China shuts Maoist website amid political scandal

Published April 6, 2012 7:00AM (EDT)

BEIJING (AP) — The founder of a leading pro-Maoist website says Chinese authorities have ordered the site shut down for one month because of critical essays that were posted on it.

The move comes amid China's worst high-level political crisis in years, in which a once high-flying official who promoted Mao Zedong era songs and stories was fired.

Han Deqiang, founder of the leftist website Utopia, said Friday that local police officials told the site's manager to shut it down because of content that criticized the Communist Party, its leaders and the upcoming party congress.

Han is a vocal supporter of the recently ousted Communist Party secretary of Chongqing, Bo Xilai. Politically minded Chinese saw the removal of Bo as a sign of divisive infighting.


By Salon Staff

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