DATELINE: HONG KONG

Articles written by dissidents are not to be published: China's Central Propaganda Department.
Introduction: After the Chinese Communist Party's sixth plenary session in 1996, the Central Propaganda Department promulgated eight new regulations for the mainland media. They are cited by Index on Censorship 1/97, Issue 174, page 71.
In order to guarantee unity of thinking and to avoid a negative impact on political stability, all sensitive issues, such as the campaign to protect the Daiyou islands or the overseas democracy movement, are not to be covered.

All cases which have a significant impact or wide involvement should not be reported, such as the case of the former secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee, Chen Zitong, or the case of the Zhou Beifang of the Capital Iron and Steel Works.

There have been more than 10,000 cases of demonstrations and pretests in the urban and rural areas within this past year. All of these are not to be covered.

Articles written by dissidents are not to be covered.

Propaganda departments of different levels must strengthen supervision over publication units: those that violate the regulations must be dealt with severely.

When reporting on issues concerning Hong Kong, the media must act in accordance with policy formulated by the Party Central Committee.

When reporting on state affairs, the media must not reveal state secrets.

 

 

Alan Knight

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