China cracks down online amid US free speech row
Beijing tightens its censorship grip as Washington goes to war with Europe on freedom of expression
Free speech is being kicked around like a political football as debates rage in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Other key European nations and global democracies are also grappling with polarization over what is, and what is not, acceptable.
In China, the situation is different, as free speech has effectively disappeared since the ruling Communist Party took power in 1949.
Yet that has not stopped the Cyberspace Affairs Commission from launching a new online crackdown that will reinforce the Great Firewall, which monitors internet content.
“A two-month nationwide campaign [will] address issues such as inciting confrontation and promoting violent or hostile sentiments online,” Global Times reported today.
“The aim [is to] foster a more civil and rational cyberspace environment … on social media, short-video, and live streaming platforms,” the state-run tabloid said.
The Communist Party maintains tight control over all aspects of life.
Freedom House
Freedom of expression:
- China ranked close to the bottom of the Freedom in the World 2025 report.
- It scored just nine out of a possible 100 when it came to political and civil rights.
Delve deeper: “China is ruled by a repressive regime. The Chinese Communist Party maintains tight control over all aspects of life and governance,” Freedom House stated.
Bottom line: “[That includes] the state bureaucracy, the media, online speech, religious practice, universities, businesses, and civil society,” the advocacy group pointed out.
Behind the news: This has helped Party leader Xi Jinping increase his grip on power to a degree not seen in China for decades, with civil society largely decimated.
Big picture: Sensitive subjects, such as the ailing economy and sky-high unemployment in the 20-something age group, are being targeted.
Why it matters: “What is unique about today is a sense that their hard work will not pay off,” Barclay Bram, at the Asia Society’s Center for China Analysis, said in a report.
Between the lines: “Against the backdrop of broken dreams of tens of millions of young Chinese, a shift in perceptions of inequality is occurring,” he wrote earlier this month.
China Factor comment: It is amazing the lengths the Communist Party will go to suppress the people of the People’s Republic of China.