China Silences Opposition

This week, as reported by the BBC, China televised the confessions of several booksellers who had recently disappeared from their stores in Hong Kong. Collectively, they publicly admitted to selling thousands of unauthorized books to hundreds of customers, including several  about Chinese President Xi Jinping. These broadcast confessions and declarations of remorse have caused concern amongst some about the direction of China’s political system.

In addition to the bookseller confessions, President Xi recently visited China’s main media broadcasters. As the New York Times reports, he declared, “all news…must work to speak for the party’s will and its propositions, and protect the Party’s authority and unity.” Beyond this, China’s upcoming Five Year Plan’s most recent draft outline proposes to “build a more comprehensive national security system” as Xinhua reports. Each of these actions, in tandem, augment what might otherwise seem like a one-off scenario.

Although Chinese officials such as Wang Yukai, a pro-government academic, dismiss such worries, the Communist Party has reason to seek to rally support. China’s economic slowdown has been a topic of discussion for some time, as have its various actions to shore up its military security in the South China Sea. Therefore, it is entirely plausible that President Xi feels pressure to rally support at home to head off potential civil unrest. Regardless of motive, clearly China’s actions in the weeks and months ahead will continue to have a profound impact on its region and the world at large.