In January 2013, it is reported that under the command of Tuo Zhen, Guangdong liberal newspaper Southern Weekly was forced to add a provided commentary glorifying the CCP with its annual new year editorial, which was originally intended to call for proper implementation of the country's constitution.[3][4] This action provoked many Southern Weekly reporters and intellectuals (include Mao Yushi, Zhang Yihe, Li Chengpeng, Zhang Sizhi, He Weifang, Leung Man-tao, Cai Ziqiang, Jiang Mingxiu, etc.) to criticize Tuo and call for his position.[4] Over the period of a few weeks, nearly a dozen drafts were circulated between editors and propaganda officials under Tuo; ultimately the final article had evolved to look nothing like the original draft.[5]
In April 2018, Tuo was appointed as the Chief Editor of the People's Daily, the official newspaper of the CCP Central Committee.[8] In November 2020, he was appointed President of the People's Daily, replacing Li Baoshan.[9]