Chronicling Local Government Tactics Targeting "Politically Harmful" Hong Kong Publications and Their Distributors

The following are excerpts of notices and regulations published on the web pages of local Chinese governments. These texts indicate that, beginning in 2012, local Chinese governments were undertaking initiatives regarding "politically harmful publications" such as:

• Cleansing school campuses of illegal publications;
• Using commercial, tax, and other tools to suppress Hong Kong media outlets that engage in reactionary publishing and their operators who come to mainland China to conduct economic activities;
• Banning 14 Hong Kong and Taiwan publication distributors;
• Banning 21 types of Hong Kong periodicals;
• Blocking "specified persons" from returning to mainland China;
• Prosecuting those spreading politically harmful publications using mobile apps, "Great Firewall circumvention" software, social media, and micro-blogs;
• Preventing tourists bound for Hong Kong and Taiwan  from purchasing politically harmful publications to bring back to China;
• Disciplining Party members who bring overseas politically harmful publications back to China.

2012

Title: Liangdang County Notice Regarding Purifying Books on School Campuse and Banning Illegal Publications From Entering School Campuses(两当县教育局关于清理学校图书和严禁非法出版物进校园的通知)

Source: Education Bureau, Liangdang County, Gansu (两当县教育局）
Date: October 11, 2012
URL: http://www.ldedu.gov.cn/bencandy.php?fid=86&id=173

Recently, the Longnan municipal "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Task Force Office issued the following five documents:

• Notice Regarding Issuance of Catalog of Overseas "Falun Gong" Publications to be Investigated and Banned (LSAPSDIP Measure No. [2012]11)
• Notice Regarding Issuance of Catalog of Seven Batches of Politically Harmful Publications to be Investigated and Banned  (LSAPSDIP Measure No. [2012]12)
• Notice Regarding Centralized "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Rectification Campaigns to Welcome the 18th National Party Congress (LSAPSDIP Measure No. [2012]13)
• Notice Regarding Distribution of the Notice Regarding Further Restraining Mainland China Enterprises' Economic Activities With Respect to Hong Kong Media Outlets Responsible for Reactionary Publications (LSAPSDIP Measure No. [2012]14)
• Notice Regarding the Distribution of the First List of Main Distributors of Hong Kong Politically Harmful Publications (LSAPSDIP Measure No. [2012]15)

These documents called for the purification, confiscation, banning, and blocking of politically harmful publications. In particular, the illegal publications listed in the catalogs must be banned from school campuses. In order to coordinate with the "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Office's work in purifying and confiscating harmful books, the following requirements must be met:

1. After receiving the Notices all school districts and schools must immediately conduct a cleansing of the books in their school districts and school libraries, and upon discovery of any politically harmful book, resolutely move to either clear it out and seal it up, or directly destroy it.  Strictly prohibit harmful books from coming onto school campuses.

2. All school districts and schools must supervise and urge teachers and students to purify their personal book collections, and as soon as they discover any books listed in a catalog as banned or as being  from a distributor of harmful publications they must be handed over for destruction. It is strictly prohibited to collect or circulate books listed in a catalog.

3. The Department of Education will strengthen its oversight and inspections of illegal publications in order to purify school campuses, and in cases where a malicious influence is created because ban enforcement is insufficiently strict it shall hold the relevant individuals personally responsible. All school districts and schools must document the work they do to cleanse school campuses of illegal publications (on paper and electronically), and file a report with their county education bureaus before October 5.

最近，陇南市“扫黄打非”工作领导小组办公室最近连续下发了《关于下发境外“法**功”出版物查堵目录的通知》（陇扫黄打非办法[2012]11号）、 《关于下发2012年第七批政治性有害出版物查堵目录的通知》（陇扫黄打非办法[2012]12号）、《关于开展迎接党的十八大“扫黄打非”集中整治行动 的通知》（陇扫黄打非办法[2012]13号）、《关于转发<关于进一步约束内地企业对香港反动出版传媒机构经济行为的通知>的通知》（陇扫 黄打非办法[2012]14号）、《关于印发第一批香港政治性有害出版物主要传发行机构名单的通知》（陇扫黄打非办法[2012]15号）5个文件，要求 对政治性有害出版物一律进行清缴封堵。坚决禁止非法出版物特别是目录要求所列书籍进校园。为配合扫黄打非办公室清缴有害书籍工作，现将有关事宜要求如下：

一、各学区、校接到通知后要立即对本学区、校图书馆图书进行清理，一旦发现政治性有害书籍，坚决清理封存或直接销毁，严禁有害书籍进校园。

二、各学区、校要督促教师和学生要对个人收藏书籍进行清理，一经发现目录禁止出版物及有害出版物发行机构的图书，一律清缴销毁，严禁个人收藏传阅目录所列图书。

三、教育局将加强对清理校园非法出版物工作的督促检查，对查禁不力造成恶劣影响的要追究单位和相关责任人的责任。各学区、校要将清理校园非法出版物工作情况形成文字材料(纸质及电子版)，于10月5日前上报县教育局基教股。

2013

Title: Dongying Campaign to Strengthen the Investigating, Banning, Opposing, and Countering of Hong Kong Reactionary Publications (东营市深化查堵反制香港反动出版活动)

Source: Hekou District Culture and Athletics Broadcast News Office (河口区文体广电新闻出版局）
Publication Date: May 29, 2013
Issuance Date: September 23, 2013
URL: http://xxgk.huanghekou.gov.cn/gov/jcms_files/jcms1/web24/site/art/2013/9/23/art_8508_18343.html

At present, profound and complex changes are taking place in both the international and domestic terrain, with struggles in the ideological realm becoming extremely pointed, failures in all attempts to put a stop to illegal publication and distribution activities, enemy forces using concocting reactionary publications and sparing no efforts to spread false ideologies and viewpoints, inciting discontent amongst the masses.

