Top Chinese economist disappears after privately criticising Xi Jinping

A prominent Chinese economist has reportedly disappeared from the public eye after he criticised president Xi Jinping in a private group chat, becoming the latest individual to face repercussions for critiquing the government.

Zhu Hengpeng, 55, who worked at a government think tank for around a decade, has vanished from public view after he allegedly dissed the Chinese president for his economic policies in a private WeChat group, reported the Wall Street Journal.

Mr Zhu, who worked as deputy director of the Institute of Economics at the state-run Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) was detained shortly after he made offensive remarks about China ’s sluggish economy as well as potential remains against Mr Xi, it reported citing sources.

He has reportedly not been seen in public since April when he addressed an event organised by Chinese media outlet, Caixin. It’s not clear when he made the comments on WeChat.

It comes after Hong Kong media reports said a major shake-up of the top management at the institute saw the director and secretary also removed from their posts.

Mr Zhu was investigated, removed from his posts, and later detained, it reported. His name and website related to his work at the think tank’s affiliated Tsinghua University have also been taken down.

The details of Mr Zhu’s controversial remarks in the chat are not known. However, a report in Sing Tao Daily said it “improperly discussed central policies” while WSJ said he made a reference to “Xi’s mortality”.

The economist is the latest Chinese elite to have disappeared as Mr Xi’s government ramps up crackdown on criticism of his leadership and governance amid concerns over the falling economy. The world’s second largest economy is sluggish and missing its rather modest 5 per cent growth target. In July 2024, Chinese government data revealed GDP growth has declined below the government’s target.

The economic downturn has come on the heels of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns as it followed a draconian “zero Covid” policy.

In August, former Global Times editor and outspoken supporter of the Communist Party Hu Xijin , abruptly went silent on social media after he shared a controversial assessment of Beijing’s economic strategy discussed at a conclave led by Mr Xi last month.

It prompted detractors of the Communist Party to speculate about ongoing attempts to censor discussion around the country’s economic slowdown .

Chinese former foreign minister Qin Gang mysteriously disappeared from public view in the summer of 2023. The so-called “wolf war” diplomat of China was later removed from his position and was reportedly demoted to a low-level publishing job.

In 2020, Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma disappeared from the public eye after he criticised Chinese regulators . He remained under the shadows for years after his controversial speech in which he lamented the country’s financial regulatory system before emerging but maintaining a low profile since.