Xi Jinping Muzzles Economist Who Dared to Doubt GDP Numbers
The ruling Communist Party’s propaganda apparatus in China has slapped a gag order on a respected economist who publicly questioned the official GDP numbers announced by the government. The party’s censors have demanded that the economist, Mao Yushi, refrain from speaking about his doubts on GDP figures, claiming that his criticism could “sow chaos in the financial markets.”
Mao, a veteran economist and academic, had long been critical of the government’s GDP figures, which he deemed to be wildly inflated. His doubts were seen as a threat to the party’s authority and prompted a swift reaction from the party’s propaganda department. The department’s officials accused Mao of spreading false information and endangering the economy.
The exact nature of Mao’s doubts and the extent to which his comments were critical are unclear, as the government’s censors have effectively silenced him. However, it is evident that the Communist Party is anxious to maintain the illusion of robust economic growth and will stop at nothing to squash any dissent that might undermine that narrative.
This latest move has sparked concerns about the government’s willingness to prioritize propaganda over scientific inquiry and open debate. Economists and observers have long accused the government of manipulating GDP numbers to make its economic performance look better than it actually is.
The Xi administration has made efforts to restructure the economy, but these initiatives have been slowed by the opaque nature of GDP reporting. Experts argue that true economic growth would be better gauged through more transparent data and less politicized metrics.
