China shut down the social media accounts of an influential property developer after he criticized China’s recent campaign to control state-run media

Ren Zhiqiang, an influential retired property developer in China, had his social media accounts shut down by the Chinese government after he criticized the Chinese president’s plan to tighten control over state-run media. Zhiqiang had more than 37 million followers on popular Chinese social network Weibo. Chinese president Xi Jinping has exerted control over state-run media in China recently by “jailing reporters, detaining influential Internet commentators and passing rules to keep party members from criticizing the leadership.”

+ Earlier: China is also looking to further control foreign media by requiring foreign-owned publishers to receive approval before publishing online in the country

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from American Press Institute http://ift.tt/1WS61uh