An influential socialist publication in China has returned after a 19-year hiatus, with its latest issue bringing a renewed focus on Marxism and radical leftist views.

Zhongliu magazine, published between 1988 and 2001, was considered to be a popular outlet for supporters of Maoist thought and Marxist fundamentalism. It was discontinued over a controversial article that disagreed with then Chinese president and Communist Party general secretary Jiang Zemin.

The first issue of the relaunched Zhongliu commemorated the 100th birthday of the magazine’s founder and patriotic writer Wei Wei.

It also promised to “return to the roots” of Marxism. Aside from Wei Wei’s work, the inaugural edition included writings from Marxist theorist Samir Amin, Indian writer Arundhati Roy, Tsinghua University professor Wang Hui and Shenzhen University professor Cao Zhenglu.

Leftist views continued to be staunchly supported, with one writer discussing the coronavirus pandemic and how it related to the fall of China’s rightist faction. The next issue will celebrate the 150th anniversary of Lenin’s birth.

Zhongliu was founded in 1988 by Wei Wei and Lin Mohan, a former deputy minister of China’s propaganda department. In a public debate on China’s future during Deng Xiaoping’s reformist era, the magazine sided with socialism against capitalism.

On July 1, 2001, Jiang proposed allowing private business owners to join the Communist Party, which sparked outrage from Zhongliu magazine’s staff and supporters.

Under the name “a group of Communist Party members,” writers published a series of articles in Zhongliu criticizing Jiang for contravening the party’s principles and regulations. One inflammatory article asked: “Who does the General Secretary really represent?”

Authorities shut down Zhongliu and another leftist publication, The Pursuit of Truth, in August 2001.

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