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Censorship · China · Lawsuit · Stanford
A California court ruled Stanford University can keep the diaries of Li Rui, a former secretary to Mao Zedong, despite a lawsuit from his widow and a Beijing court order, ensuring public access to valuable historical records.
Li Rui, a prominent Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official known for his later criticism, had his daughter, Li Nanyang, begin donating his extensive diaries to Stanford's Hoover Institution in 2014, fulfilling his wish to prevent CCP censorship. Following Li's 2019 death, his widow, Zhang Yuzhen, sued for the documents' return, claiming they were wrongfully given and caused her distress.
A Beijing court ruled in Zhang's favor, but Stanford initiated a separate US lawsuit to affirm ownership. The California court on Tuesday ruled the donation lawful, citing Li Rui's belief the CCP would censor or destroy his papers.
The court also found the Chinese lawsuit was likely CCP-funded and against Zhang's will, making the Beijing order unenforceable in the US. Condoleezza Rice, Hoover Institution's director, stated the decision guarantees free study of one of modern China's most valuable firsthand accounts, including Li's Tiananmen Massacre eyewitness report.
The collection spans 1938-2019, detailing CCP rule, and includes correspondence, meeting minutes, and poetry.
