Net Comments On Xi Triggers Propaganda Drive

The mainland's plan for President Xi Jinping to remain in office indefinitely has sparked social media opposition, drawing comparisons to North Korea's ruling dynasty and charges of creating a dictator by a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist.

The social media reaction late on Sunday quickly saw the mainland swing into a concerted propaganda push by Monday, blocking some articles and publishing pieces praising the party.

The ruling Communist Party on Sunday proposed to remove a constitutional clause limiting presidential service to just two terms in office, meaning Xi, who also heads the party and the military, might never have to retire.

The proposal is to be passed by delegates loyal to the party at next month's annual meeting of a largely rubber stamp parliament.

But it seems the party will have its work cut out trying to convince some in the country, where Xi is actually very popular thanks in part to his war on graft, that the move will not end up giving him too much power.

"Argh, we're going to become North Korea," wrote one Weibo user, where the Kim dynasty has ruled since the late 1940s.

"We're following the example of our neighbour,' wrote another user.

The comments were removed late on Sunday evening after Weibo began blocking the search term "two term limit".

Widely read state-run newspaper the Global Times, in an editorial carried online late Sunday and published on Monday, said the change did not mean the president will stay in office for ever, though it did not offer much explanation.

"Since reform and opening up, China, led by the Communist Party, has successfully resolved and will continue to effectively resolve the issue of party and national leadership replacement in a law-abiding and orderly manner," it said, referring to landmark economic reforms that begun four decades ago.

The party's official People's Daily reprinted a long article by Xinhua news agency saying most people supported the constitutional amendments, quoting a variety of people proffering support.

The WeChat account of the People's Daily, after initially posting a flurry of positive comments under its article, then disabled the comments section completely late on Sunday. It was back again by Monday, complete with remarks lauding the party.

The overseas edition of the same paper's WeChat account removed entirely an article focusing on the term limits, replacing it with the lengthy Xinhua report summing up all the amendment proposals.

In one confusing moment for many Chinese, Xinhua initially only reported the news in English.

The decision has also unsettled some in Hong Kong, where authorities have been trying to rein in a pro-democracy movement.

"This move, which would allow for a single individual to amass and accumulate political power, means that China would again have a dictator as her head of state – Xi Jinping," said Joshua Wong, one of the movement's leaders.

"The law may exist in China in form, but this just proves that the Chinese law exists to serve the individual and the party's purposes." (Reuters)