Recently, the joint issuance of management measures for military platforms and accounts by the Chinese Communist Party’s Internet Information Office and ten other departments, controlling the dissemination of relevant military information, has sparked external attention. Analysts point out that the CCP’s speech control has entered its most stringent period, highlighting the intense infighting within the CCP’s military.
The Chinese Ministry of National Defense website announced on the 8th the “Internet Military Information Dissemination Management Measures,” which will come into effect on March 1. The “Measures” consist of 5 chapters and 30 articles, mainly regulating the establishment of internet military websites, military columns on website platforms, military accounts, and setting control provisions for the dissemination of military information on the internet.
For example, according to Article 13, Paragraph 2, only the production and dissemination of Xi Jinping Thought and the propaganda of the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission are allowed. It is prohibited to “disparage the party’s absolute leadership over the military and the Chairman of the Military Commission system,” spread political viewpoints like “depoliticizing and denationalizing the military.”
It is worth noting that the CCP has long emphasized the Chairman of the Military Commission system, which includes: the unified leadership and command of the national armed forces by the Chairman of the Military Commission; major issues regarding national defense and military construction are decided by the Chairman of the Military Commission; and the comprehensive work of the Central Military Commission is presided over and responsible by the Chairman.
The Xi Jinping Strong Military Thought Research Center directly stated in an article that one must “seriously study and implement the important instructions made by Chairman Xi on the party’s construction meeting, comprehensively and thoroughly implement the Chairman of the Military Commission system.”
However, rumors at the end of last year suggested that Xi Jinping’s power was unstable, and Vice Chairman of the Military Commission Zhang Yuxia had become the actual leader of the Military Commission. On December 9 last year, the CCP’s “PLA Daily” published a commentary titled “Insisting on Collective Leadership,” emphasizing from the beginning that “collective leadership” is one of the highest principles of CCP leadership.
On November 28 last year, Miao Hua, a member of the CCP Central Military Commission and Director of the Political Work Department of the Military Commission, was suspended from duty for suspected serious violations of discipline. Miao Hua is an important confidant of Xi Jinping in the military and one of the key figures assisting Xi in controlling the military power.
Shen Mingshi, a researcher at the Taiwan Security Research Institute, stated in an interview with Epoch Times that it is apparent that there are some disagreements or divisions between Xi Jinping and the military. Therefore, in order to unify ideology, he has implemented such dissemination management measures. To prevent some individuals from using the media to spread inconsistent messages, or for so-called military experts to disclose more weaknesses related to the CCP military.
“Many sensitive journals or relevant conference materials have already been banned from being made public by the CCP, but this time it is tightening control over online information, because the dissemination of related information is very fast, reaching overseas or the United States all of a sudden, and we don’t know if it’s true or false. However, after discussions, we found out, or a month or two later, it proved to be true. At the end of last year, when many units were conducting political studies, the propaganda signs behind them read ‘collective leadership,’ ‘decisions made during meetings.'”
Shen Mingshi believes that this “Measure” covers all the units involved, also avoiding a single organization taking the lead in publishing, preventing it from being overly politically colored. However, it is evident that this is largely led by the Central Military Commission Political Work Department and the Central Military Commission Political and Legal Committee.
The new regulations specifically mention prohibiting the dissemination of undisclosed matters related to military organization, discipline inspection and supervision, political and legal affairs, audit work, etc.
In response to this, former mainland journalist Zhao Lanjian stated in an interview with Epoch Times that in Xi Jinping’s campaign to clean up the military, certain information has been leaked to the outside world by internal personnel and family members of the military. This has had a certain impact on Xi Jinping’s personal image, as well as on the entire CCP military. To prevent further discussion by the ordinary people about the next steps, he is taking this strict method to suppress people’s voices, paving the way for his next military actions.
“For example, if Xi Jinping wants to attack Taiwan, he is afraid that some information may be leaked in advance by the public, so he is taking this method of suppressing the people’s voices. This level of cruelty may be unprecedented in Chinese history.”
According to the new regulations, military accounts refer to online accounts registered or changed to military categories, mainly used to disseminate military information, including internet sites, applications, mini-programs, forums, blogs, microblogs, public accounts, instant messaging tools, online live broadcasts, short videos, online audio, etc.
There are verification requirements for opening military accounts, including verifying the qualifications of relevant organizations, individuals, verifying their real identity information, reporting to the local Internet Information Department and the political work department of the provincial military region. If it involves defense science and technology industry, it must also be reported to the competent authority of the defense science and technology industry.
In case of violations, the responsible departments such as internet information, telecommunications, public security, national security, etc., will handle within their scope of responsibility; impose public security management sanctions; and criminally prosecute as per law. If it involves military units or military personnel, it will be transferred to the relevant departments of the military for processing.
Zhao Lanjian believes that this is a concrete implementation method of the new round of crackdown on freedom of speech by the CCP, which will make military enthusiasts in China disappear and turn this vast group into a state of terror, putting an end to public discussions on any military matters. This is a concrete manifestation of the worsening situation in China, the deterioration of freedom of speech.
Regarding the era of self-media and the harsh control implemented by the CCP, the outside world believes that this is evidence of the increasingly precarious state of the CCP regime.
Zhao Lanjian stated that precisely because the CCP regime now clearly feels that its political position is unstable, any slight movement from the public could trigger a chain reaction. Therefore, it has implemented stricter control methods under this situation.
Shen Mingshi also believes that this illustrates the chaos and many weaknesses within the CCP internally. However, for the sake of maintaining face and preventing foreign imaginary foes from understanding its fatal weaknesses, on the one hand, it prevents the people from knowing this information, questioning Xi Jinping’s regime, questioning the Communist Party’s rule, causing more resistance and rights protection incidents, and affecting the stability of the CCP regime.
Shen Mingshi stated that this is very difficult to eradicate. By managing in this way, social media and self-media may become pro-establishment, but various self-media will still develop through their own methods. Some may from overseas, getting into mainland China in some way, and some may originate from mainland China, spreading to overseas, and then back to mainland China.
“In fact, as a government, you should clarify the situation, you should not say that you are afraid of what others say, or afraid of people’s comments. Therefore, one should be more aware of some ‘pseudo-correct’ things; this is unlikely to happen, especially in the era of online communication.”
Zhao Lanjian also believes that no dam can stop an upcoming flood; it will eventually collapse in a towering wave. The same is with this information Great Wall. The amount of data it monitors and its suppression of public anger will sooner or later collapse. Naturally, in terms of human society’s resistance to suppression, there will be more powerful retaliatory measures. In other words, this type of information control cannot completely stifle people’s expectations and discussions on the future.
“But once it focuses on a certain position, due to current monitoring, every IP is recorded, so in the future, some people may suffer from CCP’s malicious control, but this kind of public speech cannot be completely controlled.”