GAPP Head: News and Publishing Must Be Marxist, Led by the Communist Party

The Communist Party must remain in charge of China's news media and book publishing industries, according to an article by Long Xinmin, head the General Administration of Press and Publication, published in the April 6 edition of the People's Daily. Long wrote that, although the Chinese government must reform these industries by requiring publishers without political and public interest responsibilities to "face the market," any such reform must be predicated on the principle that, "News and publishing work is an important component of the general work of the Party and the nation, and is an important domain of the Party's propaganda and ideology battle lines." Long also wrote, "Newspaper and periodical propaganda and publications must firmly grasp the correct orientation of public opinion at all times. We must deepen reforms and establish an overall administration system characterized by leadership of the Party, administration by the government, self-discipline of industry, and legal operations of enterprises." Long endorsed the government’s continuing Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications campaign, under which Chinese authorities in 2005 confiscated 996,000 "political illegal publications" and 4,620,000 Falun Gong and "other evil cult organization propaganda materials."