Report: Amazon Catered to the Whims of Chinese Communist Dictator Xi Jinping

A recent report reveals that Amazon marketed a collection of Chinese communist dictator Xi Jinping’s speeches and writings on its Chinese website two years ago. The Masters of the Universe made sure that no customer reviews or ratings were visible to Chinese consumers at the order of the communist party.

Reuters reports that Amazon marketed a collection of Chinese dictator Xi Jinping’s speeches and writings on its Chinese website two years ago. The move was made following an edict delivered from Beijing to the e-commerce giant which included a number of stipulations, such as the removal of any customer ratings and reviews in China.

BEIJING, CHINA – APRIL 26: Chinese President Xi Jinping proposes a toast during the welcome banquet for leaders attending the Belt and Road Forum at the Great Hall of the People on April 26, 2019 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Nicolas Asfouri – Pool/Getty Images)

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos during the JFK Space Summit at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston, Wednesday, June 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

A single negative review of Jinping’s books resulted in the order by Amazon. One source told Reuters: “I think the issue was anything under five stars.” Despite ratings being a key part of Amazon’s business, the company complied and the book has no customer reviews or ratings on the Amazon.cn website.

It has not previously been reported that Amazon had complied with the Chinese government edict, which appears to be part of a decade-long effort by the e-commerce giant to win favor in Beijing. A 2018 internal Amazon document described the company’s plans for business in China stating a number of “Core Issues” for the firm.

One of these “Core Issues” is: “Ideological control and propaganda is the core of the toolkit for the communist party to achieve and maintain its success. We are not making judgement on whether it is right or wrong.”

The internal document includes interviews with more than two dozen people involved in Amazon’s China operation and reveals how the company has worked to further the Chinese Communist Party’s economic and political agenda in order to continue to thrive within the country.