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A “Firecracker Revolution” Took Place in China

After the blank-sheet paper protest, also called the “A4 Revolution” where A4 refers to the paper size, Chinese people started a new protest on the rights to set off firecrackers – some people called it the “Firecracker Revolution.”

Setting off firecrackers is a Chinese tradition to celebrate the new year. It had been a must-have activity for many years. However, in the past decade, the authorities banned it in the cities due to the risk of causing fires.

On Near Year’s eve, people in Xuchang City, Henan Province gathered at a central square. Some set off firecrackers. Police tried to arrest the “offenders,” but were blocked by other people. More and more people set off firecrackers at different spots on the square. In the end, the police gave up and let people enjoy their celebration.

A similar firecracker “offense” took place in Luyi County, Zhoukou City of the same province in central China on the next night. Police came and started arresting people. According to an  online video, a large group of people surrounded the police car, demanding the release of those who had been arrested. People and police officers pushed each other. Some young people smashed the police car, breaking its front windshield. Eventually people flipped the police car upside down. Special police came and arrested six people.

The “Firecracker Revolution” also happened in several cities and provinces including Henan, Shandong, Hebei, Jiangsu, Guangxi, and Chongqing.

Some cities loosened their restrictions on firecrackers. Dalian City, Liaoning Province announced certain districts that could set off firecrackers on Chinese Near Year’s Eve (January 21 this year). Dongying city and Binzhou City in Shandong Province also announced firecrackers were allowed in certain regions and at certain times.

Some commentators felt that from the A4 revolution to the firecracker revolution, the Chinese people showed that they are no longer so afraid of the authorities. They have started to demand their rights.

Sources:
1. Epoch Times, January 4, 2023
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/1/4/n13899249.htm
2. New Talk, January 5, 2023
https://newtalk.tw/news/view/2023-01-05/851861

Briefings | | |   @CS Government/Politics Social Stability

China’s COVID Infection Count

At present, three years after the Wuhan outbreak of COVID, China is suffering a nationwide outbreak. However, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) hides the actual infection numbers to pretend the pandemic is still under control.

A leakage occurred about a social media chat among officials at Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province. Wuxi city held an internal meeting to inform its officials that the provincial leaders criticized the city for being “too slow to get people into positive (people are not infected fast enough).” The province wants “the majority of the people (of Wuxi) to catch (COVID)” by March, 2023, so that its economy “can resume to a normal rate of operation” afterward.

Another leakage revealed that a social media chat (among officials at Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province) showed that Wuxi city held an internal meeting to inform its officials that the provincial leaders criticized Wuxi for being “too slow to report positive results (having fewer people infected).” The province wants “a majority of the people (of Wuxi) to catch (COVID) once” by March, 2023, so that its economy “can resume to a normal rate of operation.”

Ji’nan Times reported that, on December 23, Bo Tao, Director of the Health Commission of Qingdao City, Shandong Province, stated that each day, there were 490 to 530 thousand people in the 10-million-population of the city who got infected. He predicted the number would increase by 10 percent each day starting on December 24 and 25 and said “the peak is yet to come.”

On the other hand, the CCP’s official count is unbelievably low. It reported 4,103 total infection cases throughout the whole nation on December 23, with only 31 new cases in Shangdong Province.

An Internet posting showed a notice posted at the reception desk of one funeral home. The notice requires people to write and sign a  statement saying: “I confirm that the deceased (insert name) did not pass away due to COVID. I take full responsibility for hiding any information.”

Sources:
1. Epoch Times, December 22, 2022
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/12/22/n13889954.htm
2. Epoch Times, December 25, 2022
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/12/25/n13891448.htm
3. Radio Free Asia, December 27, 2022
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/gt2-12272022045848.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Social Stability

China’s Funeral Homes Are Running at Full Capacity

The rampage of COVID in China has taken many people’s lives. As a result, China’s funeral homes are running all day long to cremate bodies.

A Shanghai funeral home appealed for the public to fill openings in three areas: staff members to pick up corpses, people to assist the staff members who are picking up corpses, and workers handling the corpse pickup service on China’s social media WeChat.

A Hangzhou funeral home also posted that it had six positions to fill.

A Beijing citizen posted on Microblog (another Chinese social media) that in an emergency room in a hospital on December 26, he had witnessed over ten COVID deaths in 12 hours.

In Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, people lined up at 4:30 am for cremation appointments at the Yinheyuan Funeral Home (the facility gave out a limited number of tickets each day). Some people said that they came for 3 days but were still not able to get a number. The Guangzhou Funeral Service Center announced that, due to the high volume, it would not handle memorial services inquiries until January 10. It would still offer cremation services.

Anshan City, Liaoning Province turned an underground parking area into a morgue. Many coffins lined up in that area.

Some online videos showed a long line of cars waiting in front of a funeral home in Tianjin City. People packed a Wuhan funeral home. Also due to continuous use, a cremation furnace exploded in Tangshan City, Hebei Province.

