CHINA

Maoists are revived as thought police

China's Maoist ideologues are resurgent after languishing in the political desert, buoyed by President Xi Jinping's traditionalist tilt and emboldened by internal party decrees that have declared open season on Chinese academics, artists and party cadres seen as insufficiently red, write Chris Buckley and Andrew Jacobs for The New York Times.

Ideological vigilantes have played a pivotal role in the downfall of Wang Congsheng, a law professor in Beijing who was detained and then suspended from teaching after posting online criticisms of the party. Another target was Wang Yaofeng, a newspaper columnist who voiced support for the recent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong and then found himself without a job.

In instructions published last week, Xi urged universities to “enhance guidance over thinking and keep a tight grip on leading ideological work in higher education”, Xinhua, the official news agency, reported.
Full report on the CNBC site