Rumours swirl over suspected China coup de'tat amid escalating CPC tensions

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...tary-coup.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...eadership.html
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,6191555.story
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-17476760

'Tanks in the streets of Beijing': Chinese leaders order internet whitewash amid rumours of attempted military coup

• Speculation rife after unconfirmed reports of gunfire and swarms of troops in the capital appear online - and are quickly censored
• Social networks report 'abnormalities' in Beijing as user comments herald downfall of Shanghai leadership faction
• Ousting of anti-corruption official Bo Xilai is said to have divided the Party

Restricted: Chinese customers in an internet cafe in Beijing, where unconfirmed reports of an attempted coup briefly surfaced online

Nervous leaders in China have blocked all internet reports of an alleged attempted coup. Online reports of tanks on the streets of the capital Beijing and shots fired within the secure leaders' compound - which is located next door the top tourist attraction, the Forbidden City - are being closely monitored by the international intelligence communities, including the U.S. and UK. Popular Chinese microblogging sites Sina Weibo, QQ Weibo and the bulletin board of the search engine Baidu, all reported 'abnormalities' in Beijing on the night of March 19.

Left: ousted Mr Bo Xilai and right, Wen Jiabao the outgoing PRC Premier

Divisive figure: China's ousted party chief Bo Xilai, who favours a return to the 'red' politics of Mao Zedong and is said to have the support of generals

Warning: Wen Jiabao, China's outgoing premier, has said Mr Bo's 'Maostalgia' movement could see a return to the misery of the Cultural Revolution

The comments included rumours of the downfall of the country's Shanghai leadership faction, a reference to high-level officials who hail from the coastal financial hub, which has traditionally been the home of reformers and modernisers in the Party. Some of the comments claimed a possible 'military coup' had been attempted, along with other reports of gunfire and swarms of plain clothes and uniformed security officers on Changan Street, which is close to Tiananmen Square, the scene of the 1989 massacre of pro-democracy protesters.

Military presence: Chinese paramilitary police at their barracks outside the Forbidden City in Beijing in 2008, next door to where shots were said to have been fired within the secure leaders' compound this week

All the reports have been removed by China's army of internet censors and can no longer be accessed. MailOnline cannot confirm the rumours but the reports have caused a speculative and nervous atmosphere in the capital. The alarming rumours were widely circulated early on Wednesday and follow the sacking of an ambitious corruption-busting official, Bo Xilai, who is reported to have close ties to nationalistic generals in the People's Liberation Army. Mr Bo, the Party Secretary of the mega-city of Chongqing in west China, was widely tipped to join the all-powerful, nine-strong Politburo Standing Committee in the autumn.

Upheaval? The Hall of Supreme Harmony at the Forbidden City, Beijing, next to where reports surfaced this week of troops, tanks and gunfire

But he was sacked after his right-hand man and police chief, Wang Lijun, sought asylum at a U.S. consulate last month. Mr Wang 'feared for his life' after he was dismissed for ordering an investigation into the business dealings of Mr Bo's family. The firing of Mr Bo, a telegenic, controversial figure who had been encouraging 'Mao-stalgia' - a return to the 'red' socialist culture and values of Chairman Mao Zedong - has become a rare political drama in the authoritarian state as it prepares for a once-in-a-decade leadership change later this year. Many observers of China's opaque political elite are united in believing the ousting of Mr Bo has divided many within the Party, with the main division drawn between outgoing Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and officials close to the Minister of Public Security, Zhou Yongkang.

Interesting, i'd note that i've not yet seen a reported denial which to me suggests something is going on.

Thoughts?

[Jordy]

I think China is closer to the West than we appreciate, whilst it may have a large degree of Internet censorship we would know about it if things were happen. There are thousands of journalists, foreigners etc in Beijing and the smallest sign of gunshots and tanks on the streets and there would be pictures, videos etc on the internet straight away. The media and citizen journalists managed to capture the Tianamen Square incident in 1989 despite the government's best efforts, in this day and age it would be naive to think in a county like China such things could occur without it easily getting out with firm evidence. Believable in North Korea yes, elsewhere, no.

No doubt things aren't as "rosy" in China as usual with the leadership changes, dismissals and open criticisms of each other (A positive sign if anything) but it seems this is just a jumped up conspiracy (All too common with yourself). Things are great in China at the moment, it's been consistently improving for 2 decades, there's no way a "revolution" would happen at the moment.

[jasey]

Hoo! I haven't been following the news like I usually do this week because of work but this was a shocking read. I am definitely skeptical about China and I am going to certainly look in to why these rumours came about! Thank you for posting this, Daniel.

[-:Undertaker:-]

No doubt things aren't as "rosy" in China as usual with the leadership changes, dismissals and open criticisms of each other (A positive sign if anything) but it seems this is just a jumped up conspiracy (All too common with yourself). Things are great in China at the moment, it's been consistently improving for 2 decades, there's no way a "revolution" would happen at the moment.

Would you like to tell me and elaborate on what 'jumped up conspiracy/s' I apparently believe in?