The truth behind the recent spate of suicides at Foxconn plants in China remains unclear because Beijing has worked hard to distract attention from the issue. However, the effects of the suicides cannot be underestimated, as they may yet give impetus to the moribund Chinese labor movement.
As a result, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Propaganda Department has ordered local media outlets to refrain from reporting on the issue without prior permission. This is a missed opportunity.