CHINA MEDIA BULLETIN Headlines - For Discontented Chinese Netizens, the Charm

182: July 2024 CHINA MEDIA BULLETIN Headlines ANALYSIS For Discontented Chinese Netizens, the Charm of the Olympics Is Wearing Off P1 IN THE NEWS • Censorship P3 • Harassment and detentions P3 • Hong Kong P4 • Beyond China P5 ANALYSIS For Discontented Chinese Netizens, the Charm of the Olympics Is Wearing Off Many users see little to celebrate amid growing social, economic, and political con- stra. [...] Patriotism is woven into the fabric of the Olympic Games, and the ruling Chinese Communist Party has long utilized it deftly to drum up support for the regime. [...] Following Hu’s death, authorities in Suzhou proposed granting her the title of “Suzhou City Bravery Model,” an honor for courageous acts, second only to the title “Bravery Hero.” A netizen challenged the authorities’ decision in a WeChat article, arguing that according to local laws, Hu qualified for the hero title. [...] According to Cheng’s statement, before her election, a senior editor at the Journal pressured her to withdraw, describing the editor as having said that “employees of the Journal should not be seen as advocating for press freedom in a place like Hong Kong.” Cheng refused to comply and was subsequently dismissed, with the Journal citing organizational restructuring as the reason. [...] To Cheng, the Journal’s decision to fire her reflects the pervasive fear felt by journalists in the city, dating to 2019 when the authorities intensified targeting of prodemocracy journalists.