The government, led by Chinese President Xi Jinping, has cracked down on voices criticizing national heroes or questioning their official descriptions of them.
In 2018, China passed a law banning people from “insulting or condemning heroes and martyrs”. Originally a civil matter, the country’s criminal law amendment will make the law a criminal offense, which will come into force next month. Under the amendment, those who “violate the dignity and honor of heroes and martyrs and harm the public interest of society or insult, condemn or use other means” could face up to three years in prison.
The speculation highlights Beijing’s sensitivity to border clashes with India – the deadliest between two nuclear-armed neighbors in more than 40 years.
For eight months, the Chinese military has not released any details about the death toll from a bloody hand-to-hand clash with Indian troops in the Galvan Valley area of the Himalayas. New Delhi had earlier said that at least 20 Indian soldiers were killed during the clashes.
In the ensuing campaign, the Chinese state media took pride in publishing long and emotional reports on the loyalty, bravery and sacrifice of their five PLA soldiers, their life stories.
State media also published Beijing’s account of the incident, accusing Indian troops of violating an agreement with China and setting up tents on the Chinese side of the border. P.L.A. According to the Daily, the Chinese side had the highest number of Indian troops who attacked with steel tubes, clubs and rocks. But with the implementation of the PLA, they eventually “defeated” the Indian troops and pursued them.
The Indian military has not responded to CNN’s request for comment. Delhi has previously blamed Beijing for the unrest.
However, not every Chinese citizen is convinced by the report on the Beijing incident.
On Friday morning, millions on China’s Twitter-like Weibo. Popular blogger Gare with millions of followers questioned the official death toll, suggesting the actual figure could be more than four. “This is the reason why India dares to reveal the number and names of their casualties, because in India’s view, they won at a lower cost,” he wrote.
By evening, police in the eastern city of Nanjing had identified the blogger, whose surname was identified by QU, as “picking up quarrels and inciting trouble” – a crime commonly used to target dissent and criticism by the Chinese government.
Weibo said Friday evening that it had closed the account of Q, who was posting the comment, as well as an additional account of his own.
A total of four Weibo users were detained for commenting on their posts or others’ posts, according to police. Two other people were detained for their comments in a group chat on China’s popular messaging app, WeChat, after other members of the group reported them to police. Another man was caught by Internet police on his online patrolling while he posted on his personal WeChat feed.
.
