CHINESE NEWS REPORTS about a giant inflatable toad have been deleted from the Internet after people started comparing it to a former Communist Party chief.
The installation of a giant inflatable duck in Hong Kong’s harbour last year sparked a national craze for oversized blow-up wildlife, with several Chinese cities launching their own imitations.
The latest, a 72-foot toad, appeared in a Beijing park last weekend.
However it was soon met with mockery from social media users, who compared its appearance to that of former President Jiang Zemin.
Do you see the resemblance?
China’s official Xinhua news agency and popular web portal Sina had mysteriously deleted their reports on the animal by Wednesday.
China’s ruling Communist Party tightly controls the Internet, blocking foreign sites such as Facebook while ordering local outlets to remove articles on political topics it deems sensitive, such as criticism of senior leaders.
Last year Sina Weibo blocked searches for “big yellow duck” after users posted an image of the iconic Tank Man photograph with the tanks replaced with giant ducks.
A spokesman for Yuyuantan park in Beijing said there were no immediate plans to remove the toad.
