婿注册的BVI（英属维尔京群岛）公司。

These screenshots show that a post on Sina Weibo showing an image with a list of Chinese people’s who names were mentioned in the report was blocked.

 These screenshots show that shortly after the publication of the report, Sina Weibo began censoring the following terms:

• ICIJ
• China Offshore Finance Secrets Leaked (中国离岸金融解密).
• China’s Secret Offshore Tax Havens (中国秘密离岸避税港).

These screenshots show that shortly after the publication of the report, Qihoo began censoring search results for “China Offshore Finance Secrets Leaked” (中国秘密离岸避税港).

See also: Watch Website of International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Disappear From Baidu 

Watch Website of International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Disappear From Baidu

On January 21, 2014, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists published an article on its web site entitled “Leaked Records Reveal Offshore Holdings of China’s Elite” (机密文件披露中国精英的海外资产). Some excerpts:

Close relatives of China’s top leaders have held secretive offshore companies in tax havens that helped shroud the Communist elite’s wealth, a leaked cache of documents reveals.

The confidential files include details of a real estate company co-owned by current President Xi Jinping’s brother-in-law and British Virgin Islands companies set up by former Premier Wen Jiabao’s son and also by his son-in-law.

美国一家独立新闻组织取得的机密档案和资料库显示，中国高层领导的近亲在加勒比海避税天堂持有隐秘的离岸公司，有助中共精英在海外隐藏巨额财富。

这些文件包括国家主席习近平的姐夫在海外与他人合伙的地产公司注册资料，以及前国务院总理温家宝的儿子、女婿注册的BVI（英属维尔京群岛）公司。

These screenshots show that, in the days following the report’s release, the ICIJ’s web site, www.icij.org, disappeared from Baidu’s search results.

The ICIJ’s files were published at http://offshoreleaks.icij.org. These screenshots show that on January 25, the last link to that site disappeared from Baidu.

Global Times Says Dissidents "Naïve," Lots of Voices Criticize "Firewall." Meanwhile Baidu Censors Searches, Bans Forums on "National Firewall"

On February 17, 2014, the state-sponsored Global Times published editorials in English and Chinese entitled “Counting on US for Freedom is Naïve” (向美国务卿“要自由”，好萌的表演). Some excerpts from the English version:

US Secretary of State John Kerry met with four Chinese journalists and bloggers Saturday to discuss Internet freedom before concluding his Beijing trip. Some participants asked the US government to put more pressure on China to ease restrictions on Internet use and to help "tear down the great Internet firewall." They also urged the White House to support "Chinese who aspire for freedom" including activists Liu Xiaobo and Xu Zhiyong.
. . . .
China's mainstream society must keep vigilant against the concerted effort by dissidents and the Western world, the development of which is completely uncertain.
. . . .
It is difficult to garner a clear picture of the overall architecture of our era and most online activists in China could only calculate on short-term interests within a restricted structure, which is a rather helpless reality. A sober mind in politics is in dire need to help bring forth positive energy in China's progress and avoid slipping into negative energy, the top priority of which lies in adhering to patriotism and promoting public interests.

From the Chinese version:

None of these “sensitive topics” is novel on China’s Internet. When it comes to firewalls, Liu Xiaobo, and Xu Zhiyong, there is no lack of critical voices "crying out for justice."
这些“敏感话题”在中国互联网上都不新鲜，中国不乏批评防火墙、为刘晓波和许志永“喊冤”的声音。
. . . .
The terms "freedom," "democracy," and "rule of law" are already part of the 24 term formulation of the core principles of Chinese socialism.
“自由”、“民主”、“法治”这几个词都已进入中国社会主义核心价值观的24字表述。

These screenshots were taken on February 17, and show that, not only does Baidu restrict search results for “national firewall” (国家防火墙) to a white list of about a dozen web sites directly operated by the central government and the Communist Party, a search for that term restricted to the Global Times' web site returns no results, just a censorship notice.

These screenshots were also taken on February 17, and show that Baidu does not allow users to establish PostBar (Tieba 贴吧) forums on “Liu Xiaobo,” “Xu Zhiyong,” “Freedom,”  “Democracy,” or “Patriotism.” Users are told that forums on these topics cannot be set up “in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, and policies.”

