Stanford University wins battle to keep diaries of Mao Zedong’s secretary
Tessa Wong
Li Rui, seen before his death, wears a red jacket and a white collared shirtSCMP via Getty Images
Li Rui, seen in this file photo taken before his death in 2019, was a top Chinese Communist Party cadre
A court in California has ruled that Stanford University can keep the diaries of a former secretary to Mao Zedong, the founder of modern China.
Li Rui, a top official known for his criticism of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in his later years, had meticulously kept diaries which are now deemed valuable historical records.
Li’s daughter began donating his diaries to Stanford when he was still alive, saying this was per her father’s wishes. But following his death, his widow sued for the documents to be returned to Beijing.
Stanford framed the case as a fight against Chinese government censorship, arguing it was the rightful owner of the diaries and that they would be banned if returned.
On Tuesday, the court ruled the donation made to the Hoover Institution at Stanford was “lawful and in accordance with Li’s wishes”.
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