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Leadership: A Political Controversy: Head of National Health Commission Praised Wuhan Mayor

After Beijing replaced the Hubei Provincial Party Secretary and Wuhan Municipal Party Secretary for ineffective control of the coronavirus in Wuhan and Hubei, the media rarely mentioned the Wuhan Mayor, Zhou Xianwang.

However, HK01, a media in Hong Kong, reported that, on February 28 at a press conference, Ma Xiaowei, a member of the Central government’s Supervision Group at Hubei and Director of the National Health Commission, called Zhou Xianwang out and praised him for “directing work on the front line, mobilizing people in person, and organizing (hospital) construction work around the clock.” One of Zhou’s achievements was building 16 modular hospitals with 13,000 beds that host 12,000 patients.

New Tang Dynasty (NTDTV), a New York based independent Chinese language Television media, pointed out that this news was special because, in the past, Zhou Xianwang openly challenged the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) central leadership, which is very rarely  seen in China’s political system.

In an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) on January 27, 2020, Zhou said that, until January 20, he had not been “authorized” to release information to the public or to take action. (See Chinascope posting: Leadership: Wuhan Mayor Not “Authorized” to Release Epidemic Information to the Public Before)

Then on February 11, 2020, Changjiang Daily, the official newspaper under the Wuhan Communist Party Committee, published an article to defend Zhou as he was not authorized to take action. (See Chinascope posting: Leadership: Wuhan Municipal Website Defended Its Mayor)

In his CCTV interview, Zhou also stated that he made the decision to lock down Wuhan. However, on February 20, Ding Xiangyang, the Deputy Chief Secretary of the State Council and a member of the Central government’s Supervision Group at Hubei, stated that it was Xi Jinping who ordered the Wuhan lockdown. (See Chinascope posting: Leadership: Ding Xiangyang: Xi Jinping Ordered Wuhan Lockdown)

Therefore, the praise of Zhou Xianwang may have a number of political messages behind it.

The Director of the Central government’s Supervision Group at Hubei is Vice Premier Sun Chunlan. The Deputy Director is Chen Yixin, Party Secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee Political and Legal Affairs Committee, who is said to be a Xi Jinping loyalist.

Related postings on Chinascope:

1. Excerpt in Chinese:

儘管周先旺近來極少在公眾場合露面,但他在2月28日受到中南海特派機構「中央指導組」點名表揚後,再度引起輿論關注。在當日的國新辦發布會上,中央指導組成員、國家衛健委主任馬曉偉專門對周先旺點名表揚,「靠前指揮、親自調動,夜以繼日組織力量施工改造。」

有傳媒指出,疫情爆發以來,一組數據能體現周先旺的執行力,即目前武漢已建成16家方艙醫院,實際開放床位13,000多張,累計收治患者12,000人;而且放艙醫院做到零感染零死亡零回頭,實現「床等人」。

也正因為如此才實現武漢防疫抗疫戰場的主動,扭轉被動的趨勢。報道強調,作為武漢市長的周先旺應該說是「功不可沒」,說明他的實幹和實績實效。畢竟「中央指導組」開宗明義表揚副省級市長,很罕見也很見力度。

Source: HK01, March 4, 2020
https://www.hk01.com/議事廳/443339/新冠肺炎-武漢市長罕見獲高層表揚-疫情初期因防控不力陷爭議

2. Excerpt in Chinese:

中央指导组组长是中共副总理孙春兰,而副组长是后来空降到湖北坐阵的习近平亲信、政法委秘书长陈一新。目前外界不清楚马晓伟表扬周先旺是出自何意图。

周先旺曾于1月27日把疫情大爆发的责任,甩锅给习近平。

对于武汉当局此前不及时披露疫情。周先旺接受央视专访时说:自己作为地方政府的领导人,获得信息,授权之后才能披露,在1月20日国务院召开常务会议,要求属地负责后,我们的工作就主动多了。

周先旺的公开言论,被认为是“甩锅”给习近平。周因此成为“抗命中央”的焦点人物。

旅美经济学者何清涟分析说,熟悉中共政治尤其是党内斗争史的人都明白,哪怕上级错得离谱,下级也是“奴才该死,臣罪当诛”。如果不是背后有人撑腰,借周先旺几个胆子,也不敢公开“甩锅”给习。

值得关注的是,2月20日,中共中央指导组也曾公开称,武汉1月23日的封城是习近平的指示。而周先旺则称,封城是武汉当局的决定。

周先旺接受央视采访时说,对一个超千万人口的城市,采取封城,这可能人类史上没有过,在人类的城市发展史上也没有过,“但是面对今天疫情的威胁,我们把这个门关了,有可能把疾病阻断了。”

Source: NTDTV, March 2, 2020
https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2020/03/02/a102789637.html