China says ex-top internet regulator under investigation
BEIJING — China’s former top internet regulator and censor is being investigated by the ruling Communist Party’s anti-corruption arm, the agency said Tuesday.
The party’s anti-graft watchdog agency said in a brief statement on its website that Lu Wei is suspected of “serious violations of discipline.” Until Tuesday’s announcement, Lu had been deputy head of the party’s propaganda department.
Lu was known as a hard-liner responsible for leading the government’s efforts to tighten control over domestic cyberspace and championing the party’s position that governments have a right to filter and censor their countries’ internet.
He wielded enormous power over what 700 million Chinese internet users could view online and acted as gatekeeper for technology companies wishing to do business in China.