State Media Publishes List of Banned Video Apps

On October 15, 2015, several state sponsored news outlets - such as China.com.cn and China National Radio - published an article entitled “GAPPRFT Announces 81 Illegal Video Apps, Fengyun Broadcasting Tops the List” (广电总局公布81个非法视频软件 风云直播上榜). The reports included an image that was posted on Sina Weibo by “Television Eyes” (电视眼 - http://weibo.com/tvread).

The Sina Weibo post was subsequently deleted, but the image showed a table entitled “List of Illegal Video Clients (Mobile Clients)” (非法视频类客户端软件名单) listing 81 apps listed along with app stores on which they were available and a column titled: “suspected illegal and harmful content broadcasted” (涉嫌传播的违规有害内容).

Five of the video apps were cited for “Providing the Hong Kong ‘SunTv Satellite’ politically harmful documentary ‘National Martyr’ video program” (提供香港“阳光卫视”政治有害纪律片“国殇”音频节目).

Some other examples of banned apps and the legal justification:

• Fengyun: Providing Hong Kong Phoenix News, Vietnam-BPTV1 and other overseas video platform live broadcasting services.
• Kaixun: Providing UK BBC, Hong Kong Phoenix News live broadcasts.
• Xigua Video: Providing Hong Kong HKS Channel live broadcast service.
• Mobile TV Broadcasting: Providing Taiwan Hongguan Satellite Television live broadcast service.
• 91 Watch TV: Providing Japan CGNTV live broadcasts.
• Fast Hand Downloads: Providing Japan NHK documentary “Century Factory, Changing China.”
• GoGo TV: Providing United States “Voice of America” and other overseas television live broadcast programs.
• Muslim TV: Providing “Islam Channel” and other overseas television live broadcast programs.

Original Sina Weibo Post: http://weibo.com/1806201972/CF1hhAKAZ

Southern Group’s Expression of Support for Journalist Liu Wei Deleted, Baidu Censors "Southern Metropolitan Reporter Liu Wei"

On October 16, 2015, the state sponsored Beijing News published an article entitled "Southern Metropolitan Daily Responds to Criminal Detention of Journalist Liu Wei on Suspicion of Illegally Obtaining State Secrets" (南都回应记者刘伟涉非法获取国家秘密罪被刑拘). Some excerpts:

This afternoon (October 16), Beijing News reporters (Weixin ID: bjnews_xjb) received information that Liu Wei, deputy editor of investigative reporting at the Southern Metropolitan Daily, had been held under criminal detention by Jiangxi police for eight days. According to people close to Liu Wei, at around 8:00 in the evening on October 8, Liu Wei left his home in Chengdu to head to the airport to fly to Beijing. After 10:00 pm that evening, contact with Liu Wei was lost.
. . . .
Beginning in 2013, Liu Wei began reporting on the Wang Lin affair. On October 23 of that year, the Southern Metropolitan Investigative Weekly published a four page report on the affair. Liu Wei was named the Southern Publishing's Group's Journalist of the Year in 2014.
. . . .
At 10:00 pm this evening, this reporter called Southern Metropolitan Publishing, which said the following:

1. Liu Wei is a senior investigative reporter with this news organization, and was assigned by us to investigate and report on news relating to the case of Wang Lin's suspected criminal activity. All of his interviews, reporting, and researching into Wang Lin's case was done entirely in his professional capacity in the execution of work related responsibilities. This news organization has provided a formal response to the Jiangxi police on October 9.

2. This news organization was deeply shocked and surprised that Liu Wei would be faced with deprivation of his liberty for carrying out his professional responsibilities. We immediately undertook emergency measures and got to work assisting Liu Wei's family to retain defense counsel in order to safeguard the legal interests owed to a journalist.

3. This news organization has already reported the situation to the relevant agencies, and have assigned people to accompany family members and legal counsel to Pingxiang, Jiangxi. On October 13, legal counsel wen to the jail to speak with Liu Wei. On October 14, family and legal counsel twice submitted applications for bail, but were denied by police both times.

4. This news organization will be following developments in this case closely, and will actively cooperate with the investigations by relevant agencies. We hope that the police will handle the case in accordance with the law, and will make information about the case public in a timely manner in accordance with the law.

今日(10月16日)下午，新京报(微信ID：bjnews_xjb)记者获悉，南方都市报深度报道部副主编刘伟已被江西警方刑拘8天。据刘伟的身边人透露，10月8日晚8时许，刘伟从成都家中离开，赶赴机场，要从成都飞往北京。但晚上10时后，刘伟失联。
. . . .
从2013年开始，刘伟介入王林事件报道。当年10月23日，南都深度周刊对此事件进行了4个整版报道。刘伟获2014年南方报业年度记者。
. . . .
今晚22时，记者致电南方都市报社，其报社回应称：
　　
一、刘伟系本报深度新闻部记者，受单位委派，调查采访王林涉嫌刑事责任案件的相关新闻，其对王林案的采访、报道、持续关注等，均属履行工作职责的职务行为，本报10月9日已向江西警方正式反馈;
　　
二、刘伟因履行职务而陷入丧失人身自由的困境，本报深感震惊和意外，立即启动应急程序，紧急展开相关工作，帮助刘伟家属聘请辩护律师，维护记者正当的合法权益;
　　
三、本报已向上级和有关部门及时通报相关情况，并派员陪同家属和律师赴江西萍乡等地，10月13日律师到看守所会见刘伟;10日和14日，家属、律师先后两次递交取保候审申请，均被警方拒绝;
　　
四、本报高度关注事件后续进展，积极配合有关部门的调查，希望警方依法办案，及时依法公开案件信息。

These screenshots show that the report was deleted the day after it was published.

