चीन के GDP डेटा पर सवाल उठाने वाले दिग्गज अर्थशास्त्री की संदिग्ध मौत, सरकार बोली- ‘बीमार’ थे – Gao Shanwen Chinese economist questioned gdp data dies china news ntcppl
Chinese economist Gao Shanwen, who had outspoken opinions on China’s economy and capital market, has been found dead at the age of 55. China’s state media has stated the cause of his death as ‘illness’. Gao Shanwen had said that China’s GDP growth between 2021 and 2023 may have been overestimated by 10 percentage points. Gao Shanwen was openly raising questions on China’s GDP data.
People have expressed deep sorrow over the death of this economist. On social media, he was considered a “bold truth-teller” in a country where independent voices are not tolerated.
Gao Shanwen, the former chief economist of state-controlled investment group SDIC Securities, died at the age of 55 “due to illness,” state-owned Shanghai Securities News reported.
The Chinese report did not specify the time of his death but described him as “China Described as “one of the most influential macro-economists in the U.S. capital markets.”
‘China’s GDP growth is only 2 percent’
Gao came into the limelight in late 2024 when he told a conference organized by the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington and a Chinese think-tank that China’s real GDP growth over the past two-three years would have averaged “about 2 percent”, which is much lower than official figures (about 5 percent).
They cited irregularities in consumption, employment and real estate data. He also expressed concern over youth unemployment, slowdown in consumption and lack of policy response.
It is said that the central leadership of China was extremely angry with these statements. The government banned him from speaking in public indefinitely. Their videos, articles and social media accounts (WeChat etc.) were censored/deleted.
The Securities Association of China had instructed chief economists to “positively promote government policies” and avoid “inappropriate comments”. He was fired from his job in November 2025 and his Hong Kong investment advisor license also expired.
There is no place for protest in China
Let us tell you that Beijing sets government targets for GDP and rarely misses them. This statement of Gao Shanwen had further strengthened the doubts of international economists about the accuracy of China’s economic data.
After this, Gao remained away from the public eye for almost a year and then came forward for some time in September 2025 to give a speech through video at a forum at Peking University.
Although it was reported that he was under investigation, a person familiar with the matter said that Gao had also told his friends and colleagues that he learned that he had cancer in January 2025.
the one who tells the truth is gone
According to a report in the Financial Times, a commentator on Chinese social media site ‘Rednote’ said, “An economist who used to speak the truth; in the past few years, there are only ‘optimistic’ economists left.”
Another comment on China’s microblogging site ‘Weibo’ read, “Another truth teller is gone, while liars are still spewing nonsense. Rest in peace, Dr. Gao!”
Chinese authorities often silence whistleblowers and commentators who express independent opinions that challenge government positions, even on general economic issues. Veteran Chinese industrialist Jaime Ma also once disappeared for a few months after criticizing his government.
China’s long history of suppressing opposition
In 2023, when China was struggling after the lifting of the strict Covid lockdown and the years-long property crisis was continuing, the government warned analysts not to comment negatively on economic growth and imposed censorship on prominent commentators.
Wu Xiaobo, one of China’s most famous economic bloggers, was blocked from ‘Weibo’ in June the same year, where he had about 5 million followers. He was accused of spreading harmful information.
In 2020, the death of Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang, who was the first to report the emergence of Covid-19, sparked online tributes across the country. People remembered him online by posting photos of candles and messages such as “Never forget.”
Gao was also famous for his concise and effective writing style. In 2024, he said that in China “the elderly are full of enthusiasm, the youth are lifeless and the middle-aged are tired of life.” This was a sign of how the elderly took advantage of the boom times, while later generations were paying the price of past excesses.
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