The much-acclaimed book the Art of War by Chinese author Sun Tzu has had a lasting impact on many world leaders. Military and political leaders such as China's Mao Zedong, Japan's daimyō (feudal lord) Takeda Shingen, Vietnamese general Võ Nguyên Giáp and American military general Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. were among those influenced by the book. Sun warns his readers in the book that in times of war and in life in general, the rank and file must avoid “outshining their masters”. He suggests that all attention and praise must always be directed to the leader. It is a strategy, he argues, that guarantees prosperity for those seeking to rise within the ranks of their organisations. While that might be the case in dictatorships, it is not necessarily true in an open society where competition for occupying powerful positions is encouraged.
China, though, is no open society. Its President, Xi Jinping, has gained an unprecedented political status. He has also established a new school of thought, his “common prosperity” ideology. This approach “seeks to narrow the gap between rich and poor and create material and spiritual wealth”. One way to achieve this, it seems, is for foreign textbooks to be banned from Chinese schools and a requirement that more classes be taught based on Xi’s ideology. President Xi is becoming the main point of reference, a leader who must not be outshone by anyone interested in seeking prosperity in China.
The ideology has hit internationally renowned Chinese citizens hard. Artist Ai Weiwei has attracted global attention for his impressive protest art and continuing fight for democratic reforms in China. He has faced backlash from the government more for his fame than his fight for democratic reforms. Ai, who is 57, is China’s most controversial, internationally famous and eclectic artist, and his multi-media compositions are perhaps best known for their anti-authoritarian bent. His fame has cost him his freedom: He can’t leave China because the authorities have kept his passport. He has been a thorn in the government’s side – perhaps because it views his fame as threatening its power.
The government has been similarly harsh towards social media superstars and some businessmen. Celebrity fan clubs are networks of mass mobilisation, rallying millions of members to support their idols online with clicks and money. This has seen some celebrities’ work disappearing from social media as authorities attempt to suppress their influence and fame. In August 2021, actress Zheng Shuang was fined $46 million for tax evasion. Actor Zhang Zhehan was hit with a domestic boycott after photos circulated of him at a controversial war shrine in Japan. Billionaire actress Zhao Wei disappeared from the Chinese internet in August 2021 with no official explanation. The founder of e-commerce platform Ali Baba, Jack Ma, clashed with authorities as his global star rose. There are suggestions that his disappearance from the business scene had a much to do with his tremendous popularity and speeches both inside China and abroad. One incident that raised tensions, the BBC reported, was when Ma accused Chinese banks of operating with a ”pawn shop mentality”. He claimed that the authorities were trying to "use the way to manage a railway station to manage an airport" when it came to regulating the new world of digital finance. These statements angered the banking establishment and reportedly reached the attention of President Xi.
Most recently, the Chinese government’s paranoia surrounding famous citizens manifested in the story of tennis star Peng Shuai. Peng accused China’s former Vice Premier, Zhang Gaoli, of sexual harassment. Her story has dominated international news about China since she first made the claims in November 2021 through a social media post on Weibo, a Chinese Twitter equivalent. After that post she disappeared from social media and was not seen in person, raising serious concerns about her safety. The Women’s Tennis Association suspended tennis games in China, demanding proof that Peng was safe and well.
She was eventually seen holding a video conference with the President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach on 21 November 2021. But Chinese authorities knew that the Winter Olympics in Beijing, which kicked off on 4 February 2022, would likely resurface Peng’s story. The Chinese Olympic Committee took pre-emptive action: it facilitated an interview between Peng and the news agency Reuters. During the interview, Peng denied that she made accusations against Zheng. She also told Reuters that she removed the controversial post from Weibo herself, without any coercion. She was also detailed in her response regarding separating sports and politics. Peng seemed well prepared for the interview and answered questions well without implicating anyone in China.
What is driving these crackdowns on celebrities and activists? Many believe China is motivated by autocracy – but these individuals’ popularity appears to be the main reason they’re being targeted. The rise of “small gods” with a propensity to outshine Xi’s leadership is perhaps an even greater threat to China’s government than any pro-democracy movement. China is therefore likely to continue suppressing and challenging the popularity of these individuals.