The struggle against infiltration and counter-infiltration of the publishing realm is extremely pointed, with no let up in Hong Kong acting as the base for political illegal publications to infiltrate and spread into mainland China.

Looking at our situation, even after years of strenuous work, while the problems of printing and producing political illegal publications have vanished in our city, there remains the difficult task of preventing these kinds of publications from flowing into our city. We have yet to adopt further investigative and banning measures, and we need new breakthroughs when it comes to opposing and countering them.
. . . . .
We will attack the venues that produce, sell, and distribute illegal publications such as those involving "Tibetan independence," Xinjiang separatism, religious extremist ideology, and violent terrorism, and bring information work within a targeted campaign.
. . . .
Strengthen Integrated Opposing and Countering Work. There are two primary tasks: First, earnestly implement the list of 14 Hong Kong publication distributors "banned" by the "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Office in 2012. Confiscate and block their publications and related information without exception, regardless of whether or not there is any problems with the content.

Use commercial, tax, and other tools to suppress Hong Kong media outlets that engage in reactionary publishing and their operators who come to Dongying to conduct economic activities. Impose a total ban on their social activities within the city.

With respect to certain "special persons," the Public Security Bureau should undertake coercive measures to restrict their return to mainland China.

We must endeavor to secure new breakthroughs in this work during this "Purify the Source" campaign.

The second job is to expand the ranks of information agents, and strengthen intelligence gathering on those publishers, printers, distributors, and book stores involved with politically harmful publications, as well as their primary managers and authors.

Ensure that information collected in intelligence reports is timely and accurate.

The responsible agencies will be the municipal State Security Bureau, Public Security Bureau, Customs Office, Administration of Industry and Commerce, Propaganda Bureau, and "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Office.

当前，国际国内形势正在发生深刻而复杂的变化，意识形态领域的斗争相当尖锐，各种非法出版传播活动屡禁不止，敌对势力通过炮制反动出版物，千方百计散布错误思想观点、煽动群众不满情绪，出版领域渗透与反渗透的斗争十分尖锐，以香港为出版基地的政治性有害出版物向内地渗透传播的势头不减。从我市情况看，经过多年不懈努力，虽然印制政治性非法出版物问题在我市绝迹，但防止此类出版物流入我市的任务依然繁重，查堵措施有待进一步落实，反制工作还需要取得新突破。
. . . .
将打击制售传播宣扬“藏独”、新疆分裂、宗教极端思想、暴力恐怖等非法出版物及信息工作纳入专项行动。
. . . .
加强综合反制工作。主要任务有两项：一是认真执行全国“扫黄打非”办公室2012年下发的14家香港出版发行机构“禁入”名单，对其出版物及相关信息，不论是否存在内容问题，一律收缴封堵。对香港反动出版传媒机构及其负责人来东营市的经营活动采取工商、税务等手段予以打压，对其在市内的社会活动坚决制止。对某些“特殊人”，由公安部门采取限制回内地等强制手段。“清源”行动期间，要努力在这些工作上有新突破。

二是壮大信息员队伍，加强香港政治性有害出版物主要出版商、印刷商、发行商、书店及其主要负责人和作者等情报收集，确保收集情报信息及时、准确。责任单位：市安全局、公安局、海关、工商局、市委宣传部、“扫黄打非”办公室。

Title: Notice Regarding the Launch of "Cleanse the Source" Special Operations in Furtherance of Investigating, Blocking, and Countering Hong Kong's Reactionary Publishing,  (关于开展深化查堵反制香港反动出版活动专项治理“清源”行动的通知)

Issuing Agency: Suzhou Culture and Athletics Office (文体局)
Source: Suzhou Municipal Government, Xiangcheng District (苏州市相城区人民政府)
Production Date: June 4, 2013
Publication Date: August 27, 2013
URL: http://www.szxc.gov.cn/szxc/zwgkinfo/showinfo.aspx?infoid=518e890c-ec7d-4ec2-8f77-2aeae222fbf6&categoryNum=006013005002

To all "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" member agencies:

In accordance with the requirements of the "Suzhou Municipal Government, Xiangcheng District 2013 'Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications' Action Plan" jointly issued by the "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Task Force, it is decided that from the end of May through the middle of October this year there will be organized a district-wide launch of a "Cleanse the Source" special operation in furtherance of investigating, blocking, and countering Hong Kong's reactionary publishing. The "Suzhou Municipal Government, Xiangcheng District 'Cleanse the Source' Special Operations in Furtherance of Investigating, Blocking, and Countering Hong Kong's Reactionary Publishing Action Plan" is therefore hereby published for you.  Please work together and consult with this district and this office to implement it.

Suzhou Municipal Government, Xiangcheng District "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Task Force

June 4, 2013

Suzhou Municipal Government, Xiangcheng District "Cleanse the Source" Special Operations in Furtherance of Investigating, Blocking, and Countering Hong Kong's Reactionary Publishing Action Plan

In accordance with the requirements of the "Suzhou Municipal Government, Xiangcheng District 2013 'Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications' Action Plan" jointly issued by the provincial and municipal "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Task Force offices, it is decided that from the end of May through the middle of October this year there will be organized a district-wide launch of a "Cleanse the Source" special operation in furtherance of investigating, blocking, and countering Hong Kong's reactionary publishing. The Plan is hereby formulated as follows:

1. Operational Objectives

On the basis of the requirements of grabbing the head and attacking the base, the main measures are to conduct ruthless border inspections, screen the mails, take charge of the printing presses, comb through the markets, take charge of the networks, impose restrictions internally, and establish an integrated system of blocks. When investigating cases the starting point should coordinated governance of both the online and the offline. Launch  a "Cleanse the Source" special operation in furtherance of investigating, blocking, and countering Hong Kong's reactionary publishing, and strive to govern through this special operation. Ensure that there are no incidents of batches of politically harmful publications entering the borders, of printing or pirating of politically harmful publications at any scale, of information pertaining to politically harmful publications being spread online, or  of major incidents or lax investigation of incidents relating to politically harmful publications.

