A prominent Chinese economist at a government think tank has reportedly gone missing after being disciplined for criticizing Xi Jinping in a private chat group.
Zhu Hengpeng, 55, is believed to have made negative comments about China’s economy and possibly about Xi himself in a private WeChat group. He was detained in April and placed under investigation, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited anonymous sources.
Zhu had been with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) for over 20 years, serving as deputy director of the Institute of Economics and director of the Public Policy Research Center. He has not been seen publicly since April, when he spoke at an event organized by the media outlet Caixin. Efforts by the Wall Street Journal to reach him at home were unsuccessful.
Earlier this month, Hong Kong media reported a shakeup in the institute’s leadership, with both the director and secretary removed from their positions around the same time Zhu lost his role.
CASS is a key think tank in China that reports directly to the State Council of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and has historically provided influential policy advice, sometimes offering relatively candid analyses. However, under Xi’s increasingly authoritarian regime, criticism of the CCP and Xi’s leadership has become increasingly unwelcome and met with punitive measures.
Academics in China have previously expressed growing concerns about discussing or reporting negative assessments of the country’s economic, social, or political situations due to fears of reprisals. Discussion of Xi, especially in monitored online spaces, is typically avoided or expressed through vague or coded language.
Recent notices on the CASS website indicate that staff have participated in several political education sessions focused on party loyalty and adherence to Xi Jinping Thought, the political ideology associated with the CCP leader.
“The meeting emphasised that we must always bear in mind that the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences is a political institution whose work is centred on scientific research, put strict enforcement of the party’s political discipline first, work hard to enforce strict discipline and abide by rules,” said a report on one July meeting, led by Cass president Gao Xiang. Gao, a Xi loyalist, was appointed to the role in 2022 and has overseen a campaign to improve party loyalty at the institution.
The exact details of Zhu’s comments in the private WeChat group remain unclear. However, Sing Tao Daily characterized them as involving “improper discussions of central policies.” The Wall Street Journal also reported that he allegedly referenced “Xi’s mortality.”
