Chinese economist Zhu Hengpeng disappeared after criticizing Xi Jinping, the WSJ reported. He reportedly made comments on China's sluggish economy.

A top economist has joined the growing list of China’s elite to have disappeared from public life after criticizing Xi Jinping, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

Zhu Hengpeng served as deputy director of the Institute of Economics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) for around a decade.

CASS is a state research think tank that reports directly to China’s cabinet. Chen Daoyin, a former associate professor at Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, described it as a “body to formulate party ideology to support the leadership.”

According to the Journal, the 55-year-old disappeared shortly after remarking on China’s sluggish economy and criticizing Xi’s leadership in a private group on WeChat.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1812·
      3 months ago

      92 upvotes would suggest a lot of people.

      But everything you could say about China rings just as true in Europe, in Japan and Korea, in India, in Russia…

      Global populations are heading for a heavy sag, but westerners only know how to heckle the Evil Foreigners.

      • volodya_ilich@lemm.eeEnglish
        106·
        3 months ago

        Funny because I’m European, and the GDP per capita levels of most EU countries are at 2008 levels.

        As for a population pyramid, China will face the same problem as other countries as you say, possibly more magnified.

        • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.worldEnglish
          712·
          3 months ago

          EU countries are filling up with war and climate refugees. And… 2008 is one hell of a year to pick as your benchmark.

          • volodya_ilich@lemm.eeEnglish
            76·
            3 months ago

            Yeah, blame the immigrants. Very .world thing to do lol. Taking Germany, for example, according to Wikipedia, 0.17% population growth per year between 2010 and 2020 doesn’t seem too great for me, compared to China’s yearly >4% GDP growth for example they’d reduce per-capita growths by an insignificant amount. I’m European myself, and I can tell you that the lack of GDP per capita growth between 2008 and 2024 isn’t due to population reasons either, and I’m guessing it’s the same for the bigger EU economies like France,Italy and Spain but feel free to correct me otherwise.

            2008 as my benchmark is exactly my point: the European economy has only now economically recovered from the effects of its own self-imposed policy of austerity and deprivation of worker rights and welfare, without having restored said rights or welfare to pre-2008 levels. And we see countries like the UK under “labor” administration falling to the same policy again as soon as they enter the government. In the meanwhile, without falling into such policy (although without many significant victories for welfare and labor AFAIK), China has grown its per-capita GDP threefold since 2008.

            So no, I don’t think “Chinese economy looks bad”, I wish my European country’s economy would mimic a fraction of the Chinese growth actually

    • Arn_Thor@feddit.ukEnglish
      63·
      3 months ago

      Lots of people, especially the Chinese. The sentiment about work, investment, economic prospects, consumption are all quite bad. The central bank is cutting rates. Just today the government dipped their toes into the helicopter money game. The only thing keeping the party going is exports