Chinese watchdog closes blogging accounts of ex-tycoon critical of President Xi Jinping’s comments
Ren Zhiqiang said state media were funded by taxpayers and should serve the public – not Communist Party – after Xi urged them to align themselves with party leadership
China’s internet watchdog has shut down the microblogging accounts of outspoken former property tycoon Ren Zhiqiang after he posted remarks criticising comments by President Xi Jinping.
READ MORE: Outspoken Chinese tycoon comes under fire for attacking Xi Jinping’s lecture to the media
The Cyberspace Administration of China gave the order on Sunday, saying that Ren’s weibo accounts on the Sina and Tencent platforms had to be closed after spreading “illegal messages that had a vile impact”.
The move has triggered fresh concerns over freedom of speech on the mainland with authorities moving to silence criticisms and step up controls on the media.
The cyberspace administration did not specific which of Ren’s messages were illegal, saying only that the decision was made following complaints by internet users.
Information service providers and internet users had to stick to the law and the fundamentals of socialism, watchdog spokesman Jiang Jun said on Sunday.
He said renowned online celebrities should “spread positive energy”.