In May 2013, Chinese economist Mao Yushi (茅于轼)) warned that China was in the midst of a “leftist revival”. Mao Yushi’s remarks, which stem in part from verbal attacks he has received from leftists in recent weeks and a hardline editorial directed at him in the Global Times newspaper, also come against the backdrop of an apparent ideological tightening in China. Recent events in China have raised concerns that the new leadership under President Xi Jinping is taking a leftward turn. In January 2013, Xi warned against attacks on the legacy of Mao Zedong, suggesting this could undermine the Chinese Communist Party and create chaos in China. The following cartoon, posted by artist Zhu Senlin (朱森林) to Sina Weibo, shows a dangerous mountain road (a reference, apparently, to the difficulty of China’s present path). A bridge on the road has collapsed, but instead of repairing it, two workers roll out a red carpet (leftist Party ideology) to expediently close the gap.
