‘To Cicadas’ Poet Allegedly Insults Xi Jinping: China’s Heightened Political Sensitivity

David Zhang
By David Zhang
July 19, 2022China Insider
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A poem about cicadas turns out to be politically sensitive, and the author was forced to apologize. According to internet users, the poem implicitly insults Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader. However, nothing in the poem openly suggests so, so what gives? I’ll break down how a poem about cicadas and the summer heat turns out to be the biggest political joke since the Soviet Union.

I also speak with David Alton from the British House of Lords. He tells me what drives him to fight for human rights, being sanctioned by China, and much more—including his message to the people watching.

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