CPC asks members to avoid groundless comments on social media

The ruling Communist Party of China has warned serious action against the party members who make "groundless comments" on social media that damage party unity or defame the nation.
The party's Central Committee provides various channels to collect suggestions and opinions from party members in making major policies, but some people remain silent in front of the Central Committee and at meetings, but make irresponsible remarks afterwards which damages party unity and hinders the implementation of policies, Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said.
Making groundless comments and damaging party unity are included in the new Communist Party of China's rules, state- run Global Times quoted CCDI as saying.

The new rules state that Party members will be punished if theyirresponsibly make groundless comments about national policies that are damaging to party unity, or defame the nation as well as State leaders.
Serious violators will be expelled from the party.
Party members are banned from making groundless comments about the nation's policies on social media, such as WeChat, the daily report said.

Because WeChat is a semi-public space where sharing posts is commonly used, party members will be punished for making irresponsible statements on the platform, the daily quoted the CCDI-affiliated newspaper as saying.
Zhao Xinwei, Xinjiang Daily editor-in-chief, was expelled from the Party in November alleging that he made "groundless comments" on major government decision.

"Party members can present their views at Party's meetings, but criticising policies outside meetings could result in severe social consequences," Zhu Lijia, a public management professor at the Chinese Academy of Governance, told the Global Times.
Zhuang Deshui, a deputy director of the Research Centre for Government Integrity Building at Peking University, said that party members have to verify articles before re-posting them on WeChat.