Hu Xijin suddenly changed his attitude towards Xi Jinping

 Direct translation

Did Xi lose his position at the Fourth Plenary Session? Hu Xijin suddenly changed his attitude!

Reporter : Wang Duruo / Editor: Fang Xun / https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/1016/2291768.html / Image : On 13 October 2025, Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of the Global Times, suddenly complained on Weibo about overly strict speech controls. (Screenshot from the Internet)

Former Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin, in a rare Weibo post on 13 October 2025, lamented the mainland's online environment, stating that "many people are becoming increasingly cautious about speaking out, or simply refraining from speaking out," describing cyberspace as a "collective silence." He singled out celebrities, systemic figures, university professors, and private enterprise executives as all silencing themselves, leaving their social media feeds as "clean as fields after the autumn harvest."

Hu Xijin blamed "declining social tolerance," saying that speaking out is easily misinterpreted, and even institutions are hesitant to stir up trouble. However, he avoided discussing the CCP's speech controls, blaming them solely on "cyberbullying" and emphasizing that "relaxation should continue under Party leadership," a typical display of double-dealing.

American entrepreneur Hu Liren commented that Xi Jinping's control over public opinion has reached its most severe level in four decades, establishing a nationwide "digital political archive" to comprehensively monitor every citizen. Even a mouthpiece like Hu Xijin was forced to "speak out," demonstrating the extreme pressure.

American-based political commentator Chen Pokong believes that Hu Xijin has always been timid and fearful, "hiding in his room after publishing his manuscripts." His sudden boldness in speaking out now suggests he has "superior guidance" behind him and is likely a signal of factional struggle ahead of the Fourth Plenum. He calls Hu's move "not spontaneous, but an information war."

Chen Pokong points out that Hu Xijin's claim of "personalized information being harvested" actually alludes to the complete information blockade by Xi Jinping and the ultra-left. He mentions the recent "Yu Menglong incident" and "Yang Lanlan incident," both of which were blocked by the Cyberspace Administration of China and the Ministry of Public Security to prevent public opinion from getting out of control before the Fourth Plenum.

Chen analyzes that Hu Xijin's allusion to "declining social tolerance" is actually a reflection of the ultra-left's tightening of free speech during the Xi era. "It wasn't like this before Xi, but it's become increasingly harsh since he came to power." Hu's subtext is that he hopes the Fourth Plenum will "end the ultra-left." In other words, he is signaling that Xi should step down. He concluded, "Old Hu wouldn't speak out without reason. He has connections behind him, someone with superiors behind him. The CCP has always used leaks and testing the waters to gauge internal opinion. Hu Xijin's Weibo posts are a bellwether for escalating internal strife."

Netizens commented more directly: "Old Hu is luring the snakes out of their holes for the Party again!" "A two-faced man, trying to capitalize on public opinion but afraid to name names." "As long as the CCP survives, the truth will never come out."

Public opinion generally believes that Hu Xijin's "sudden boldness" this time signals a hidden struggle at the top, foreshadowing cracks in Xi's ruling foundation before the Fourth Plenary Session.