In Beijing, the Tongzhou Funeral Home that cremated 40 bodies at the beginning of December quadrupled the number to around 160 bodies on December 19. An Internet video showed another funeral home – The Dongjiao Funeral Home – relied on police to direct traffic to the facility and some cars stayed in line for 12 hours but still hadn’t entered the facility. The funeral home also issued an emergency notice to its employees, prohibiting them from taking any media interviews or discussing or disclosing any numbers at the funeral home.

Source: Epoch Times, December 28, 2022
https://hk.epochtimes.com/news/2022-12-28/62561470

Briefings | | |   @CS Social Stability

COVID Is on a Rampage in China

China recently loosened its COVID control policy after people took to the streets to protest the extreme, inhumane lockdown measures. As a result, COVID has  spread widely throughout the country.

On December 13, the authorities reported only 7,451 infection cases for the entire nation, which the public just did not accept as a number they could trust.

A video posted by a Beijing resident showed that an entire subway station, which used to be fully packed, had only three people in it, including the recorder himself.

Many doctors, nurses, and other medical staff are infected. They are asked to continue work if they can. Work units informed their employees to stay at home and not go to hospitals as hospitals had already “run beyond their full capacity.”

Radio Free Asia quoted an Internet posting that the author called 911 but was told that there were already 4,000 people ahead of him in the queue. Its reporter called Beijing’s hotline 120. The operator told him there were already 40 people waiting for an ambulance, and suggested the caller go to the hospital himself, so he would not be putting a wrong hope on an ambulance.

Funeral homes worked at full speed to cremate bodies. A Beijing resident posted on social media that after his father passed away, he could not find a funeral home to take in his father’s body. A doctor posted on social media that there was a five to seven day wait for cremation and his hospital did not have an empty morgue any longer. Radio Free Asia reported that four elderly people died in the Emergence Room of the Beijing University Hospital. Other patients stayed and waited with the corpse in the same room.

In addition to the present danger to the elderly, this COVID is also claiming young lives. Three children, at the ages of 13, 8, and 2, respectively, died after they had a high temperature.

Source: Epoch Times, December 13, 2022
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/12/13/n13884197.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS Social Stability

China Canceled Video Speech by EU Council President at Shanghai Trade Expo

The Chinese authorities blocked a video by European Council President Charles Michel. It was not allowed to be shown on November 4 at the opening ceremony of the China International Import Expo (CIIE), a major trade expo in Shanghai. Beijing had planned to show Michel’s speech along with those from other foreign dignities, including the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, the director-general of the World Trade Organization, and the presidents of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Belarus.

However, in his pre-recorded video speech, the European Council president asked China to take the right side on the Russia-Ukraine war. Michel said, “China has a role in using its influence to stop Russia’s brutal war … through your so-called ‘no-limits’ partnership with Russia.” “You, China, can help put an end to this.”  His video also warned about Europe becoming overly dependent on Russia or China. “In Europe, we want balance in our trade relations  … in order to avoid over-dependencies,” Michel said. “This is also true of our trade relations with China.”

Michel’s office asked China for an explanation.

Source: China News, November 8, 2022
https://news.creaders.net/china/2022/11/08/2544742.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Government/Politics

The CCP Conducted More Interference in Canada’s Election Than any Other Country

According to the Canadian media, the Global News’ report on November 7, Canadian intelligence officials warned Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that China has allegedly interfered in Canada’s elections, including funding a clandestine network of at least 11 federal candidates running in the 2019 election.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) reported that the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) efforts in interfering in Canada’s election included payments through intermediaries to candidates affiliated with the CCP, placing their agents into the offices of Members of Parliament (MPs) in order to influence policy, seeking to co-opt and corrupt former Canadian officials, and mounting aggressive campaigns to punish Canadian politicians whom the CCP views as threats to its interests.

The intelligence report asserts that China conducts more foreign interference than any other nation.

In 2019, China’s Consulate in Toronto directed a large clandestine transfer of funds to a network of at least eleven federal election candidates and to numerous Beijing operatives who worked as the candidate’s campaign staffers. The funds were allegedly transferred through an Ontario provincial MPP and a federal election candidate staffer. Separate sources who are aware of the situation said a CCP proxy group, acting as an intermediary, transferred around $250,000 to these candidates and staffers.

Some, but not all, members of that alleged network were willing affiliates of the CCP.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on the same day, apparently in response to the Global News’ report, that China and other countries are finding ways to interfere with the Canadian democratic system. The Canadian government has taken strong measures to prevent this. The government established a special committee of senior officials to handle foreign interference during the two federal elections in 2019 and 2022.

Sources:
1. Global News, November 7, 2022

Canadian intelligence warned PM Trudeau that China covertly funded 2019 election candidates: Sources


2. Radio Canada, November 8, 2022
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/rci/zh-hans/新闻/1931263/中国-干涉-资助-加拿大候选人-政府措施

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