Multiple sources have reported that Chinese authorities are removing negative economic coverage.REUTERS/Denis BalibouseAccording to The New York Times, China is deleting negative economic coverage of the country.The Ministry of State Security in China has warned citizens not to be influenced by “false narratives” about the economy.Beijing has been dealing with challenges in its property sector, deflation, and a decrease in global investor interest.Reports from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal this week have detailed efforts by Chinese authorities to remove negative opinions on its economy.As per the NYT, The Ministry of State Security announced on its official WeChat account that citizens should not believe the “false narratives” about China’s trajectory, and instead trust in President Xi Jinping’s vision.According to the report, Beijing has been censoring social media and news articles from financial experts and economists who express a pessimistic view. The WSJ similarly reported that some of the nation’s top officials have stressed the importance of promoting the “bright prospects of China’s economy.”At the same time, officials remain optimistic about growth this year, despite the economy facing various challenges such as a struggling real estate sector, stock market declines, deflation, and youth unemployment.The recent censorship highlights Beijing policymakers’ concerns about national security and external perception, and raises questions about how threats are defined.In one example mentioned by The WSJ, an article from a Beijing-based outlet that called for more direct state intervention in addressing economic challenges was removed from the website within hours of its publication. Additionally, economist Li Xunlei from state-owned Zhongtai Securities published a column about the difficulties faced by lower-income families, which also disappeared shortly after it was published, with a message appearing to those trying to access it on Li’s WeChat account saying “The content can’t be viewed due to violation of regulations.”The NYT stated that the platform Weibo had limited dozens of accounts from posting after they shared negative economic realities with other users. The platform also warned its users in November not to be “maliciously pessimistic” about China’s economy.Beijing’s challenges go beyond media discussions. Experts have told Business Insider in recent weeks that the negative narrative on China has become deeply ingrained, and that authorities have limited chances of generating a recovery in the near term. Read the original article on Business Insider
