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Original poster

AIBU to think China is lying about its data?

187 replies

Ladyks · 31/03/2020 18:15

Just that really. Noticed on the update that they referenced how China lowered the curve & slowed down the rate of infections & deaths... but I don’t think I’m buying it Confused. What do you think?

OP posts:
Disfordarkchocolate · 01/04/2020 07:15

I think their figures are rubbish, no report will convince me otherwise.

Look at the evidence of how their state acts. Think about what we never hear years after events happen. Multiple their figures by 10; at least.

AgentJohnson · 01/04/2020 07:45

Yes close their borders, we’re alright Jack now you can get on with it. Hopefully if they close their borders we won’t have to buy their plastic crap anymore.

Er, no one forced you or any of us to buy ‘their plastic crap’. Not making the shit that’s demanded by the west has benefited their environment and ours. Supply and demand, we demand it and western countries: companies go to China to get it as cheap as bloody possible.

It’s one thing calling out the cover up but shit like the above is exactly why MNHQ commented on this thread.

I think you’ll find that the USA will be worst hit because it’s government seem incapable and it’s people unwilling, to put some basic measures in place to reduce the transmission.

The truth is that most countries adopted a ‘it won’t be as bad in our country’ approach’.

Of course we can should question China’s figure and reporting but we also have to acknowledge that if they hadn’t of shut down Wuhan like they did, it would have been a lot worse for all of us.

Hopefully but probably unlikely, this should be a wake up call to the whole planet.

MarginalGain · 01/04/2020 07:53

Of course we can should question China’s figure and reporting but we also have to acknowledge that if they hadn’t of shut down Wuhan like they did, it would have been a lot worse for all of us.

Are you joking?

How about if the police hadn't threatened the whistleblower on Dec 30th after he raised the alarm flag to fellow doctors?

mochajoes · 01/04/2020 08:14

First cases of Corona were identified in November but authorities only confirmed human to human contact on 21/01 & Wuhan was locked down on 23/01. Singapore closed borders to China at the end of Jan against WHO advice. I don't believe they contained the virus as much as they say they did.

KayakingOnDown · 01/04/2020 08:29

From the Sky News article -

*According to reports this weekend, the British government has been told the Chinese may have lied about the extent of their own outbreak by a factor of 40.

Precious time was lost for other countries to prepare for the virus and when they did, it was based on fudged figures and dodgy data.

The Chinese government appears to have indulged in a Kremlin-style disinformation campaign too.

It's foreign minister tweeted about the possibility that the US military brought the virus to Wuhan.

It's online mouthpiece, the Global Times, reported that Italy may have been to blame, producing no evidence whatsoever for the irresponsible claim.*

KayakingOnDown · 01/04/2020 08:32

The Sky report goes on to mention that medical supplies sent to Europe from China have been substandard and dangerous to use.

It says its may be time for a review of our relation with China.

The Huawei contract must be dropped. The Chinese government can't be trusted.

ShanghaiDiva · 01/04/2020 08:43

For whoever asked upthread my wechat account is not linked to my passport number.

MamaMary · 01/04/2020 08:51

Also reported in Financial Times today that China's factories are busy at work again while the rest of the world is in shutdown.

Who will benefit from this crisis?

PineappleDanish · 01/04/2020 08:59

Why are people desperately eager to believe the worst? If China's figures are improving that's a good thing and if independently verified, there's no reason to disbelieve them.

But that doesn't keep the "omg we're all doomed" crowd happy with their salivating over the crisis.

ShanghaiDiva · 01/04/2020 09:00

Factories may be operating, but as the rest of the world shuts down where is their market? They have the domestic market but I don’t see that much else is moving.
My dh works for a joint venture, factory has been running throughout the crisis (despite lockdown) but they are in huge difficulties now ...

MarginalGain · 01/04/2020 09:04

Why are people desperately eager to believe the worst? If China's figures are improving that's a good thing and if independently verified, there's no reason to disbelieve them.

Who has independently verified them?

They kicked the New York Times out of the country when they were caught reporting on the 1 million Muslims currently in re-education camps.

ShanghaiDiva · 01/04/2020 09:06

sabine
Yes, exactly. What about Taiwan? Are they also lying?

KayakingOnDown · 01/04/2020 09:07

It's not that China's figures aren't improving, it's that they lied about them for months so the rest of the world was in the dark and couldn't prepare. The WHO was either fooled or corrupt.

KayakingOnDown · 01/04/2020 09:08

Undoubtedly other countries are lying too. Russia, for one. But they don't hold responsibility for hushing up the evidence in the first place.

mochajoes · 01/04/2020 09:10

But that doesn't keep the "omg we're all doomed" crowd happy with their salivating over the crisis.

Why does questioning China's death figures & some of their gov behaviour regarding PR eg blaming Italy, faulty equipment to the Netherlands = salivating over the crisis?

SandyY2K · 01/04/2020 09:10

I agree with you OP. I'm not buying it by a longshot.

ShanghaiDiva · 01/04/2020 09:13

I think it was clear back in early feb that action could have been taken by other countries, but few chose to do anything.
Australia stopped entry from mainland China on 1st Feb and introduced home quarantine for nationals and permanent residents who were allowed to return.
Hong Kong also introduced compulsory quarantine measures.

mochajoes · 01/04/2020 09:15

What about Taiwan?

Again against the initial advice from the WHO Taiwan did the below;

banning Wuhan residents on Jan. 23, suspending tours to China on Jan. 25, and eventually banning all Chinese visitors on Feb. 6.

mochajoes · 01/04/2020 09:22

I've also read Taiwan has one of the best health care systems in the world

ShanghaiDiva · 01/04/2020 09:22

That is my point: action taken kept numbers low.
Is it possible that numbers in some provinces in China are low because of the action the Chinese took?
Eg they stopped movement between cities and provinces.

BovaryX · 01/04/2020 09:24

But they don't hold responsibility for hushing up the evidence in the first place

Imagine if this virus had originated in Kansas. Imagine if US government officials spread a rumour that its source was actually Sweden......

mochajoes · 01/04/2020 09:24

But they didn't lockdown Wuhan until end Jan & the first cases were identified in Nov.

mochajoes · 01/04/2020 09:26

Eg they stopped movement between cities and provinces

I absolutely believe they have & can contain it better than Western countries. I just don't believe they have contained it as much as they say & that all covid deaths are being recorded correctly.

MangoFeverDream · 01/04/2020 10:04

Of course we can should question China’s figure and reporting but we also have to acknowledge that if they hadn’t of shut down Wuhan like they did, it would have been a lot worse for all of us

Well, if they’d cut off Wuhan before Chinese New Year we’d not have a problem to this extent at all! Millions of people left Wuhan and travelled around China and the rest of the world, as you do when you have a week off work as they did. This was, it should be said, after human to human transmission was known.

So actually, if they had reacted in a timely fashion, been upfront with the WHO and the rest of the world, we’d be in a much better position.

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