The New York Times lashes out against the Chinese government accusing it of lying. WHO was warned by Beijing last December 31, while it warned its population only a few days ago.
The Chinese government informed the World Health Organization (WHO) of the existence of the coronavirus as early as December 31, but until a few days ago it kept its citizens in the dark, relying on media and network censorship. This was revealed by the New York Times on the basis of local testimonies and leaks that confirm the cloak of silence built at the table by the leaders of the country with dramatic consequences on the health of the population and of all humanity but also on the management of the epidemic. Zhou Xianwang, mayor of Wuhan, said he was not allowed to speak publicly about the coronavirus until late January, a few days before the epicenter of the deadly virus was quarantined. According to the estimates of the first mayor, at that juncture people entered and left Wuhan without any precaution, and 5 million people have already fled. The fact that the government has hidden the initial phase of the epidemic partly explains the current inability of Chinese hospitals to cope with the health emergency: there is a lack of screening kits, masks and other protective clothing. The New York Times investigation puts the blame for the terrible coronavirus lie on the authoritarian regime of President Xi Jinping, which has "further and systematically gutted institutions such as journalism, social media, non-governmental organizations and other categories that can provide evidence of its responsibility". The same strategy was put in place by Xi to cover up swine fever which has led to the killing of a quarter of the world's pig population since 2018. Beyond the damage the mockery. "When other countries reported cases of coronavirus, China pretended to be able to confine the epidemic to Wuhan, joking darkly about a patriotic virus that has only affected foreigners," the NYT sources denounce. The epidemic is also affecting the Chinese economy, in a situation of maximum weakness in the last 30 years. "And, with a good dose of humility, let's do away with some Americans' misplaced admiration for Xi's authoritarian model," concludes the US daily.
