Propaganda in China

Propaganda is used by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and historically by the Kuomintang (KMT), to sway domestic and international opinion in favor of its policies. In the People's Republic of China (PRC), this includes censorship of proscribed views and active promotion of views that favor the government. Propaganda is considered central to the operation of the CCP and the PRC government, with propaganda operations in the country being directed by the CCP's Publicity Department.

Aspects of propaganda can be traced back to the earliest periods of Chinese history, but propaganda has been most effective in the 20th and 21st centuries owing to mass media and an authoritarian government. Propaganda was an important tool in legitimizing the Nationalist government, which retreated to Taiwan in 1949. Propaganda during the Mao era was known for its constant use of mass campaigns to legitimize the party and the policies of leaders. It was the first time the CCP successfully used modern mass propaganda techniques, adapting them to the needs of a country with a largely rural and illiterate population. Contemporary propaganda in the PRC is usually depicted through cultivation of the economy and Chinese nationalism. Under the general secretaryship of Xi Jinping, propaganda in media has become more prevalent and homogeneous.