This month the Weibo account Weibo Finance, which has more than 1.5 million followers, issued an instruction against posting any comments “that bad-mouth the economy”. The post appears to have since been deleted. Bloomberg reported that several other finance influencers had been told by Weibo to “avoid crossing red lines” and to post less about the economy. Weibo did not reply to a request for comment.
Topics that are considered increasingly sensitive in China’s economy include record high youth unemployment figures (the government stopped publishing this data in August), deflation, the struggling property sector and capital flight.
The restrictions have been building for some time. In June, three finance commentators, one of whom had 4.7 million Weibo followers, were blocked by the platform as a punishment for “hyping up the unemployment rate, spreading negative information … [and] smearing the development of the securities market”.
Dan Wang, the chief economist at Hang Seng Bank, said “the number one sensitive issue now” was foreign investment, because of its links to cross-border capital flows.
What a case of “the beating will continue until morale improves.”
two things are certain: the Chinese people will suffer, and there will be many scapegoats found within the government - people suspected of collaborating with Western spies, for example - to make examples of so that Xi is not at fault…
It’s so hilarious seeing them just plain state that people aren’t allowed to talk about normal-ass stuff if the government doesn’t like it, and then seeing people online who try to defend them.
Fuck Lenin for turning a philosophy of freedom and cooperation and consensus into just another tool of State/authoritarian power.
bUt It’S nOt PrAcTiCaL oThErWiSe
No, you’re just scared of what it would actually look like. Lots of supposed Communists who are scared of the whole “stateless” part meaning they can’t finagle their way into power, or who just want the revolution as a vehicle to change who is in power (i.e. them).
/rant
if they’re so scared of the truth, the news must be really bad i guess… and such varied topics as well: real estate, youth unemployment, stagflation, capital fleeing the dictatorship because of fears of asset seizure… so many problems and nobody can talk about them… but China is a big place, maybe they can just bury the problems somewhere in a big Chinese hole… or lock them up in a camp in Xinjiang…
If we pretend it’s not happening the problem will go away.
China’s December factory activity likely contracted for third month
The official purchasing managers’ index (PMI) likely was at 49.5 in December from last month’s 49.4, according to the median forecast of 24 economists in a poll conducted Dec 22-28. The 50-point mark separates growth from contraction.
“China cracks down on negativity in bid to boost confidence” what a world we live in
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China is cracking down on negative commentary about the financial market and other sectors as the authorities seek to boost public confidence despite challenging economic headwinds.
Topics that are considered increasingly sensitive in China’s economy include record high youth unemployment figures (the government stopped publishing this data in August), deflation, the struggling property sector and capital flight.
In June, three finance commentators, one of whom had 4.7 million Weibo followers, were blocked by the platform as a punishment for “hyping up the unemployment rate, spreading negative information … [and] smearing the development of the securities market”.
Dan Wang, the chief economist at Hang Seng Bank, said “the number one sensitive issue now” was foreign investment, because of its links to cross-border capital flows.
Evergrande, once China’s biggest developer, is in the midst of a painful debt restructuring process, while Country Garden, its main rival, defaulted in October.
There is also pressure on economists in Hong Kong to be optimistic about the mainland economy, although analysts say this is a long-term trend and one that comes from a general atmosphere of deference to Beijing rather than specific instructions.
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So China can meddle in the sentiment and politics of america but they are scared of the same happening to them?
I hope they choke on a bag of dicks. Taiwan should invade while China is so weak so they can reunify one China under its proper leadership.
