According to an insider familiar with the situation, the most recent issue of China’s leading business journal, Caijing, was pulled after pressure from a prominent businessman prompted the Information Office of the National People’s Congress to request the issue be submitted for approval and its circulation postponed. CMP has not been able to confirm the account with other sources. [Coverage of pulled issue at WSJ]. [BELOW: Screenshot of Caijing Website, March 12, 2007].
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According to the source, the director of a Chinese firm was upset after a critical report appeared in Caijing earlier this year, and “rallied substantial strength in order to persuade Caijing” [to desist from further reporting on the story in question]. When Caijing refused to cooperate, the businessman “sought an opportunity for payback”, the source said.
The source claims the Chinese director used (动用了) the Information Office of the National People’s Congress to move against Caijing, saying its cover story for the March 5 issue, concerning China’s sensitive property law, had not been examined and approved.
Four or five days after Caijing submitted its issue for approval, authorities said “relevant articles had already been examined and approved, and no problems found”, the source said. But considering the interests of readers and advertising clients, Caijing had begun producing an alternative issue of the magazine as soon as it got wind of the NPC request for approval.
The source said the second version of Caijing — minus the original cover story — was circulating, but that the original issue had been destroyed by Chinese police.
MORE SOURCES:
“China reneges on media freedom“, The Australian, March 12, 2007
[Posted by David Bandurski, March 12, 2007, 12:37pm]