Thread by @CarlMinzner

(1/x) The General Office of the CCP released a new central opinion on ramping up united front (统战工作) work aimed at the private sector - i.e., clearly marking private business as a major political target for Party ideological work.

Two thoughts:
gov.cn/zhengce/2020-0…

(2/x) First, the thrust of this is utterly clear: the private sector needs to toe the Party line, period.
教育引导民营经济人士用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想武装头脑、指导实践，在政治立场、政治方向、政治原则、政治道路上同党中央保持高度一致，始终做政治上的明白人

(3/x) Ideologically, that feels like we're clearly back in the early 1950s. Private enterprise exists, but only so far as they can paint themselves as loyalists.

Next Q: Might Beijing at some point take the next (i.e. late 1950s) step of tightening controls yet *further*?

(4/x) Second, note that this opinion came out 2 months after Xi Jinping's symposium with a slate of private +SOE entrepreneurs - where it appears that the same talking points were delivered (see @niubi below).

i.e. - this is a coherent policy rollout.

sinocism.com/p/xi-chairs-sy…

(5/x) Now note Xi just held another similar conference w/ scientists just a few days ago.

One of Xi's calls: for scientists to remember their national identity: 科学无国界，科学家有祖国.

xinhuanet.com/politics/2020-…

(6/x) In two months, might we see a similar central opinion on increasing united front work/ideological work among scientists?

If so, that's how the demands for ideological purity will start to expand - for the value of 红 ("red") to start to get elevated over 专 ("expert").

(7/x) Naturally, one might think that's nuts - how could Beijing start turning the clock back in that manner?

But recognize that is *exactly* what Party ideologues have just done with respect to the private business sector.

And now the question should be: who's next?