China Creates 'Hotline' For Snitching On Citizens Who Spread 'Incorrect' Information

China creates 'hotline' to report citizens who attack state in eerie Orwellian power-grab

Brian McGleenon

In this new mechanism of state surveillance and control, which is reminiscent of the horrors imagined in George Orwell's novel 1984, normal Chinese citizens can also inform the government of anyone who is "spreading an 'incorrect' interpretation of history". A retired US diplomat David Cowhig has translated a recent Chinese Communist Party initiative to encourage citizens to use a "report zone for harmful information involving historical nihilism". China-based journalist Michael Standaert today tweeted that "a new hotline has been launched for those interested in reporting their friends, neighbours, and colleagues for making 'incorrect remarks about history'."

The news was also reported by BBC China correspondent Stephen McDonell, whom today tweeted: "A new service enabling people in China to report others for spreading an 'incorrect' interpretation of history."

The BBC journalist added: "Who to report?

"Well those who 'distort the history of the Chinese Communist Party' or 'the history of socialist development'."

In addition to this, the BBC journalist stated that Chinese citizens can also report "those who have defamed the Communist Party’s 'heroes and martyrs".

Mr McDonell quotes from a source released by the "Reporting Center of the Cyberspace Administration of China".

Another offence that should be reported was anyone who attacked the Chinese Communist Party's “guiding ideology”.

In 2018 President Xi Jinping of China announced the abolition of presidential term limits, creating the situation where he could hold power until death.

When President Xi made the amendment, BBC reporter Mr McDonell wrote: "It is now hard to see Xi Jinping being challenged in any way whatsoever.

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