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Showing posts from May, 2016

Sogou and Microsoft's Bing Cooperate on English Language Search

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On May 20, 2016, the state sponsored China Daily published an article entitled “ Sogou, Bing Unite for ‘Bigger World' Searches .” Some excerpts: Sogou Inc joined forces with a Western search engine giant in a new English-language search service, looking to take advantage of Baidu Inc's recent crisis to gain more market share. Sogou, which operates China's third-largest online search engine, said on Thursday that to satisfy Chinese curiosity for global information, it has teamed up with Microsoft's Bing to launch an English-language search engine. Wang Xiaochuan, CEO of Beijing-based Sogou, said the desire to closely link with the whole world prompted his company to launch the service. "We invite you, together with us, to embrace a bigger world.” All of the following screenshots were taken on May 20, 2016. Sogou’s English search engine found over 38,000 results for “Cai Yingwen,” but no results for “Xi Jinping.” Baidu was able to find results for "

On Day of Tsai Ing-wen's Inauguration, Sina Weibo Censors "Cai Yingwen" and "Taiwan"

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See also: During Taiwan Elections Sina Weibo Begins Censoring "Taiwan"   On May 20, 2016, the state sponsored Global Times published an editorial entitled “ Cross-Straits Ties Enter Era of Uncertainty Under Tsai .” Some excerpts: Today is the day Taiwan's new "president" Tsai Ing-wen and "vice president" Chen Chien-jen are to deliver their inauguration speeches and assume office. A new era for a cross-Straits region that is characterized by uncertainty officially kicks off. . . . . The mainland's endeavors during Chen's "presidency" showed that "jurisprudential independence" will never work out on the island. However, certain people are still holding on to the fantasy that "soft independence" might be workable. Perhaps a new round of contention is inevitable to completely drive the topic of Taiwan independence away while making the one-China principle the one and only starting point to maintain the

On the 50th Anniversary of the Cultural Revolution Baidu Bans Forums on the Cultural Revolution

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On May 17, 2016, the state sponsored Global Times published an editorial entitled “ Society Firmly Rejects Cultural Revolution ” ( “文革”已被彻底否定 ) by “Shan Renping” - a pseudonym used by Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Global Times. Some excerpts: Discussions over China's Cultural Revolution have been emerging on the Internet. The decade-long internal chaos was a huge disaster. It is thus normal to hear people talking about it on the 50th anniversary of this movement. On the other hand, however, such discussions cannot be treated as a cleavage in people's ideological understanding. . . . . We have bid farewell to the Cultural Revolution. We can say it once again today that the Cultural Revolution cannot and will not come back. There is no place for it in today's China. That same day, the People’s Daily ran an editorial in its print edition entitled “Appraising History is Done for a Better Future” ( 以史为鉴是为了更好前进 ). Also by an author who coincidentally had the name “Ren Pi

An Overview of China's First "Right to be Forgotten" Lawsuit

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On May 4, 2016, the Haidian District People's Court in Beijing published an article on its website entitled "Haidian Court Completes Investigation in Nation's First Case of 'Right to be Forgotten'" ( 海淀法院审结全国首例“被遗忘权”案 ) Some excerpts: Recently the Haidian Court concluded a case involving a lawsuit filed by Plaintiff Ren against a certain Internet Services Company for infringement of the right of reputation, name, and general personality.  On May 13, 2014, a European court issued a final judgment confirming that ordinary citizens have a "right to be forgotten" with respect to personal information, and following that the European Union has established the scope of a "right to be forgotten." During the two year period following the European court's recognition of the "right to be forgotten," the Haidian Court has concluded proceedings in the first case involving the scope of judicial protection of the "right to be forgott

Party Puts Ren Zhiqiang on One Year Probation for Online Posts

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On March 1, 2016 the state sponsored China Daily published an article entitled “ Beijing CPC Committee Vows Punishment for Ren Zhiqiang .” Some excerpts: A Beijing district committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) pledged severe intraparty penalties for Ren Zhiqiang, a celebrity blogger and property developer whose accounts were closed for allegedly spreading illegal information. The Xicheng district committee of the CPC on Monday issued a circular saying Ren, "as a CPC member, has been releasing illegal information and making inappropriate comments online, resulting in a vile influence and damage to the party image." The committee, where Ren's CPC membership is registered and managed, said it would punish him strictly according to party rules. On March 4, 2016, the official website of the Beijing Xicheng District government published a notice entitled "The Fourth Party Branch of Beijing Xicheng's Department of Security Oversight Launches Study Pro

Former Party Official Censured for Sina Weibo Statements, Online Essay That "Severely Damaged the Party's Image"

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On April 22, 2016, the state sponsored media outlet "The Paper" published an article entitled "Wenling Communist Party Official Censured by Party for Publishing and Reposting Erroneous Statements" ( 浙江温岭一党员公开发布、转载错误言论,被党内严重警告处分 ).  According to that report, Mu Yifei, a former official a Party School in Wenling, Zhejiang, had been censured by the Communist Party for violating Article 133(2) of the 2016 "Regulations on Chinese Communist Party Disciplinary Measures" and Article 46 of the 2003 "Regulations on Chinese Communist Party Disciplinary Measures" by publishing and reposting statements that were inconsistent with the Party orthodxy, thereby "severely damaging the Party's image." On April 28, 2016, the China Youth Online website (sponsored by the Chinese Communist Party Youth League) published an article entitled "A 'Retired But Not Resigned' Official Gets Punished, Why Are Internet Users Protesting an Injustice?&