Li Chengpeng

Li Chengpeng is a prominent writer and social critic in the People's Republic of China. Well known in China for his reportage and social commentary—Li's Sina Weibo blog had nearly six million followers — Li made international headlines in 2011 when he announced that he would seek political office as an independent candidate in his hometown of Chengdu, Sichuan province. While not technically illegal, the decision represented a rare and bold move in a country where candidates for political office are typically appointed by the Communist Party of China.