The following censorship instructions, issued by government authorities, have been leaked and distributed online. (Black text boxes ██ indicate words that were intentionally blacked out in the leaked images.)
Briefing on Ideological Risks During the Third Quarter of 2025
I. Major Events
(1) September 3 marks the 80th anniversary of China’s victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the global war against fascism. Exercise vigilance against the propagation of erroneous historical views about World War II that distort or negate the righteousness of the global victory against fascism, or that belittle China’s major contributions to the World War II victory. Be particularly vigilant about American and Western anti-China forces intensifying their competition with us for discourse power over the history of the war, launching “cognitive warfare” and “public opinion warfare” operations against us, or engaging in speculation that denigrates China’s commemorative activities.
(2) The 12th World Games will be held from August 7-17 in Chengdu. Be on guard against individuals with ulterior motives who might [use the occasion to] take inappropriate actions or express political demands. Guard against the use of Wi-Fi hotspots and similar means to create a nuisance by spreading counter-propaganda or harmful political messages. Guard against the occurrence of accidents or mass incidents that might inflame public opinion and spill over into the ideological realm.
Remain vigilant against negative hype from foreign NGOs, hostile media websites, foreign journalists, and others regarding event scheduling, venue facilities and services, referees’ decisions, and foreign athletes’ activities off the field. These entities may even attempt to meddle by rehashing controversial societal topics in order to smear China’s national image.
Be aware that various online platforms, “self-published” media, “Big V” online opinion leaders, and others might seek to drum up online traffic by sensationalizing topics such as ticket sales, management of volunteers, copyright infringement of souvenir merchandise, the safety of food and medications provided to athletes, etc. Some may attempt to take advantage of the opportunity to draw unfavorable comparisons or cast aspersions, in order to create an uproar and poison public opinion about the Games.
Also be alert to the possibility of foreign-intelligence-affiliated media agencies and anti-China hacker groups attacking the World Games’ information systems, tampering with data, stealing sensitive information, and endangering ideological security.
(3) The second edition of the Golden Panda Awards will be held from September 12-14 in Chengdu. It is essential to be on guard against fans of stars from ██ territory carrying out online support campaigns, vote solicitation, or slanderous attacks that might exacerbate “fandom” conflict. Be on guard against unorthodox interpretations of nominated works, so as not to highlight sensitive and controversial topics or stir up undue hype. Be vigilant against domestic or foreign hostile forces that might use this major international event to stir up trouble by fabricating negative reports or concocting rumors.
(4) The third National Park Forum will be held in mid-August in Chengdu. Given that this forum relates to Giant Panda National Park construction and panda conservation work and research, it is likely to attract attention from some of the more “extremist” panda fans. Exercise vigilance against rumors and inflammatory statements regarding the “scientific nature and rationality of Giant Panda National Park construction” and “panda rewilding and release” efforts. Offline security work must be properly managed to prevent any extremist panda fans from organizing offline gatherings or sit-ins, displaying banners, or shouting slogans that might generate controversial public opinion. Exercise strict precautions against individuals with ulterior motives deliberately stirring up hype about matters pertaining to “pandas being sent abroad or returned to China” that might damage our international relations.
(5) Be on guard against LGBT groups that might leverage ██ major sporting events, music festivals, or concerts in the third quarter to organize online public-opinion campaigns, hold offline gatherings to create a disturbance, or even use public spaces to express demands for so-called “equal rights,” in a bid to attract more public attention. Strengthen controls against dangerous behavior by LGBT groups, continue to exercise vigilance against rumors that defame or stigmatize Chengdu, and take prompt action to manage unsuitable information and block the spread of harmful LGBT content.
Exercise vigilance toward attempts by consulates in Chengdu and Chongqing, foreign NGOs, and similar entities to organize film screenings, literary events, academic research, and collection of sensitive data in our region. These activities may provide cover for outside entities to cultivate agents from within LGBT and other groups and to expand their efforts at ideological infiltration.
II. Sensitive Dates
(6) In the context of Sino-American geostrategic competition, exercise vigilance against hostile forces using the fifth anniversary of the closure of the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu to spread malicious rumors about Sino-American relations or speculate about topics such as “the reopening of the Chengdu U.S. Consulate” or “the infiltration of Chengdu by foreign forces.” Also beware of extreme nationalists spreading radical anti-American rhetoric or engaging in extreme behavior.
(7) Exercise vigilance against cultist forces using the 26th anniversary of the ban on Falun Gong to intensify their disruptive counter-propaganda efforts, incite and manipulate the ██ masses into taking part in harmful cult activities, viciously attack and defame our political system and leaders, and hype false claims that Falun Gong adherents are being “sentenced and imprisoned” or “tortured and persecuted.”