2. Work Methodologies

(i) Strengthen Border Inspections. To strengthen border controls for politically harmful publications the focus should be on investigating and prosecuting those who carry banned publications over the border, earnestly carry out the requirements set forth in the "Notice Regarding Strictly Prohibiting Party Cadres From Publishing Politically Harmful Publications and Essays and Carrying Harmful Publications Back to China," supervise and urge travel agencies to implement measures such as briefing, guiding, and dissuading tourists.

(ii) Strengthen Postal Inspections. Strictly regulate channels fo the circulation of materials, and supervise and urge delivery services, storehouses, high speed rail operators and others in the transportation industry to establish comprehensive mechanisms for inspection and screening. In particular, it is necessary to increase the rate of inspection of postal deliveries, tourist luggage, express deliveries, and all other kinds of merchandise transport methods originating from Hong Kong. Upon discovering anything suspicious carry out a complete inspection, and perfect mechanisms for blocking channels through which illegal publications flow.

(iii) Strengthen Oversight and Control of Printing Presses. Strenuously drive forward the three foundations of administration - legal enterprises, regulated operations, and responsible management. Make effective use of the Jiangsu Province's online registration system for printing professionals, and further perfect the administration of the accounts of printers and copying businesses and related management systems. Make the focus of investigations those printing enterprises that have a record of breaking the law, being the target of complaints, engaging in overseas printing, or having the ability to print publications. It is particularly necessary to strengthen oversight and control over those printing enterprises that provide binding and other services for Hong Kong publishing activities, and resolutely ban illegal printing or copying for "dens of iniquity."

(iv) Strengthen Combing Through Markets. Step up the degree of oversight and control over markets for publications, undertake joint investigations, error checking, undercover investigations, cross-checking, and other measures. Supervise and urge markets where the sale of publications is concentrated and wholesale an retail locations to regulate the channels of importation. Strictly implement rules relating to the administration of sales. Resolutely investigate and prosecute anyone who holds political illegal publications.  Use daily patrols to maintain a state of high pressure at focal points such as downtown districts, tourist attractions, and transportation hubs. Resolutely ban those who would peddle illegal publications using mobile stalls and unlicensed business operators.

(v) Strengthen Oversight and Control Online. Strengthen fundamental management of the Internet and mobile communications. Supervise and urge telecommunication operating enterprises to intensify technical filtering measures and strengthen information security systems. Resolutely block the websites of foreign hostile forces, strike hard at domestic online bookstores and electronic commercial platforms that act as go-betweens for overseas harmful publication activities, strive to increase the investigation and prosecution of those spreading politically harmful publications using mobile apps, "Great Firewall circumvention" software, social media, and weibo. Move quickly to block, delete, investigate and prosecute political illegal websites, political illegal  online publications, and harmful information. Absolutely do not permit any online retention or diffusion. Build extensive systems for gathering and reporting important information, joint investigation of important clues, and supervising the investigation of important cases.

苏州市相城区查堵反制香港反动出版活动专项治理“清源”行动工作方案

根据省、市“扫黄打非”工作领导小组办公室的统一部署和《苏州市相城区2013年“扫黄打非”行动方案》要求，决定自5月下旬至10月中旬，在全区范围内组织开展深化查堵反制香港反动出版活动专项治理“清源”行动。现制定方案如下：
一、行动目标
按照抓源头、打基础的工作要求，以狠抓进境查堵、邮运验视、印刷监管、市场清查、网络监管、对内约束、综合反制为主要方式，以案件查办为抓手，网上与网下治理相结合，开展深化查堵反制香港反动活动专项治理“清源”行动，务求通过专项治理，确保不发生政治性有害出版物批量进境现象，不发生有规模的承印和盗印政治性有害出版物现象，不发生政治性有害出版物及相关信息网上扩散现象，不发生政治性有害出版物重要事件和事件查办不力现象。
二、工作措施
（一）加强进境查堵。加强封堵政治性非法出版物进境治理工作，重点查处携带违禁出版物进境的行为，认真贯彻《关于严禁党员干部在境外出版发表政治性有害出版物和文章及携带有害出版物入境的通知》要求，督促出境游组团社落实对游客的提示、引导、劝阻等措施。
（二）加强邮运验视。严格规范物流运输渠道，督促物流企业、仓储场站以及高速铁路等承运环节健全检查核验机制。特别要提高对来自香港的邮递物品、旅客行李物品、快速物品和各类运输货物的机检率，发现嫌疑的一律开包检验。完善对非法出版物物流渠道封堵的工作机制。
（三）加强印刷监管。大力推进企业合法性，经营规范化、管理责任制三项基础性管理工作，充分发挥江苏省委托印刷业务网上备案系统的作用，进一步完善印刷复制企业台账管理和有关管理制度。对有违法违规记录的、举报线索指向较多的、承接境外印刷业务和具有出版物印刷能力的印刷企业进行重点检查，尤其要加强对为香港出版活动提供印刷装订等服务的印刷企业监管，坚决取缔非法印刷复制“黑窝点”。
（四）加强市场清查。进一步加大对出版物市场的监管力度，采取联合检查、错时检查、暗访检查、交叉检查等方式，督促出版物集中销售场所和批发、零售单位规范进货渠道，严格落实有关进销管理规定，坚决查处收缴政治性非法出版物。对繁华街区、旅游景点、交通枢纽等重点部位保持日常巡查的高压态势，坚决取缔兜售非法出版物的游商地摊和无证照经营者。
（五）加强网络监管。加强对互联网、移动通信的基础管理，督促电信运营企业强化技术过滤手段，健全信息安全制度。坚决封堵境外敌对势力网站，严厉打击境内网络书店、电子商务平台等代购境外有害出版物行为，切实加大对利用移动智能终端、“翻墙”软件、社交网络、微博客等手段传播政治性有害出版物的查处力度，对政治性非法网站、政治性非法网络出版物及有害信息要及时予以屏蔽、删除、查处，决不允许在网上滞留和扩散，建立健全重要信息汇总通报、重要线索联合核查、重点案件协查督办等工作机制。

