COMMUNIST party leaders Jiang Zemin and Ding Guan'gen have masterminded a campaign to tighten control over ideology and the media.
Chinese sources said yesterday Mr Jiang and Mr Ding, respectively party General Secretary and Propaganda Chief, had tried to put the lid on news coverage of sensitive subjects as well as liberal cultural productions.
In internal meetings with propaganda officials in past weeks, Mr Ding, acting on instructions from Mr Jiang, asked the cadres to concentrate on ''positive developments'' and to avoid issues that show the Communist Party in a poor light.
Editors have been ordered to impose a news blackout on the trial of Yu Zuomin, the head of the Daqiuzhuang rural-enterprise conglomerate arrested last month.
A Western diplomat said: ''The party authorities have decided Yu, reportedly a crony of the Deng family, would only be charged with the light offence of obstructing police actions.
''They fear widespread reporting of the Yu case might expose his links with party elders.'' The editors were also asked to refrain from commenting on rumours that a senior executive with the Capital Iron and Steel Works might soon be subjected to investigations.
Another taboo subject is the alleged connections between senior ministers and the heads of the liquidated Changcheng group of manufacturers of mechanical and electrical appliances.