(8) Around PLA Day on August 1, be on guard against hostile public opinion and exaggerated rumors about China’s “military threat,” “military corruption,” or “miserable conditions” for retired or disabled veterans. Beware of veterans using online platforms to voice personal complaints about unfair treatment or remuneration. Some may even link up with those from other communities and regions, and band together to exert pressure [on the authorities] via petitions, large-scale gatherings, and extreme rights-defense tactics, thus posing a threat to political and social stability.
(9) July 7 marks the 88th anniversary of the full-scale outbreak of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression; August 15, the 80th anniversary of Japan’s unconditional surrender; and September 3, the 80th anniversary of the victory in World War II. Exercise vigilance against the dredging up of erroneous arguments that promote historical nihilism or deny the Chinese Communist Party’s role as the backbone of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Also remain vigilant against opportunistic attempts by “self-published” media to manipulate or monetize patriotic topics, to hype the topic of Sichuanese troops’ role in the war, or to inflame extreme nationalist, populist, or anti-Japanese sentiments.
██ must not organize any [war anniversary-]themed commemorations, exhibitions, displays, or events without prior review and approval. Any planned “mass publicity and education campaigns” must first be reported to the District Party Committee Propaganda Department for approval. Without approval, no such campaigns may be held, nor publicized or reported on. […]
(34) With the start of the school year in September, there may arise certain situations that could easily stir up public opinion or exacerbate “school-related stress.” These might include the start of classes being delayed due to heat waves, concerns about students’ safety during basic military-training courses, incidents of campus bullying, concerns about [cafeteria] food safety, arbitrary or excessive school fees, or the “back-to-school blues.”
(35) September 10 is the 41st annual Teachers’ Day. It is possible that the appearance of online reports might heat up discussion of certain topics, such as problems with teachers’ conduct and ethics, disparities in teachers’ employment contracts and compensation, the onerous burden of tasks unrelated to teaching, the difficulties faced by younger teachers, etc.
VIII. Ethnic and Religious Aspects
(36) The 14th Dalai Lama will be 90 years old this year. Anti-China and Tibetan-independence forces are planning activities around this “birthday celebration” and making concerted efforts to produce various harmful audio-visual works and publications and to disseminate them within our borders. Be wary of monks in ██ Tibetan areas using social-media platforms to post veiled messages about the Dalai Lama or Tibetan independence as a way of offering him birthday wishes and prayers. Take precautions to prevent religious believers from being duped into joining unlawful gatherings, or worse, participating in extreme incidents such as displaying [prohibited] flags or portraits [of the Dalai Lama], or committing self-immolation.
(37) Beware of some religious groups organizing “meditation camps” and similar courses targeted at young people. Particular vigilance is required against foreign-affiliated activities that pose risks of ideological infiltration.
(38) September 9 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Exercise vigilance against anti-China and Tibetan-independence forces colluding to foment social unrest or attempting to disrupt, discredit, or sabotage our policies on the governance of Tibet, our ethnic and religious policies, our developmental achievements in Tibetan areas, and the like. [Chinese]
The above censorship directive first appeared in an August 27 post on X from Teacher Li (@whyyoutouzhele) in the form of four images of printed documents. The leaked documents appear to be a portion of a long list of instructions from the Chengdu Cybersecurity Corps on potential “ideological risks” during the third quarter of 2025. Some identifying information has been blacked out in the leaked documents. (In the CDT Chinese transcript of the directive, these elisions are indicated by “xx,” and in the CDT English translation of the directive, they are indicated by black text boxes.)
The range of “ideological risks” covered is extensive. These include Beijing’s blockbuster September 3 military parade marking the eightieth anniversary of the end of World War II, and three international events held in Chengdu: the World Games, the Golden Panda [Film] Awards, and the National Park Forum. The directive also includes detailed instructions for the following sensitive dates and anniversaries: the fifth anniversary of the closure of the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu, the 26th anniversary of the ban on the religious movement Falun Gong, the 90th birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama, PLA Day on August 1, and of course the various World War II commemorations in August and September. Throughout the text of the directive are copious warnings against infiltration by hostile “foreign forces,” overseas NGOs, Tibetan-independence activists, and others. There are exhortations to tamp down on online “rumors” and “hype” concerning various societal hot-button issues. LGBTQ+ groups and online content are singled out for particular scrutiny. Most notable, perhaps, is the focus on combatting “historical nihilism” and promoting “correct historical memory,” particularly as it pertains to the Chinese Communist Party’s role in combating the Japanese occupation of China during World War II.
Since directives are sometimes communicated orally to journalists and editors, who then leak them online, the wording published here may not be exact. Some instructions are issued by local authorities or to specific sectors, and may not apply universally across China. The date given may indicate when the directive was leaked, rather than when it was issued. CDT does its utmost to verify dates and wording, but also takes precautions to protect the source. See CDT’s collection of Directives from the Ministry of Truth since 2011.
