The Wuhan Epidemic Control Command Center issued its No. 17 Order on February 24, stating, “People from other places stuck in Wuhan can leave the city.” The city was temporarily opened.
Three hours later, the Command Center issued its No. 18 Order to declare the previous order invalid. It stated that the No. 17 order “was issued by the Transportation Control Team of the municipal Command Center, without the Command Center’s review and main leadership approval.” Thus, the city’s lockdown was reinstated.
The previous order was said to have been signed by a Deputy Mayor of Wuhan.
The Paper criticized the Wuhan government for issuing an order and nullifying it shortly thereafter. It asked for an investigation of the incident.
[Editor’s Note: Ding Xiangyang, the Deputy Chief Secretary of the State Council, stated on February 20 that Xi Jinping gave the direction to lock down Wuhan (see post Leadership: Ding Xiangyang: It Was Xi Jinping Who Ordered the Wuhan Lockdown). It is not very clear who made the decision to unlock it and who rejected it. Rationally speaking, it would need someone at a position much higher than a Deputy Mayor to decide to end the Wuhan lockdown. Then someone in a high position rejected that decision after it was announced.]Related postings on Chinascope:
- Leadership: China Postponed “Lianghui” (“The Two Conferences”)
- Leadership: Chinese Leaders Are Planning Hide-out Place While Fighting the Coronavirus
- Leadership: “Turning Point Has Not Come Yet”
- Leadership: Ding Xiangyang: Xi Jinping Ordered Wuhan Lockdown
- Leadership: Some Chinese Media Showed Voices of Discord
Excerpt in Chinese:
2月24日，武汉市疫情防控指挥部发布一则通告（第17号令）提到，“滞留在汉外地人员(以下简称出城人员)可以出城”。
这则通告发出三个小时后，就被新发出的第18号令宣布无效。
武汉市新冠肺炎疫情防控指挥部发布的《关于加强进出武汉市车辆和人员管理的通告》（第17号），系市指挥部下设的交通防控组未经指挥部研究和主要领导同志同意发布的，现宣布该通告无效。对此，我们对相关人员进行了严肃的批评处理。武汉市坚决贯彻习近平总书记关于“外防输出”的重要指示精神，牢固树立全国一盘棋的思想，严格离汉通道管理，严格人员管控，严防疫情向外输出。
虽然武汉市很快作出更正，但是有几句话必须要讲清楚。
首先，武汉市是全国疫情防控关键所在，一举一动牵动太大，通告发布决不能朝令夕改。
武汉市的疫情通告发布不是小事，人命关天，马虎不得、懈怠不得，务必慎而又慎。
据陶然笔记了解，此次通告是由武汉市一名副市长直接签发，未经指挥部研究和主要领导同志同意。
但是接下来，武汉市需要进一步查清这件事的前因后果，进一步查漏补缺，决不能再发生朝令夕改的事情。
Source: The Paper, February 25, 2020
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_6147099