China launches internet hotline to report ‘illegal’ history comments

China’s cyber regulator has launched a hotline to report online comments that defame the ruling Communist Party and its history, vowing to crack down on “historical nihilists” before the party’s 100th anniversary in July.

The tip line allows people to report fellow net users who “distort” the party’s history, attack its leadership and policies, defame national heroes and “deny the excellence of advanced socialist culture” online, a notice posted by an arm of the Cyberspace Administration of China said.

“Some with ulterior motives ... have been spreading historical nihilistic misrepresentations online, maliciously distorting, denigrating and negating the history of the party,” the notice said.

“We hope that the majority of internet users will actively play their part in supervising society ... and enthusiastically report harmful information,” it said.

“Historical nihilism” is a phrase used in China to describe public doubt and scepticism over the Chinese Communist Party’s description of past events.

China’s internet is censored and most foreign social media networks, search engines and news outlets are banned in the country.