Continuation of Even More Turbulence Ahead of New Leadership Shift as China Dictatorship Launches Crackdown With Dozens of Websites and Bloggers Arrested

China shuts political websites in crackdown

Two Chinese political websites said Friday they had been ordered by authorities to shut for a month for criticising state leaders, the latest move in a broad government crackdown on the Internet. Officials told the Mao Flag website, named after late leader Mao Zedong, and the Utopia website.

China paper tells soldiers to ignore Internet rumours

China’s main military newspaper told soldiers Friday to ignore Internet gossip and close ranks around the government, in the latest sign of official unease ahead of a leadership transition this year. The Liberation Army Daily warned that the 10-yearly handover of power, which begins later this year.