This screeenshot was taken on October 19, and shows that Baidu was censoring search results for "Southern Metropolitan Reporter Liu Wei" (南都记者刘伟).

Baidu and Sina Block Discussion of Magna Carta

On October 16, 2015, the state sponsored Global Times published an article entitled “Magna Carta Moved to British Embassy for Practical Reasons: FCO.” Some excerpts:

Tian Dewen
Credit: CASS

British authorities on Thursday said that relocating the Magna Carta display from the
Renmin University of China to the British Embassy in Beijing was because of "administrative and logistical practicalities."
. . . .
The embassy first announced, via its official WeChat account, on October 9, that it would display the document at the Renmin University from Tuesday to Thursday. It later issued a notice changing the display location to the British ambassador's residence one day before the exhibition was due to open.

The abrupt change sparked speculation from Western media, with some reporting that the Chinese authorities blocked the exhibition at the Renmin University of China.
. . . .
There has been no speculation on the location change in the Chinese media.

Observers believed that there was no need to speculate on the location change, as it is common for cultural relic exhibitions.

"The Western media over-interpreted the change, and it's not necessary," Tian Dewen (田德文), a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

These screenshots were taken on October 16, 2015, and show that Baidu had banned users from establishing a PostBar (Tieba 贴吧) forum on the Magna Carta (大宪章), and a search for “Magna Carta” on Sina Weibo returns no results, just a censorship notice.

Baidu Search Results for "Ai Weiwei Listening Devices" Disappear

On October 4, 2015, Ai Weiwei (艾未未) posted the following photos on his Instagram page.

These screenshots show that on October 7, 2015, Baidu claimed it could no longer find any search results for the phrase "Ai Weiwei Listening Devices" (艾未未 监听设备), even though on the previous day it was able to find over 500 results, including the results headed "Listening Devices Discovered in Ai Weiwei's Workshop" (艾未未工作室发现监听设备).

This screenshot, also taken on October 7, 2015, shows that when a user searched for "Ai Weiwei Monitored" (艾未未 监听), Baidu displayed a censorship notice, and none of the 3 results returned appeared to contained that phrase.

These screenshots, also taken on October 7, 2015, show that users were not being permitted to discuss Ai Weiwei on either Sina Weibo or Baidu PostBar (Tieba 贴吧).

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.

Xi Jinping Says China "Open to Foreign Media," China's Government and Search Engines Block Access to Foreign Media

On September 19, 2015, the state sponsored China Daily published an article entitled “Xi says China Open to Foreign Media, Eyeing Closer Co-Op with US.” Some excerpts:

President Xi Jinping on Friday said China will continue to be open to foreign media and he looks forward to more cooperation and understanding between China and the United States.

"[We] welcome foreign media and correspondents to cover China stories, introducing China's development to the world, and helping the world grasp the opportunities [afforded by] China's development," Xi said as he met with Rupert Murdoch, executive chairman of News Corp. at the Great Hall of the People.

These screenshots were taken just prior to Xi’s trip, and show what people in China see when they try to access Reuters, Bloomberg, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Their connections are reset and the pages will not load.

These screenshots show the search results people get on three of China’s most popular search engines - Baidu, Qihoo, and Sogou - when they try to find information about Xi Jinping on the New York Time’s website.

This screenshot shows what users saw when performing the same search on the Bing search engine.

Baidu Begins Censoring "Liu Lefei" - Vice Chairman of CITIC

On August 31, 2015, the state sponsored China Daily published an article entitled “Journalist, Securities Regulatory Official Held for Stock Market Violation.” Some excerpts:

Xinhua also learned from authorities that Xu Gang, Liu Wei, Fang Qingli and Chen Rongjie, senior executives of the Citic Securities, China's leading securities dealer, have been put under "criminal compulsory measures" for suspected insider trading. They have also confessed to their violations.

On September 15, 2015, the China Daily published an article entitled “China Securities Executives Under Probe for Insider Trading.” Some excerpts:

The authorities have detained four executives from China's largest brokerage, CITIC Securities Co, a staff member of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, and a journalist from business magazine Caijing, in the latest moves to crack down on stock market violations.

The CITIC executives, who have confessed to their violations, were named as Xu Gang, Liu Wei, Fang Qingli and Chen Rongjie. They have been placed under "criminal compulsory measures" for suspected insider trading, reported Xinhua.

According to Baidu’s Encyclopedia (百科 Baike), since March 2014 Liu Lefei (刘乐飞)  has been a vice-chairman of CITIC (中信证券 -formerly the China International Trust and Investment Corporation).

Baidu’s Encyclopedia article does not mention who Liu Lefei’s father is.

These screenshots were taken on September 18, 2015, and show that Baidu was not censoring search results for “Liu Lefei,” but was censoring search results for “Liu Lefei Father” (刘乐飞 父亲) and “Liu Lefei Dad” (刘乐飞 爸爸).

These screenshots show that at some time between September 18 and September 21, Baidu began censoring search results for “Liu Lefei.”

This screenshot was taken on September 21, and shows search results on Baidu for “Liu Yunshan Liu Lefei” (刘云山 刘乐飞). There is only one result, from Xinhua, which makes no mention of any relationship between Liu Yunshan and Liu Lefei.