GAPP Upholds Decision to Censor Writer Wang Yi

The General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) upheld the decision of Sichuan provincial government censors to confiscate hundreds of books privately published by Wang Yi, a well-known Chinese intellectual. The Sichuan Press and Publication Administration (PPA) confiscated over 900 books that Wang had printed privately to give to friends. In June 2005, Wang filed an administrative appeal with the GAPP to overturn the Sichuan PPA's decision. The GAPP ruled that the Sichuan PPA acted correctly in sanctioning him for publishing, printing, and distributing publications without government authorization. Wang says that he now plans to sue the Sichuan PPA in court.

During a government campaign against public intellectuals in November and December 2004, Western NGOs reported that the Central Propaganda Department blacklisted Wang and five other writers. Since then, publishers have backed away from previous agreements to publish three collections of Wang's writings, according to the International Herald Tribune.