News from China's 'gilded cage'

Members of the highest party elite are present in China's media every day. But as soon as they retire, they disappear completely from the public eye overnight. Even ex-party leaders are no longer allowed to show themselves or be heard from without permission from the Politburo. The once all-powerful control freaks are now monitored and censored by their successors. Some see this as poetic justice.

Last updated: 24. July 2025