On Feb 5 and Feb 6, 2020, Taiwan’s leading news portal ETtoday reported that Liaoning and Jiangxi provinces both announced lockdowns of residential communities across the entire province.

Each of the two provinces has a population of well over 40 million.

Over 36 Chinese cities have imposed restrictions on residents, preventing them from leaving home. The lockdown of a residential community means that anyone without official authorization is not allowed to enter the neighborhood. Jiangxi province’s measure has a further restriction that only one person in each family is allowed to go out shopping every other day. Continue reading →

The Heilongjiang high court called for the death penalty for those who were deemed to be spreading the novel coronavirus. Those who spread information about the virus could face up to 15 years in prison.

Death penalties could also apply in the following situations: those who set road blocks and blocked traffic without permission, those who looted stores and caused other people’s deaths or injuries, those who manufactured fake medicine or medical supplies, and those who embezzled or stole materials or funds to prevent or control the novel coronavirus. Continue reading →

On February 4, 2020, the Communist Party Committee of the Public Security Ministry issued a notice to remind its police force that political orientation is the top priority.

The notice reminded the police forces that their job is to maintain social stability whenever the novel coronavirus is mentioned. They should elevate their political standing when fighting the spread of the virus so that they uphold the leadership of Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee. Continue reading →

In his meeting with Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of World Health Organization (WHO), on January 28, Xi Jinping told Tedros, “I, myself have been directing and arranging (the work that is being done to fight against the epidemic) all along.”

It is not clear what the reason was for Xi to have make such a statement.

Related postings on Chinascope:

• Leadership: Wuhan Party Secretary Mentioned a Few Critical Dates
• Leadership: Wuhan Mayor Not “Authorized” to Release Epidemic Information to the Public Before

Continue reading →

In an interview with China Central Television (CCTV), Wuhan Party Secretary Ma Guoqiang mentioned a few critical dates:

• December 27, 2019: A hospital reported that regular antibiotic treatment did not work for a few pneumonia patients.The  Wuhan Health Department then asked hospitals to report similar cases.
• December 30/31, 2019: The Wuhan government gathered more patients from other hospitals and reported the situation to the National Health Commission.
• January 12/13, 2020: At the airport, train station, coach station, and ship terminal, Wuhan began installing infrared thermometers to test people’s temperatures.
• January 20, 2020: The State Council took action and the National Health Commission declared the coronavirus to be a category B infectious disease.

The Wuhan government didn’t release the critical information to the public or take serious measures until January 20, 2020.

Related posting on Chinascope:

• Leadership: Wuhan Mayor Not “Authorized” to Release Epidemic Information to the Public Before

Continue reading →

The Wuhan government has been criticized for failing to disclose critical information, including the severity of the virus and the fact that it could be transmitted from person to person. Wuhan Major Zhou Xianwang said that, before January 20, he had not been “authorized” to do so.

In an interview with the China Central Television (CCTV) on January 27, 2020, Zhou apologized for not releasing the epidemic information to the public earlier. He stated that “as a local government, I could not release information until I received information and authorization.” “Especially after January 20, the State Council had a meeting, defining it as a category B infectious disease but deciding to handle it as a category A infectious disease. It then asked the local government to be responsible and we could be therefore be more active in our work.”

He said that they decided to lock down the city to keep the virus within the city and not spread out, even though they might be blamed in the future. Ma Guoqiang (Wuhan Party Secretary) and he were willing to take the responsibility for this decision.

He didn’t mention when they knew about the information.

Both Caixin and The Beijing News reported his statement. Continue reading →