Beijing ramps up censorship ahead of military parade

Thursday's elaborate showcase of Beijing's military power seemed to elicit nothing but pride and joy from netizens, likely reflecting the Communist Party's renewed censorship efforts to boost morale.

State-owned news agency Xinhua reported late on Wednesday that authorities detained and fined at least 15 people for spreading online rumors about "inside stories" and "reform programs" of China's military, the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Beijing's lavish military parade on Thursday to commemorate Japan's surrender in World War II comes at a sensitive time for President Xi Jinping's administration amid waning confidence in the government following recent stock market volatility and Tianjin's Armageddon-like chemical explosion.

Xinhua's report follows a similar story from The China Daily last week, in which 197 people were punished in a campaign by police targeting online rumors, with 165 accounts closed for violations.

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Citing a statement by the Ministry of Public Security, The China Daily said individuals were punished for circulating stories like a man jumping to death in Beijing due to the stock market slump, and 1,300 people being killed in Tianjin's blast.

In June, the military reportedly detained nine people for damaging the military's image, according to Reuters.

After going through pages of posts on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, CNBC found zero negative commentary on Thursday's parade.

adaaaa123: "Let's cheer for the parade! Thumb up to China!"

Nameless shrimp: "Really, let's appreciate what we have right now. At least we are living in a peaceful time and we don't have to see people dying around us every day. If you really don't like this country, then leave. Go to Syria or one of those places where it is like what China used to be 70 years ago."

Maybe, and just maybe: "Some people complain that we spent too much on the military parade. Yes, indeed! We did spend a lot, maybe hundreds of millions on it. But think about the amount of energy we import every year, our exports, overseas investment and the amount of debt other countries owe us. The global political landscape is rapidly changing. We must showcase our power to safeguard our national interest."

death little nuo sd: "China is getting richer and stronger. Thumb up to you, Boss Xi!"

Holding the pen: "Please don't come here and complain about the stock market fall. I am speechless, really. If you can only accept market going up, then don't invest. Have you thanked the country when you were making money from the market? Then how can you call the government useless when you lose money? Don't you know that investment comes with risks? Nobody forced you to buy stocks, so stop complaining."