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Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at a meeting with a group of intellectuals, model workers and young representatives in Hefei, Anhui Province. Photo: Xinhua

‘We must fully trust intellectuals’: China’s President Xi Jinping calls for tolerance of dissent

Moderate remarks by the Communist Party chief in recent weeks are in sharp contrast to high-handed policies

In a rare move, President and Communist Party chief Xi Jinping has called to embrace intellectuals and tolerate dissenting voices among them.

“We must fully trust [our] intellectuals,” Xi told a gathering this week of a group of 70 leading intellectuals, model workers and youth representatives from across the country.

The meeting with intellectuals was held on Tuesday in the eastern province of Anhui, where Xi was on an inspection tour.

It also marked International Labour Day, which falls ­on Monday, and Youth Day next Wednesday, state media ­reported yesterday.

[We] must take initiative to seek their views and suggestions on policy making, and [we] must welcome their criticism
Xi Jinping, President and Communist Party chief

Xi’s remarks came ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Cultural Revolution, in which many of the country’s intellectuals were persecuted, on May 16.

Xi said that party and government officials should tolerate dissenting voices from intellectuals, even if some of their “views and criticisms are prejudiced and incorrect”. He said that officials should not take action or punish intellectuals who criticised the government and its policies.

The remarks are a sharp contrast to some of the authorities’ high-handed policies in recent years, including crackdowns on political dissent and human rights activists, clampdowns on academic and press freedomsand increasing ideological controls.

In recent weeks, Xi has made a few moderate remarks.

Last week during a conference on cyberspace policy he called for greater tolerance of “well-intentioned” criticism online. He urged officials to pay heed to public grievances aired on the internet.

The plea was contrary to his administration’s imposition of strict censorship of social media, and shutting down of any account airing views deemed out of line.

Property tycoon Ren Zhiqiang’s social media account was blocked in February after he questioned Xi’s demand for state media to pledge absolute loyalty to the party.

Xi urged officials to become “true friends of intellectuals,” saying this was a very important task for the party.

“[We] must take initiative to seek their views and suggestions on policy making, and [we] must welcome their criticism,” said the president.

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