Beijing Deems Chinese New Year’s Eve as Sensitive on Internet

People release balloons during a New Year celebration in Nanjing, in eastern China's Jiangsu Province, on Jan. 1, 2024. AFP via Getty Images

The Chinese term “chu-xi,” meaning Chinese New Year’s Eve, is censored on China’s social media platforms, according to a post on X, and confirmed by Chinese netizens. This comes as Beijing dropped Lunar New Year’s Eve from its 2024 public holidays.

Speculations arose that “chu-xi” phonetically resembles “remove Xi,” referring to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping. Many netizens proposed chanting “happy chu-xi” during the holiday, regarded by many as a grassroots expression of widespread political discontent with Xi and the CCP.

Xi’s Nicknames

According to the lunar calendar, Chinese New Year’s Eve typically falls between late January and early February annually.