2014

Title: Fuqing Municipal "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Campaign Implementation Plan for 2014 (2014年福清市“扫黄打非”行动实施方案    )

Source: General Office of the Fuqing People's Government, Fujian (福清市人民政府办公室)
Publication Date: February 12, 2014
URL: http://www.fuqing.gov.cn/Article_Print.asp?ArticleID=13741

The Tourism Bureau must ensure that tourists bound for Hong Kong and Taiwan receive warnings and are subjected to propaganda. Adopt a multi-tiered training methodology and ensure that leaders and tour guides of those bound for Hong Kong and Taiwan proactively carry out their responsibility to remind and discourage and prevent tourists from purchasing politically harmful publications to bring back to China.
. . . .
The "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Office shall handle the integration, coordination, supervision, and inspection of the "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" campaign, and shall organize online screening and marketplace monitoring.

In accordance with the requirements of the list of 14 "banned" Hong Kong and Taiwan publication distributors and 21 types of "banned" Hong Kong periodicals, comprehensively coordinate the strengths of all member agencies, and apply a multitude of techniques to make targeted attacks on the primary reactionary media outlets in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Comprehensively strengthen blocking, and follow up on clues when managing major cases.

旅游部门要确保面向赴港澳台游客的警示语并宣传到位。采取分级培训方式，明确要求赴港澳台游领队和导游履行主动提醒和劝阻责任，防止游客购买并携带政治性有害出版物入境。
. . . .
“扫黄打非”办公室要做好“扫黄打非”行动的情况综合、工作协调和督导检查，组织网络监测和市场清查，按照印发的14家港台出版发行机构、21种香港刊物“禁入”名单要求，充分发挥各成员单位部门协作优势，运用多种手段重点打击港台主要反动传媒机构，全面加强封堵，通过案件线索，督办重点案件。

Title: Wudang Launches Implementation Plan for "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications Purify the Source 2014" Campaign (乌当区开展“扫黄打非·清源2014”专项行动实施方案 )

Source: Wudang District People's Government, Guiyang (贵阳市乌当区政府)
Publication Date: April 3, 2014
URL: http://xxgk.gzwd.gov.cn/xxgk/jcms_files/jcms1/web24/site/attach/0/1404221450315325968.doc

All printing enterprises that pirate Hong Kong politically harmful publications must be dealt with severely. Resolutely punish printers and copiers that are "dens of iniquity." Strike hard at all types of illegal printing activities.
. . . .
Any Party members who personally transport or mail overseas politically harmful publications back to China must be dealt with severely. Organize ways to deal with them or impose disciplinary sanctions.
. . . .
The district "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" will follow up on relevant clues and channels and make timely use of information in order to resolutely put a stop to enterprises in the district advertising in Hong Kong reactionary media periodicals and providing printing and binding services to Hong Kong reactionary publishers. At the same time, the Public Security Bureau and State Security Bureau will act as checkpoints for overseas periodicals in mainland China, and strengthen their work on inspecting publications presented by foreign groups or individuals to the libraries of colleges and secondary schools in the district.
. . . .
With respect to certain "special persons," the district "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" officials shall work with the public security agencies and adopt coercive measures including restricting their return to mainland China. It shall coordinate relevant agencies to continue to make "key people" in their jurisdiction return on a regular basis, and consistently grasp the root issues of their jobs.

从严惩处盗印香港政治性有害出版物的印刷企业，坚决取缔印刷复制“黑窝点”，严厉打击各类非法印刷活动。
. . . .
对党员干部私自携带、寄递境外政治性有害出版物入境的，要从严给予组织处理或纪律处分。
. . . .
区“扫黄打非”办要通过相关线索渠道，及时掌握有关信息，坚决杜绝辖区企业在香港反动传媒上刊登广告和为香港反动出版机构提供印刷装订服务。同时，要会同区公安、国保部门严把境外期刊在境内进销关口，加强对境外机构或个人捐赠给辖区各大、中学校图书馆的出版物检查工作。
. . . .
对某些“特殊人”， 区“扫黄打非”办要联合公安部门采取限制回内地等强制手段。要协调有关部门继续做好辖区“重点人”的定期回访工作，随时掌握工作底数。

Title: The Status of Our Region's "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Campaign (我区“扫黄打非”开展情况 )

Source: Ningxia Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television (宁夏新闻出版广电局)
Publication Date: September 9, 2014
URL: http://www.nxgdj.gov.cn/nzcms_show_news.asp?id=5913

