2016-02-28

China's Real Estate Cheerleader Kicked Off Weibo

I've dubbed Ren Zhiqiang China's real estate cheerleader because I can't recall him ever being truly negative on the sector. That said, he was a successful developer and outspoken critic of the Communist Party at times. From his bio:
Ren's parents were persecuted during the Cultural Revolution, and he went to the countryside of Yan'an to work as a sent-down youth in 1968. A year later, he enlisted in the People's Liberation Army, serving as a military engineer in the 38th Army, and later a platoon leader.

Ren left the army in 1981 and became deputy general manager of Beijing Yida. In 1984 be joined Beijing Huayuan Group Corporation as a department head. He was imprisoned in September 1985, but was released 14 months later without being convicted of any crime. According to his long-time colleague, he was sent to jail because he had offended the head of the audit department of Beijing's Xicheng District. Ren became vice president of Huayuan Corporation in 1988, and President in 1993. In 2004 he became a Director of the Bank of Beijing Co., Ltd, and in 2007 Chairman of Beijing Huayuan Property Co., Ltd. He holds a Master of Laws degree from Renmin University of China.

In 2010 China Daily reported that Ren, as chairman of Huayuan Real Estate Group, was paid the highest salary of anyone in the 258 listed companies that had filed annual reports. His salary was reportedly 7.07 million yuan ($1.04 million). He resigned as head of the property company in 2014.
Bloomberg: Chinese Tycoon Loses 37 Million Web Followers After Faulting Xi
Shortly after Xi’s Feb. 19 media tour, Ren published a post on his Weibo account criticizing the president’s assertion that the state media serve the party, instead of the taxpayers who fund its budget. “When does the people’s government turn into the party’s government?” he said. The posts were deleted.

The following Monday, a news site affiliated with Beijing’s municipal party committee published a commentary accusing Ren of spreading “anti-Communist Party” thought. The retired developer represented capitalist forces trying to promote Western values and topple the party, the commentary on the site Qianlong said.
China is in the midst of trying to lift the real estate sector and they shut down the sector's biggest cheerleader.

The silencing of dissent is taking place all over the world. China is shutting social media accounts, U.S. companies are voluntarily silencing critics of the regime, and Europe already has laws on the books to put people in jail for criticizing government policies. The establishment around the world is trying to silence opposition voices because they have all placed self-preservation at the top of their agenda. Do not watch the government reports on the economy or central bank policy statements. All over the world, the people running the show are fearful of regime change.

No comments:

Post a Comment