China’s ruling Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily triggered a wave of online ridicule after a report covering President Xi Jinping’s meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump mistakenly spelled Xi’s name as “Xi Jinhu” (习近乎).
The Oct. 30 article described Xi’s talks with Trump in Busan, South Korea, referring to him as “State President Xi Jinhu.” The byline listed editor Ma Yuhang, whose name quickly trended on Chinese social media once screenshots of the typo began circulating.
According to viral posts shared by X user Funi Nana, Ma is a newly hired People’s Daily editor born after 2000 and allegedly a “well-connected insider” with only a bachelor’s degree. The images purport to show a People’s Daily recruitment list from 2025, where Ma appears as the only undergraduate among the top 20 new hires.
Wider fallout inside China’s propaganda system
Veteran journalist Gao Yu commented that the responsibility likely extends beyond one editor:
“Typesetters, reporters, editors, the general editorial office, and the new media team should all be held accountable.”
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The incident has reignited debate about rigid political control in China’s state media, where even minor misprints involving the country’s top leader can carry serious consequences.
Social media users reacted with sharp humor, suggesting the mistake might have been a “keyboard slip” or “Freudian typo.”
“Getting the emperor’s name wrong is a death sentence!” one post joked. “He’s no longer commanding or fighting wolves—just trying to get close,” another quipped, referring to the literal meaning of “近乎” (“to get close”).
Others coined new nicknames like “Xi Jinhu — Xi the Affectionate,” saying a fresh “sensitive word” had just entered China’s censorship database.
Not the first time
Similar blunders have occurred in Chinese official outlets before:
- In 2013, the Haixi Morning Post misprinted Xi’s name as “Xi Jinhu” (习进平), leading to the suspension of two editors.
- In 2011, Nanning Evening News repeated the same error and was forced to recall 130,000 printed copies.
- In 2010, CCTV’s website mistakenly referred to Xi as “Diao Jinping” (刁近平) before quietly correcting the post.
As of press time, People’s Daily had not commented publicly on the typo. Posts referencing “Xi Jinhu” were swiftly scrubbed from Chinese social platforms, though screenshots continue to circulate among overseas users.
Media observers note that such lapses—however small—offer rare glimpses into the pressure-cooker environment of Chinese propaganda, where errors about the leader are treated almost as political crimes.
By Li Muzi