On June 23, the National "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Task Force Office convened the second major inspection of Mosques and other religious venues and their neighboring publications markets in order to strengthen the clean up of mobile phone and computer retail and repair markets, strengthen the governance of printing, copying, and typesetting shops, transportation, and mail delivery links, and eliminate harmful publications. The first major inspection of printing enterprises and publication markets was carried, with resolute investigations and prosecutions of those who published books and materials on behalf of Hong Kong publishers.
. . . .
During the "Tianshan Project" operation, the Ningxia "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Office and the Yinchuan Customs Bureau investigated and prosecuted illegal political publications that had originated from Hong Kong and Taiwan. There were no illegal religious publications relating to Xinjiang or  Tibetan independence. Yinchuan is a major point of ingress for illegal publications, and currently the only means employed to bring in illegal publications is tourists carrying them in in their luggage. Illegal publications include books and magazines, and consist mainly of illegal political books such as "The Zhongnanhai Episode," and magazine such as "Xinwei Monthly," "Major Incidents," "Trends," etc.

6月23日，全国“扫黄打非”工作小组办公室召开展2次清真寺等宗教场所及其周边出版物市场大检查、加强手机、电脑销售和维修市场的整治、加强印刷复制企业和打字复印店、交通运输、邮政寄递环节的治理，清除有害出版物；对全区印刷企业和出版物市场进行一次大检查，坚决查处以香港出版机构名义出版的图书和资料；
. . . .
在“天山工程”专项行动中，宁夏“扫黄打非”办公室与银川海关查处的非法政治性出版物基本上来自香港和台湾。没有涉疆、涉藏非法宗教类出版物。宁夏银川市是非法出版物的进入重点，目前，只有旅客以旅行箱内夹带的方式将非法出版物带入，非法出版物有图书及杂志，主要是非法的政治性图书，如《中南海轶事》，杂志《新维月刊》、《大事件》、《动向》等。

Title: The Status of the Huiyang District's "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Campaign (惠阳区2014年“扫黄打非”工作总结 )

Source: Huizhou Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television (惠州新闻出版广电局)
Publication Date: November 13, 2014
URL: http://xxgk.huizhou.gov.cn/publicfiles/business/htmlfiles/9216/3/201411/331432.html

The focus throughout the entire year was to ban, block, inspect, confiscate, and counter overseas political illegal publications, particularly those from Hong Kong. The focus was on uncovering and blocking reactionary propaganda from Falun Gong groups and politically harmful publications such those that made outrageous statements critical of Party personnel arrangements, that spoke unfavorably about Party and State leaders, and sowed disorder in the public's ideology, and that advocated for "Tibetan Independence" and Xinjiang separatism. The goal was to ban these from entering from overseas and being published domestically,  illegally printed, sold in markets, spread online, and discussed in the media.
. . . .
Put in place comprehensive bans and blocks in accordance with the requirements of these lists issued by the "Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" Office:

• 14 Hong Kong and Taiwan Publication Distributors
• 21 Types of Banned Hong Kong Periodicals

始终将封堵查缴反制境外特别是香港政治性有害出版物作为全年工作的重中之重。重点查堵妄评妄测党的人事安排、贬损党和国家领导人、扰乱社会思想、鼓吹“藏独”和新疆分裂等的政治性有害出版物及“法轮功”等邪教组织反动宣传品，做到禁止境外流入、禁止境内出版、禁止非法印刷、禁止市场销售、禁止网上传播、禁止媒体炒作。
. . . .
按照省“扫黄打非”办此前印发的14家港台出版发行机构、21种香港刊物“禁入”名单要求，加强全面封堵。 

Sogou and Microsoft's Bing Cooperate on English Language Search

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 "Xi Jinping" in English.

Sogou’s English search engine found over 3,000 results for “Great Leap Forward,” but no results for “Cultural Revolution.”

Baidu was able to find results for "Cultural Revolution" in English.

Sogou’s English search engine found over 8 Million results for “Forbidden City,” but no results for “Tiananmen.”

Baidu was able to find results for "Tiananmen" in English.

Sogou’s English search engine found over 4 million results for “Dalai Lama,” but no results for “Li Hongzhi.”

Baidu was able to find results for "Li Hongzhi" in English. 

Sogou’s English search engine found almost 2 million results for “Independent Tibet,” but no results for “Tibetan Independence.”

Baidu was able to find results for "Tibetan Independence" in English.

Sogou’s English search engine found almost 2 million results for “Obscenity,” but no results for “Pornography.”

Baidu was able to find results for "Pornography" in English.

Sogou’s English search engine found over 13 million results for “Vagina,” but no results for “Penis.”

Baidu was able to find results for "Penis" in English.

Global Times: "Real Tibet Can’t Be Concealed," Baidu and Sina Censor "Self Immolation," "Dalai Lama," and "Tibet Independence"

On September 8, 2015, the state sponsored Global Times published an editorial entitled “Real Tibet Can’t Be Concealed by Dalai’s Lies.” Some excerpts:

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region. People of all ethnicities have held celebrations for this anniversary.

For all these years, there have been two Tibets in public opinion. One is the real Tibet. The other is an imaginary one hyped by the Dalai Lama clique and Western opinion who often denounced that Tibet is not what it used to be under the rule of the CPC.

The imaginary Tibet does not exist, but with the instigation of Western media and the Dalai Lama, this Tibet has a certain influence in the international opinion sphere. This is perhaps the longest-lasting lie in the modern world.
. . . .
The lies told by the West will not last long. As China gradually moves to the center of the world stage, people across the world will have the chance to see the real Tibet.