Baidu has allowed users to establish forums on “Rule of Law” and “Public Interest.”

Global Times: Spanish Judge "Ignorant" for Arrest Order for Jiang Zemin, Weibos Censor "Spanish Court Jiang Zemin"

Screenshots showing Sina Weibo, Tencent
Weibo, and Baidu Tieba censor searches
for "Tibet Independence"

On February 12, 2014, the state-sponsored Global Times published an English language editorial entitled “Ignorance Leads to Spanish Judge’s Ruling.” Some excerpts:

A Spanish judge on Monday issued a ridiculous "arrest warrant" against former Chinese heads of state. In response to the charge filed by Spanish pro-Tibet independence human rights groups, the judge accused former top Chinese officials of committing crimes against humanity under the principle of universal jurisdiction.

The judge might have never been to Tibet because he is totally ignorant of the enormous social progress made in recent decades. He still views China with an old, biased and arrogant attitude by attempting to interfere into Beijing's internal affairs.

It is fair to say that he is a blunderer who lacks the fundamental concepts of international politics. He is more ludicrous than but not as innocent as Don Quixote, a figure created by Miguel de Cervantes during the Renaissance.

These screenshots, taken on February 16, show that both Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo were censoring searches for “Spanish Court Jiang Zemin,” but not for “Spain Jiang Zemin.”

 

These screenshots, taken on the same day, show that a search on Baidu for the title of a BBC article on this issue returns no results, just a censorship notice.

These screenshots, also taken the same day, show that a search on Baidu news for “Spanish Judge Jiang Zemin Li Peng Arrest Order” (西班牙法官 江泽民 李鹏 逮捕令). The same search on Microsoft’s Bing news  returns over 4,000 results.

Baidu, Sina, and Tencent Begin Censoring Name of Activist Son and His Dead Father

Xue Fushun (薛福顺) was the father of Xue Mingkai (薛明凯).

Xue Mingkai was convicted of subverting state power several years ago.

Xue Fushun died in late January at the offices of the People's Procuratorate in Qufu, Shandong.

These screenshots were taken on February 6, 2014, and show that Sina Weibo was censoring searches for “Xue Mingkai Suicide” (薛明凯 自杀), but not for “Xue Mingkai” or “Suicide.”

These screenshots show that the next day, Sina Weibo began censoring searches for “Xue Fushun.”

The following screenshots show that on February 11, Baidu, Sina Weibo, and Tencent Weibo all began censoring searches for “Xu Fushun” and “Xue Mingkai.”

 

As Two More New Citizens Movement Participants Are Convicted, Baidu and Sina Begin Censoring "New Citizens Movement"

Haidian Court Announcements
of Yuan and Xi's Convictions

On January 29, 2014, the Haidian People’s Court published notices on its Sina Weibo stating that it had sentenced Yuan Dong (袁冬) to 18 months imprisonment for gathering crowds to disturb order in a public venue, and that it had found Hou Xin (侯欣) guilty of the same crime, but imposed no penalties due to the minor nature of her crime.

Yuan and Hou were detained on March 31, 2013.  On May 24, 2013 Xu Zhiyong (许志永) published an article on his blog entitled "Citizen’s Statement Regarding the Arrest of the Asset Disclosure Ten Gentlemen" (公民就“财产公示十君子”被捕的声明). The post was signed by Xu,Xiao Shu (笑蜀), Wang Gongquan (王功权), Teng Biao (滕彪), Liu Weiguo (刘卫国), Li Xiongbing (黎雄兵), Liang Xiaojun (梁小军), Li Fangping (李方平), and Xiao Guozhen (肖国珍). According to the Statement:

On March 31, 2013, Yuan Dong, Zhang Baocheng, Ma Xinli, Hou Xin and others unfurled banners in downtown Xidan plaza, Beijing, calling for the public disclosure of officials’ assets.  After about ten minutes the four of them were taken away by police and subjected to criminal detention for “illegal assembly.”
. . . .
That day Yuan Dong and the others were just four people holding a banner, and one person speaking. Those who had gathered around were just spectators who happened to be passing by and they had not been organized as fellow participants. Their actions were those of individuals expressing their views, which is an exercise of their freedom of speech under Article 35 of the Constitution, as we well as the right under Article 41 to criticize and offer opinions to state agencies and civil servants. There was no assembly as that term is understood in the law, much less  any “refusal to obey orders to disburse,” “severe disruption of social order,” or any other action that would qualify as  a crime under Article 296 of the Criminal Law. It did not constitute the crime of illegal assembly.

