Play up economic success, China’s ideology tsar Cai Qi tells propaganda chiefs

Name: Xi urges confidence in China’s economy in televised New Year’s Eve message
Uploaded: 2025-01-06T04:00:08.000Z
Duration: 1 min 12 s
Description: Xi urges confidence in China’s economy in televised New Year’s Eve message

Instructions follow the silencing online of some economic critics questioning the national outlook

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China’s propaganda officials have been instructed to push a positive message about the economy. Photo: AFP

Yuanyue Dangin Beijing

Published: 12:00pm, 6 Jan 2025

China’s ideology tsar has asked the nation’s propaganda officials to step up promotion of China’s economic achievements – just weeks after a number of analysts criticised the country’s performance.

“[Officials] should adhere to the correct orientation of public opinion, strengthen economic promotion and management of expectations, improve the ability to respond to public opinion, and create a united and progressive mainstream public opinion,” Cai Qi told a conference attended by the country’s propaganda chiefs on Friday and Saturday.

Cai, who ranks fifth in the ruling Communist Party hierarchy, is a member of the powerful Politburo Standing Committee and director of the party’s general office, making him President Xi Jinping’s chief of staff.

Cai is responsible for China’s ideology, culture and internet regulation.

According to a report by state news agency Xinhua on Saturday night, Cai also reminded officials of their general mission to “consolidate and strengthen mainstream ideological opinion, promote socialist core values, deepen reform of the cultural system and mechanisms, and build a more effective international communication system”.

Xinhua added that Li Shulei, head of the party’s central propaganda department, had given work orders to his subordinates based on Cai’s instructions.

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Xi urges confidence in China’s economy in televised New Year’s Eve message