These screenshots were taken on September 13, and show that Baidu and Sina have censored discussion of “Tibet Independence,” (藏独) “the Dalailama,” (达赖喇嘛) and “Self-Immolate” (自焚) on their PostBar (贴吧 Tieba) and Weibo social media forums, respectively.

These screenshots, also taken on September 13, show that Baidu is censoring image search results for "Tibetans Self-Immolate," (藏人自焚) and a comparison with search results for the same term on Bing.

2015 Government Campaigns Target Content Relating to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, and "Foreign Harmful Culture"

On April 24, 2015, the Cyberspace Administration of China (国家互联网信息办公室) published a report on its website entitled "2015 Online 'Sweep Out Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications' to Launch Five Campaigns" (2015年网上“扫黄打非”将开展五个专项行动). Some excerpts:

The Cyberspace Administration of China 2015 Online "Sweep Out Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" work will comprise the launch five comprehensive campaigns including the "Clean Web 2015," "Fix Borders 2015," "Purify Sources 2015," "Autumn Wind 2015," and "Seedling Protection 2015" to thoroughly cleanse and strike down all kind of illegal harmful information and create a clear and orderly online ecosystem. 

Liang Lihua, Deputy Director of the Cyberspace Administration of China, explained that these five campaigns will be the focus of "Sweep Out Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications" work for 2015. These campaigns will organize attacks and coordinate operations to comprehensively cleanse and strike down all kinds of illegal harmful information including that which is obscene and salacious pornography, terrorist, relates to Tibet and Xinjiang, illegal religions, foreign harmful culture, and Hong Kong and Taiwan reactionism, as well as fake journalists and news bureaus, the illegal republication of news, and that which would poison the hearts and minds of the youth. 

国家互联网信息办公室２０１５年网上“扫黄打非”工作将统筹开展“净网２０１５”“固边２０１５”“清源２０１５”“秋风２０１５”“护苗２０１５”等五个专项行动，全面清理和打击各类违法违规有害信息，构建清朗有序的网络生态环境。 

国家网信办网络新闻协调局副局长梁立华介绍，以上五个专项行动是２０１５年网上“扫黄打非”工作的主要任务。五个专项行动将组合出击，联动作战，全面清理和打击淫秽色情低俗、暴恐、涉藏涉疆、非法宗教、境外有害文化、港台反动有害信息、假媒体假记者假记者站、违规转载新闻、毒害少年儿童身心健康等各类违法违规有害信息。

Nobel Peace Prize History With Baidu Encyclopedia Characteristics - 2014 Edition

In 2013, this blog noted that the Baidu Encyclopedia (Baike 百科 - a Wikipedia-like product) list of Nobel Peace Prize winners did not include either Liu Xiaobo or the Dalai Lama. 

These screenshots were taken on December 13, 2014, and show that the list now includes a reference to Liu Xiaobo, but still omits the Dalai Lama.

In October 2013, Baidu’s Encyclopedia had only one entry for “Liu Xiaobo” - an article about a hydrological engineer. These screenshots show that, as of December 2014, the URL that originally pointed to the article about the hydrological engineer now points to a disambiguation page that includes a link to a “Liu Xiaobo” who is a “Beijing Normal University Professor.”

This screenshot shows that that article is about the Liu Xiaobo who won the Nobel Peace Prize, or, as the Baidu Encyclopedia article describes him:

On October 8, 2010, the Norway Nobel Prize Committee awarded that year’s Nobel Peace Prize to the criminal Liu Xiaobo who had been imprisoned by China’s judicial agencies for inciting subversion of state power.
2010年10月8日，挪威诺贝尔委员会把该年度的诺贝尔和平奖授予因犯有煽动颠覆国家政权罪而被中国司法机关判处徒刑的罪犯刘晓波。

Here is another excerpt from Baidu’s Encyclopedia article on Liu Xiaobo:

Liu Xiaobo is particularly inclined to worshipping Western political, economic, and cultural systems . . . . As for the motherland that bore and nurtured him, Liu Xiaobo actually said "I am indifferent to patriotism or treason. If you want to say I've committed treason, then I've committed treason! I would consider it an honor to admit that one is an unworthy descendant who has dug up their ancestral graves." 

As a Chinese person, Liu Xiaobo regarded his own people and his own countrymen as beneath contempt . . . . Liu Xiaobo saw being Chinese as something to be ashamed of, and he believed that his greatest personal shortcoming was his inability to speak a foreign language . . . .  

刘晓波对西方的政治、经济、文化制度极尽吹捧之能事 . . . . 对于养育自己的祖国，刘晓波竟然说，“我无所谓爱国、叛国，你要说我叛国，我就叛国！就承认自己是挖祖坟的不肖子孙，且以此为荣。” 

作为一个中国人，刘晓波把自己的民族和同胞贬得一文不值 . . . .刘晓波耻于做中国人，他认为自己最大的悲哀是外语不过关 . . . .

Baidu’s Encyclopedia article on Liu Xiaobo also contains statements such as the following (attributed to “an Internet user” (“网友”)): “Liu Xiaobo receives a monthly salary of 13,000 Yuan while in prison.” (刘晓波坐牢的月薪是人民币1.3万元。)

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.

Images of Han/Tibetan Brawl in Beijing Disappear From Sina Weibo

The screenshot below was taken on May 13, 2013, and shows the top two search results on Sina Weibo for "Gui Jie Tibetans" (簋街 藏族) - "Gui Jie" is the name of a popular restaurant street in Beijing. The posts both say "May 12, 2013 at 5:30 Beijing Gui Jie, Han restauranteurs and Tibetan peddlers brawl." (2013.05.12.下午五點半北京簋街，漢族餐飲店與藏族攤販群毆).

