The next censorship directions, issued to the media by authorities authorities, have been leaked and distributed on-line. The title of the issuing physique has been omitted to guard the supply.
Relating to the heavy rain placing Henan and different locations, shift the main focus of reporting towards post-disaster restoration. With out prior permission, don’t publish unauthorized pictures displaying lifeless our bodies, take an exaggeratedly sorrowful tone, or hype or draw connections to previous occasions. Strictly adhere to authoritative info with regard to statistics on casualties or property injury.
Don’t report on the Zheng Shuang tax case.
This morning, the State Council will maintain a press convention on tracing the origins of COVID-19. Don’t report. (July 23, 2021) [Chinese]
Terribly heavy rainfall triggered large flooding in Henan this week. The confirmed demise toll in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, rose to 51 on Friday, with one other 400,000 displaced and injury amounting to $10 billion {dollars}. The state of affairs in rural areas stays unclear, however is more likely to be worse. CDT compiled an outline on Thursday of English-language information and social media protection, highlighting an extra choice of posts from CDT Chinese language. Pure disasters are a perennial focus of censors in China, significantly resulting from frequent criticism of official preparations or responses. For extra on official dealing with of pure disasters and their aftermaths, see CDT’s interview with historian Jeremy Brown.
Actor Zheng Shuang was on the centre of two main scandals earlier this yr, one involving the alleged abandonment of two kids born to surrogate moms in the US, and the opposite over alleged tax evasion and contract fraud. On Monday, Zheng broke a months-long silence on Weibo, promising “to just accept criticisms from all sides and consciously mirror on my errors,” and “to make up the shortfall if there are errors attributable to my negligence or unprofessionalism. I hope the tax authorities can accord me due course of and never be influenced by the surrogacy incident.” Such due course of isn’t assured: regulation professor Donald Clarke famous concerning the same case in opposition to megastar Fan Bingbing in 2018 that “in line with the Chinese language authorities’s personal story, that is an unusual case of tax evasion by a wealthy individual. And but even on this unusual case, the state couldn’t handle to observe its personal guidelines.” CDT printed a number of directives associated to the Fan Bingbing case, two governing stories and feedback on leisure business “yin-yang contract” tax evasion, and a 3rd forbidding vital commentary on subsequent tax assortment modifications.
Additionally this week, Chinese language authorities rejected plans from the World Well being Group for additional investigation of the COVID-19 pandemic’s origins.
Since directives are generally communicated orally to journalists and editors, who then leak them on-line, the wording printed right here might not be actual. Some directions are issued by native authorities or to particular sectors, and will not apply universally throughout China. The date given could point out when the directive was leaked, fairly than when it was issued. CDT does its utmost to confirm dates and wording, but additionally takes precautions to guard the supply. See CDT’s assortment of Directives from the Ministry of Fact since 2011.
