No star-worshipping: Xi's cultural clampdown has echoes of past

Dominant Communist Party of Maoist era risks stifling growth and innovation

A screen shows Chinese President Xi Jinping during a show commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China at the National Stadium in Beijing. © Reuters

YURI MOMOI, Nikkei China bureau chief, and TSUKASA HADANO, Nikkei staff writer

September 8, 2021 04:07 JST

BEIJING -- A stunt by Chinese fans to mark the birthday of a young celebrity elicited a harsh rebuke from Beijing that for some evoked uncomfortable echoes of the Cultural Revolution.

A Chinese fan club for the pop star raised funds in late August to have an airplane plastered with his photographs and a birthday banner. But on Saturday, microblogging service Weibo, where pictures of the customized plane circulated, suspended the group's account for 60 days.