This screenshot was taken on May 14, and shows that both posts have been deleted.

Original URLS:

• http://weibo.com/3216102571/zwAnhrRxS
• http://weibo.com/1647608681/zwzEd0mOz

Sina Weibo Censors "Our Lhasa is on the Verge of Destruction"

On May 13, 2013, the official Communist Party mouthpiece the People's Daily published an article on page four of its hard copy edition entitled "Lhasa's Old Town 'Big Demolition Big Construction' False (For Confirmation - See the Truth Behind the Uproar" (拉萨老城“大拆大建”不实（求证·探寻喧哗背后的真相）). Some excerpts:

On May 4, a Weibo claimed "Our Lhasa is on the Verge of Destruction! Please, Save

Lhasa!" It also posted a photo of "big demolition big construction," and criticized the excessive commercialization of Lhasa's old town. 

Is there any truth to the claims of large scale demolition of the cultural relics and buildings in the old town? Is Lhasa becoming overly commericialized? The People's Daily's investigative journalists took these questions the heart of the Lhasa old town - Bakuo Street District - for in-depth research to "seek proof." 

. . . . 

Lhasa city conducted surveys regarding the protective construction of the old town which found 96% of residents supported it and 91% of small retailers understood the need to relocate their stands. 

The heart of this construction is to better protect the style and features of Lhasa's ancient city, protection and renovation work includes the protection of historic buildings, the renovation of traditional buildings, reforming the appearance of new structures and installing energy saving doors and windows in people's homes." According to Wang Jian, chief architect at the Tianjin Housing Construction Appraiser Design Institute, planning departments have undertaken large scale surveys of structures in the old town, and at the same time have invited many Tibet architecture experts to provide guidance throughout the process in order to achieve genuine "renovate the old as if it were the old." 

5月4日，有微博称“我们的拉萨快被毁了！救救拉萨吧！”并贴出“大拆大建”的照片，指责拉萨老城被过度商业开发。
大拆大建老城文物、建筑等内容是否属实？拉萨被过度商业化了吗？带着这些疑问，人民日报“求证”栏目记者走进拉萨市老城区的核心——八廓街区一探究竟。
. . . .
针对老城区保护工程，拉萨市专门开展了问卷调查，有96%的居民群众支持，91%的商贩摊主理解摊位搬迁工作。
“工程的核心是更好地保护拉萨古城风貌，保护修缮工作包括文物建筑的保护、传统建筑的修缮、新建建筑的整改和居民家安装节能门窗。”天津市房屋鉴定建筑设计院首席建筑师王健说，设计部门对老城区的建筑进行了大量的测量，同时邀请许多藏族建筑专家全程指导，真正做到了“修旧如旧”。

These screenshots were taken on May 12, 2013, and show a search on Sina Weibo for:

• "Our Lhasa" (我们的拉萨) returns 12 results.
• "Lhasa is on the Verge of Destruction" (拉萨快被毁了) returns 1 result.
• "Our Lhasa is on the Verge of Destruction" (我们的拉萨快被毁了) returns no results, just a censorship notice.

Below, the left-hand screenshots show Baidu cached versions of two blogs on Sina.com.cn which posted an article entitled “Our Lhasa is on the Verge of Destruction! Please, Save Lhasa!” by Woeser (唯色) on May 7 and May 9. The right-hand screenshots were taken on May 13, and show that both posts had been deleted.

Global Times Editor Hu Xijin Wants People to Know His Friends Haven't Heard of Tibetan Author Woeser

Hu Xijin's Weibo Post

On March 9, 2013, Hu Xijin (胡锡进), an editor at the state-sponsored Global Times, posted the following on his Sina Weibo:

The United States State Department issued its "International Women of Courage Award," and one of the winners was a Chinese woman who is an ethnic minority "woman author" who encourages ethnic separatism. It seems there's not a single person in my circles who has heard of her. China has so many "courageous" women, does anyone believe that the US State Department selected this one with good intentions? With exchanges between China and the West being so close, much has been learned, but Western "intentions" are legion, and China needs to be more focused. 

美国国务院颁发“国际妇女勇气奖”，其中唯一的中国妇女是一名鼓动民族分裂的少数民族“女作家”，我周围的人几乎都没听说过她。中国“有勇气”的女生这么多，美国务院偏挑了这么一个人，大家认为这是善意的吗？中国与西方的交往如此密，学了不少东西，但西方的“心眼”也很多。中国一定要多分定力。

Like Hu's post, the Global Times' March 8 editorial entitled "Foreign Infiltration Still Deserves Measure of Chinese Caution" also mentioned the award but omitted the winner's name. An excerpt:

The US Department of State just named 10 winners of the 2013 International Women of Courage Award, including a Chinese woman. There are numerous outstanding Chinese women who have demonstrated courage and made contributions during reform and opening-up. But Washington picked a "writer" who advocates secessionism. 

Many Western prizes have apparently become ideological weapons against China, and the stories of these handpicked prizewinners depict a twisted version of China. These prizes, aimed at encouraging various "dissidents," signal Western support for political confrontation within China.

Here is an excerpt from the State Department's profile of the "Chinese woman":

Woeser

Tsering Woeser (Wei Se)‎
Tibetan author, poet, and blogger
China 

In a period marked by increasing self-immolations and protests in Tibetan areas of China, Tsering Woeser has emerged as the most prominent Mainland activist speaking out publicly about human rights conditions for China's Tibetan citizens. Born in Lhasa, Tsering Woeser's website, Invisible Tibet, together with her poetry and non-fiction and her embrace of social media platforms like Twitter, have given voice to millions of ethnic Tibetans who are prevented from expressing themselves to the outside world due to government efforts to curtail the flow of information.

