Celebrity microblogger’s account closed for posting illegal info

The Cyberspace Administration of China, the main Internet regulator, said in a statement posted online that Ren’s Weibo account and another account of his on a similar site run by Tencent Holdings Ltd. 0700, -1.26% were ordered closed because he had used them to “publish illegal information, which had a negative impact”.

The Chinese government heavily censors news and information, so it’s not uncommon for accounts like Ren’s to be shut down, or for people to be arrested for controversial online posts.

The celebrity microbloggers as well as bloggers dubbed “Big Vs” for their large number of followers should use their influence correctly, exemplify in observing laws, shoulder their due social responsibilities, and promote “positive energy” actively, Jiang said.

The Chinese regime has finally deleted the official microblogging account belonging to ex-real estate mogul and regime critic Ren Zhiqiang.

The following Monday, a news site affiliated with Beijing’s municipal party committee published a commentary accusing Ren of spreading “anti-Communist Party” thought.

“Who gave Ren the courage to be anti-party?” was the title of the commentary, which also called him “cannon Ren who’s only a proxy for the capitals”. The edict represented to the latest in a series of Xi moves to centralize power and rein in dissent, including jailing reporters, detaining influential Internet commentators and passing rules to keep party members from criticizing the leadership.

In September 2015, Ren clashed with the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) on social media, claiming that it is “ridiculous” to ask CYLC members to be “communist successors” before communism has been achieved.

Ren stepped down as chairman of Hua Yuan Property in 2014 and remains chairman of Beijing Huayuan Haoli Investment Co.

Ren has recently become renowned for criticizing Communist Party and government policies.

They also allegedly created and circulated rumours and disturbed the social order, according to the CAC website.