What's happening in China now?

[Charley198]

Just curious if anyone has any knowledge... I see they have barely any cases or deaths anymore.
With such a huge population how's this achievable? Or are their figures just not reported?

@Comedycook
I think masks are a culture thing. East Asian people use masks even before the pandemic, in the flu season, or when the pollution level is high (typically winter)

Singaporean and Japanese wear masks too, do you think they do so because of fear? Yes, fear of virus, not government.

@summermode my point is that we simply don't know how China is doing because the narrative is strictly controlled. We can't say for certain whether China is absolutely on top of the virus.

@Whoarethewho

China has handled this well. They enforced the rules and controlled the virus. Unfortunately the mumsnetters who just like to break the rules and demand their rights to visit family abroad and take holidays would hate it there. I admire China and their response and I wish the government had taken the same stance here and we would be back to normal now. Minus foreign travel.

Spot the CCP member

[quote summermode]@Comedycook
I think masks are a culture thing. East Asian people use masks even before the pandemic, in the flu season, or when the pollution level is high (typically winter)

Singaporean and Japanese wear masks too, do you think they do so because of fear? Yes, fear of virus, not government.[/quote]
Oh yes I know that about masks. Just making the point that saying people in China don't complain about government rules and regulations is not an indication that they're necessarily happy with them all.

China never lie do they !!!!!!

Don't believe anything to come out of there even where it came from

@Keepemguessing
I understand your point. That is why I reply to the thread to tell the truth because many people do not trust the media.

Chinese media does not have a very good track record and western media often biased and not telling the truth about China

I rarely comment on Mumsnet. But think I should say what I know.

I grew up in China and went to Oxbridge. Now most of my time I live in the Uk because I like the lifestyle and nature etc. I am not brainwashed or controlled by “fear”. I see the two sides - good and bad

I bet China are waiting for Biden to get the patent waivers through the companies... Then they will mass produce the mRNA and have a spin to show what heroes they are. I can only live with that if they eg supply the whole of Africa and do their bit.
In the long run, Zero Covid won’t work if other countries are not pursuing the same policy.

However much china controls the media, it’s not totally leak proof. Even the Chinese government aren’t going to be able to hide an entire covid wave. And there’s no reason to think that they should be having one.

If you could control the media to that extent you could control Covid.

I think they’re busy buying Afghanistan at the moment aren’t they?

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay

However much china controls the media, it’s not totally leak proof. Even the Chinese government aren’t going to be able to hide an entire covid wave. And there’s no reason to think that they should be having one.

If you could control the media to that extent you could control Covid.

Well hang on. Haven’t those early whistle blowers disappeared?

Yes. I didn’t say they didn’t try, or that it wasn’t criminal and morally wrong. But the point is you know about the whistleblowers and that they’ve disappeared which is information I’m sure they’d rather you didn’t know about. Attempting to control the media & information is not the same as actually being able to hide info. Which is much more difficult to do successfully these days.

It's so much easier to control something you released in the first place.

@Bythemillpond

NannyAndJohn

We haven't heard a peep from China for an entire year because their government has actually managed to control Covid

🤣🤣🤣

I think it might be they are hoping the world forgets where all this shit started

Yep looking around and thinking oh

@summermode

OP you are right “barely any cases or deaths anymore. ” - I have lots of friends and relatives living there. And this nearly zero COVID situation has been for long time (from last year)

the vast majority new cases are from inbound travellers - Who are required strict quarantine upon arrival (14-28days depending on location/circumstances) and numerous testing. All confirmed cases are then transferred to hospital, so no real threat to others.

Recently there were some new cases from someone crossing the border illegally and they built a wall overnight (metal with electricity). It sounds unbelievable but it is true - my friend lives in that province and I saw the photo.

Everything back to normal and the streets look prosperous.

They had very strict lockdown to contain the virus last year and still implement a very organized system to tackle any local outbreak (they call a 2 digit cases "outbreak"). No one I know complained about masks at all and when masks supply was low, they considered it a privilege to have them. People still use masks in some places just to be cautious

This is also what I have heard from Brits living in China.

Absolutely gobsmacked by those admiring the inhumane totalitarian regime that is China.

They are the biggest threat to our children's future, no question.

@Perfectlystill

Absolutely gobsmacked by those admiring the inhumane totalitarian regime that is China.

They are the biggest threat to our children's future, no question.

I don't think the population has much say in that. I don't agree with bad mouthing the entire country of China, just because they live under such a corrupt government. Imho it increases xenophobia. I would not want to be judged by our shit show of a government.

I quite agree @chickenyhead - it's the regime that poses the threat. I feel desperately sorry for the population.

actually Guangdong (south near HK) has recently been locked down as has Wenzhou.

Lots of factories have been being repeatedly shut and locked down for 7 to 10 days due to outbreaks. It's just not being publicised in western press and Chinese Gov are obviously keeping quiet but the Delta varient is definitely there.

When there are cases they lock down hard. You have to go into 2 week hotel quarantine when flying from one area to another within the country or return immediately to your own area.

They have been shutting off the power to force offices to shut or operate on reduced hours.

They have pretty poor uptake of the vaccine and are scrambling to get people vaccinated now.

China does with no doubt have some extremely dodgy human rights issues. But it is also culturally so different. I have never lived in China but I’m Chinese born in the UK. Chinese and British culture are poles apart. There is a reason British Chinese children do so well in educational outcome league tables. Defiance is unacceptable, losing face, respect for elders and authority. It’s actually hard to put in to words. DH is English and has softened what my parenting style would have been, it did cause the occasional tussle.

“I bet China are waiting for Biden to get the patent waivers through the companies... Then they will mass produce the mRNA and have a spin to show what heroes they are.”

China has its own WTO approved vaccines and the vaccination rates are very high (driven by recent imported cases). And there are many more currently at the trial stage. Its vaccine is not as effective as prifzer according to available data - the Oxford one is also less effective than prfzer (but it is much cheaper, right?)

China has provided vaccines to many developing countries，particularly the Africa and the US media called it “vaccine diplomacy” (in a negative tone) to get support from those countries. The US promised 80m vaccines by June but has not fulfilled it yet. China is always the bad guy, isn’t it?

Who are "they"? The Chinese people? You typed out such a xenophobic message while reaping the benefits from the cheap labour from China. You are ethically perfect?

Whoarethewho

China has handled this well. They enforced the rules and controlled the virus

How do you work that out.

If they had controlled the virus we wouldn’t be here 18 months later and dealing with the fallout
China did the exact opposite of controlling the virus until it was too late

@Bythemillpond

Whoarethewho

China has handled this well. They enforced the rules and controlled the virus

How do you work that out.

If they had controlled the virus we wouldn’t be here 18 months later and dealing with the fallout
China did the exact opposite of controlling the virus until it was too late

Exactly

China is always the bad guy, isn’t it

I think that is an understatement. Whoever decided to shut down the warnings has 4 million + deaths on their hands

@Aprilstory2 you are sensible.

China was poor and less developed - it was bullied by powerful countries when it was weak. The British Museum still has many collections “taken” from China. British merchants sold opium to Chinese people to benefit financially and weaken them, which later caused the “opium wars” to defend. Lots of Chinese died because Britain had better weapon and China was forced to sign unequal treaties.

Chinese people were previously called “sick man of the east Asia” and looked upon by many. Therefore Chinese people cared about improving life more than other things (eg. Free speech etc.). They worked extremely hard and as it turns out, their living standards have improved dramatically over the past 3 decades. People are motivated to work hard to live a better life - we can buy good value for money Chinese goods because of that.