This screenshot was taken on March 12, and shows that a Baidu News search for "Woeser International Women of Courage Award" (唯色 国际妇女勇气奖) returned no results.

This screenshot, also taken on March 12, shows that a search for "Woeser Invisible Tibet" (唯色 看不见的西藏) also returned no results, just a censorship notice.

The Global Times was not always unwilling to mention Woeser's name. Here is an excerpt from a 2011 article entitled "Tibet Seeks to Balance New and Old Values."

Tibet's economy has grown very fast during the past years, thanks partly to the completion of a railway to Lhasa and large mining projects. The region has seen a double-digit rise in GDP for the past eight years, with an average annual growth rate of 12.4 percent, according to Tibet's 2011 regional government work report. 

In the next five years, the central government will invest 300 billion yuan in Tibet, Hao Peng, deputy governor of the autonomous region, announced on September 12.
As Tibet's prosperity grows, the government believes that hearts and minds will follow, but modernization still represents a serious challenge for some.  

"Some ethnic Tibetans think much of the investment is designed to benefit a flood of Han immigrants, fearing that they will be left out of economic growth," Woeser, a Tibetan writer and poet, told the Global Times.

China's Search Engines Censor Searches Relating to 1959 Tibet Incident

According to an article entitled "Origin of the Name of Tibet" posted on the web site of the state-sponsored China Tibet Information Center:

In the Tang Dynasty, the Tibetans called themselves "Bo." The earliest written record of "Tubo" in Chinese can be found in the The Chronicles of Tubo in the New History of the Tang Dynasty. Af first, Tubo referred to the area of present-day Tibet. Later, with the burgeoning of the Tubo Kingdom, the name referred to the area comprised of Tibet, Qinghai, and Xikang. Eventually, the entire Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was called Tubo.

According to an article entitled "The Truth About the 1959 Tibet Rebellion" posted on the web site of the Communist Party sponsored China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification (中国和平统一促进会):

Shortly after 8:00 am on March 10, 1959, chaos broke out on the streets of Lhasa. People were running around tearfully telling each other, “Go to the Norbu Linkha and protect the Dalai Lama. The Han people are going to take him away.” To the Tibetan people, who are devout Buddhists, this cry was like a bomb going off. Thereupon, people rushed to the Norbu Linkha with their hearts filled with shock, perplexity and terror. They surrounded it in the name of protecting the Dalai Lama, thereby lifting the curtain on armed rebellion. This situation rapidly developed into the full-scale armed rebellion now known as the March 10, 1959 Incident.

These screenshots were taken on March 11, 2013, and show that searches for "Tubo Rebellion" (图博抗暴) on Baidu, Qihoo 360, Soso, and Yahoo.cn returned no results, just censorship notices.

Official: No Tibetan Residents Have Self-Immolated in Tibet

On March 3, 2013, the People's Daily web site published an English language Xinhua report entitled "No Local Residents, Monks, Nuns Self-Immolate in Tibet: Official." Some excerpts:

No local residents, monks or nuns in Tibet Autonomous Region have self-immolated so far, despite a string of similar incidents in neighboring Tibetan-inhabited regions, said a Tibetan official.
"People in Tibet including monks and nuns deserve a happy life. They cherish life and love the society and the country," said Padma Choling (白玛赤林), deputy secretary of the regional committee of the Communist Party of China.
. . . .
Multiple deadly self-immolation cases have happened since 2011 in regions predominantly inhabited by Tibetans in Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu provinces. 

The People's Daily also report the official's statement in a March 4 Chinese language report entitled "Padma Choling: The Key to Tibetan Development Lies in Taking Good Care of Our Own Affairs"  (白玛赤林：西藏发展关键是把自己的事情办好)

On May 28, 2012, Xinhua published an English language report entitled "One dead in pair of self-immolations in Lhasa." Some excerpts:

Two Tibetan men set themselves on fire on a well-known market street in downtown Lhasa Sunday afternoon, leaving one dead and the other seriously injured. 

Dargye, from Aba county in the Tibetan area of southwest China's Sichuan province, and Tobgye Tseten, from Xiahe county in a Tibetan community of the country's northwestern Gansu province, attempted the self-immolations at 2:16 pm on Pargor Street in the heart of Lhasa, the publicity department of Tibet's regional committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said in a press release early Monday.

This screenshot shows that the story, originally available at this URL - http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-05/28/c_131615307.htm, was subsequently deleted.

These screenshots show that as of 5 pm on May 28, 2012, a search on Sina Weibo for "self-immolation" (自焚) returned millions of results. The same search done several hours later only returned a notice saying "In accordance with relevant laws, regulations, and policies, search results for 'self-immolation' have not been displayed." (根据相关法律法规和政策，“自焚”搜索结果未予显示).

Sina eventually stopped censoring searches for "self-immolation," but on August 21, 2012, Xinhua reported that according to a survey by the state-sponsored China Central Television, Lhasa topped the list of "the happiest cities in China in 2012." Shortly after that report came out Sina once again began censoring searches for "self-immolation." See: http://blog.feichangdao.com/2012/09/after-cctv-names-lhasa-chinas-happiest.html.

These screenshots, taken on March 6, 2013, shows that while Baidu apparently does not censor search results for either "Lhasa" or "Self-Immolation," it restricts search results for "Lhasa Self-Immolation" (拉萨 自焚) to its strict white list comprised of about a dozen web sites controlled by the central government and the Communist Party.

This screenshot, taken the same day shows, however, that Baidu does not appear to censoring that phrase for its image search product.