2013年3月31日,袁冬、张宝成、马新立、侯欣等在北京西单广场展示条幅，呼吁官员公示财产，十多分钟后四人被警察带走，被以“非法集会罪”刑拘。
. . . .
袁冬等当天只有四个人拉横幅，一个人演讲，周围聚拢的人只是路过旁观，而不是有组织的共同参与者，其行为是个人言论表达，是行使宪法第35条规定的言论自由，以及宪法第41条规定的对国家机关和国家工作人员的批评权、建议权，根本不是法律上的集会，更不存在“拒不服从解散命令”以及“严重破坏社会秩序”等刑法第296条规定的犯罪构成要件，不构成非法集会罪。

These screenshots show that Sina Weibo began censoring the phrase "Asset Disclosure Ten Gentlemen" (财产公示十君子) shortly after the Statement was published.

Yuan and Hou were participants in China's "New Citizens Movement." The New Citizens Movement was described by Xu Zhiyong in a November 2012 blog post as follows:

China needs a New Citizens Movement. This is a political movement for a hoary people to say thoroughly part ways with autocracy and complete the transformation into a constitutional civilization. It is a social movement to thoroughly wipe out the corruption of privilege, the abuse of power for personal gain, and the gap between rich and poor, and build a new order based on fairness and justice. It is a cultural movement to thoroughly part ways with a culture of despots and subjects, and build a new citizen spirit. It is a peaceful progressive movement to  raise the level of civilization of all mankind.
. . . .
The goals of the New Citizens Movement are a China that is democratic, free, and subject to the rule of law, a civil society that is just and happy, and new national consciousness of "Freedom, Righteousness, Love."
. . . .
The New Citizens Movement includes several type of social and political movements that are currently underway: the Grass Mud Horse Movement, the Demolished Households Movement, the Household Registration Desegregation Movement, the June 4th Meditation Day Movement, the Freedom of Belief Movement, the Blog Movement, the Environment Protection Movement, the Food Safety Movement, the People's Congress Candidacy Movement, the Weibo Child Protection Movement, the Anti-Monopoly Movement, the Anti-Corruption Movement . . .  it is the coalescence of social and political movements around a new citizens' spirit. 

中国需要新公民运动。这是一个古老民族彻底告别专制完成宪政文明转型的政治运动，是彻底摧垮特权腐败、以权谋私、贫富巨壑建构公平正义新秩序的社会运动，是彻底告别专制臣民文化缔造新民族精神的文化运动，是提升整个人类文明进程的和平进步运动。
. . . .
新公民运动的目标是民主法治的自由中国、正义幸福的公民社会和“自由·公义·爱”新民族精神。
. . . .
新公民运动包括正在进行的各种社会运动和政治运动：草泥马运动，被拆迁户运动，反户籍隔离运动，64静思节运动，信仰自由运动，拍客运动，环保运动，食品安全运动，参选人大代表运动，微博打拐运动，反垄断运动，反贪腐运动……以新公民精神凝聚社会运动和政治运动。

On January 22, 2014, a Beijing court sentenced Xu to four years imprisonment on the same charges as Yuan and Hou. These screenshots show that on the same day Baidu began censoring searches for “Xu Zhiyong.”

On January 23, the state-sponsored Global Times published an article in English entitled "Law is No Threat to Citizen Movement." Some excerpts:

Xu's effort to launch the "New Citizens' Movement" is not widely known to the Chinese public. Its influence can mainly be felt in academia and some groups of activists. Xu's advocacies, including constitutionalism, property disclosure of civil servants and education equality, can be expressed and are also echoed in Chinese society.

These advocacies are not incompatible with China's reforms. Xu, as well as other activists like him, will not likely be tried simply because they have these advocacies.

These screenshots show that Baidu and Sina Weibo began censoring searches for “New Citizens Movement” (新公民运动) about the same time Yuan and Hou were sentenced.