So far, editors at China’s leading business magazine, Caijing, have not come forward to comment on the pulling of the publication’s latest issue this week [WSJ coverage]. But the word on the street, according to a CMP source within the financial media, is that an insider at Caijing tipped propaganda authorities off to the existence of sensitive reports on the property law formally presented to China’s legislature this week and on the bankrupty of Luneng Group, a government-controlled brokerage firm. [BELOW: Screenshot from Caijing’s Website of the March 5 Caijing issue which never reached newsstands, showing stories not including the feature on the property law].
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Caijing‘s editor-in-chief, Hu Shuli (胡舒立), is currently in the United States, according to Hong Kong’s Ming Pao Daily, and production of the March 5 issue was in the hands of managing editor Yang Daming (杨大明).
This is not the first time an issue of Caijing has been pulled. Following a series of bold issues on the outbreak of SARS in 2003, Caijing planned a SARS retrospective issue for June 20, 2003, that sought perspectives on SARS from leading thinkers such as acclaimed economist Wu Jinglian and former People’s Daily editor Zhou Ruijin [ESWN on Zhou Ruijin]. The cover series was to be called “SARS Must Change China”, but was pulled following a June 13 closed meeting in which top propaganda officials tightened the reigns on the media by disciplining 10 publications, including Caijing.
More Sources:
“China Introduces Property Law/Business Magazine is Pulled“, Wall Street Journal, March 9, 2007
Caijing Magazine Official Website
CMP on Sensitive Reports on Zhou Ruijin in December 2006
Zhou Ruijin on the need for political reform, Feb. 2007
[Posted by David Bandurski, March 9, 2007, 6:03pm]