The truth and lies about life after COVID-19
A weekly review of news from China
Pictures of the pandemic
The concept of “mask diplomacy” has arisen as COVID-19 spreads around the world: Chinese leader Xi Jinping has boasted of building a “Health Silk Road” around the globe—and billionaire Jack Ma joined in by sending medical supplies to Africa. But even as the original lockdown is lifted in Wuhan, a new doubt is lingering about the numbers:
The claims from China that it’s won the war against the coronavirus is subject to questioning, if only because of how all of its numbers are released through state media. And now, the Chinese government is facing a muti-billion class action lawsuit from an American attorney, who alleges that information about the outbreak was withheld.
What didn’t they know?
Did the coronavirus end up coming to America because it didn’t have somebody on the ground in China? Donald Trump says his administration gave the Centres for Disease Control more money for such research, rather than less. Meanwhile, the pandemic’s original whistleblowing doctor, Li Wenliang, was posthumously exonerated by China.
The economic aftermath
China Beige Book, which conducts an independent survey of 3,300 businesses every quarter, got more press due to economic shakeups in the rest of the world. And their conclusions point to a 10 per cent shrink of China’s economy in the first quarter of 2020. Now, the country is trying to revive daily work routines without risking lives.
Alipay is in all the air
Some credit for COVID-19 curbing in China has been given to the mandatory app that decides whether the phone’s owner should be quarantined. The government-ordered use of Alipay, from the finance affiliate of Alibaba and WeChat, has also brought on its share of confusion and frustration due to a lack of transparency over its colour codes.
American media vs. China
One week after Beijing announced the expulsion of reporters from the most prominent American newspapers, their publishers co-signed an open letter which outlines why their presence is important in China. The media war has extended to U.S. Republican lawmakers appealing to Twitter to ban Chinese Communist party leaders.
The last words, for now
COVID-19 led to a shift in attitudes in China, according to a survey conducted by Dutch-based group Glocalities. Among the main findings: an emphasis on etiquette, intolerance of individualistic behaviour, more desire for order and structure, a rising trust in institutions, and a greater appreciation for those who make contributions to society:
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