Exhibitions | CHINDIA ALERT: You'll be living in their world, very soon

23/01/2020

Coronavirus: Wuhan shuts public transport over outbreak

Wuhan, a Chinese city of eleven million people, has temporarily shut down its public transport as it tries to halt the outbreak of a new strain of virus.

Those living in the city have been advised not to leave, in a week when millions of Chinese are travelling for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday.

The respiratory illness has spread to other parts of China, with some cases in other countries including the US.

There are more than 500 confirmed cases and 17 people have died.

Known for now as 2019-nCoV, the virus is understood to be a new strain of coronavirus not previously identified in humans. The Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus that killed nearly 800 people globally in the early 2000s was also a coronavirus, as is the common cold.

All the fatalities so far have been in Hubei, the province around Wuhan.

Meanwhile, after a day of discussions in Geneva, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) emergency committee has announced it will not yet declare a “global emergency” over the new virus.

Director general Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said more information was needed about the spread of the infection. The committee of health experts will meet again on Thursday.

A global emergency is the highest level of alarm the WHO can sound and has previously been used in response to swine flu, Zika virus and Ebola.

What measures have been announced?

From Thursday, all flights and passenger train services out of Wuhan have been stopped.

Bus, subway and ferry services all shut down from 10:00 local time (02:00 GMT).

A special command centre in Wuhan set up to contain the virus said the move was meant to “resolutely contain the momentum of the epidemic spreading”.

State news agency Xinhua said tourist attractions and hotels in the city had been told to suspend large-scale activities while libraries, museums and theatres were cancelling exhibitions and performances.

A Lunar New Year prayer-giving ceremony at the city’s Guiyuan Temple, which attracted 700,000 people last year, has also been cancelled.

The hashtag “Wuhan is sealed off” was trending on Chinese social media website Weibo.

One user said worries about food and disinfectant made it feel like “the end of the world”, while another said they were on the “verge of tears” when Chinese officials announced the shut-down.

The WHO’s Dr Ghebreyesus described the latest measures as “very strong” and said they would “not only control the outbreak, they will minimise spread internationally”.

Chinese officials said the country was now at the “most critical stage” of prevention and control.

“Basically, do not go to Wuhan. And those in Wuhan please do not leave the city,” said National Health Commission vice-minister Li Bin in one of the first public briefings since the beginning of the outbreak.

Like shutting down London before Christmas

By James Gallagher, BBC health and science correspondent

Wuhan is starting to look like a city in quarantine.

Officials had already warned residents not to leave the city and visitors not to come.

Now the reported public transport ban – which includes flights – slams many of the routes in and out of the city shut.

A man wears a mask on the subway on January 22, 2020 in Wuhan, Hubei province, China — Image caption Subways in Wuhan will be temporarily shut

It is a significant attempt to stop the spread of this new virus, which we now know can spread from person to person.

Limiting transport will cut the chance of the virus reaching other cities in China and other countries around the world.

This all comes just as millions of people are travelling across China for the week-long holiday that is Lunar New Year.

If you’re struggling for context – imagine shutting down London in the week before Christmas.

The big question left is the roads – and whether any of Wuhan’s 11 million inhabitants will be able to simply drive away.

What’s the picture globally?

Officials in Hong Kong reported the territory’s first two cases on Wednesday and one case was reported in the nearby city of Macau.

The patient in Macau is said to be a businesswoman who arrived from Wuhan over the weekend.

The first US case was confirmed on Tuesday. President Donald Trump said the situation was “totally under control” and that he trusted the information being provided by Chinese authorities.

Map: Confirmed cases in China and around the world

There have been three cases in Thailand, one in Korea, one in Japan and one in Taiwan.

Although only about 500 cases have been confirmed, calculations by scientists at the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London suggest there are 4,000 people sick with the virus in Wuhan.

What do we know about the virus?

The virus originated in a seafood market in Wuhan that “conducted illegal transactions of wild animals”, authorities said. The market has since been shut down.

New China virus: Your questions answered

There is also evidence of human to human transmission with the new virus spreading to family members and healthcare workers.

But understanding how easily and how often the virus spread between people is one of the major outstanding questions in this outbreak.

The virus infects the lungs and symptoms start with a fever and cough. It can progress to shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

Source: The BBC

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24/09/2019

China 70th anniversary: Pigeon ban and lockdowns as countdown begins

Chinese workers with Chinese flag — Image caption China is getting dressed up for its big birthday party

One week from now, the People’s Republic of China will mark its 70th anniversary with celebrations on a scale not seen in China in decades.

Beijing is pulling out all stops and 1 October will be flush with fireworks, fanfare and a huge military parade.

To ensure it goes smoothly, authorities have been ramping up security in the capital – and online – for weeks.

But with yet more protests expected in Hong Kong, the territory might just rain on China’s parade.

What is it all about?

The birth of modern China was declared on 1 October 1949, after the communists under Mao Zedong won the civil war that followed World War Two.

Portrait of Xi Jinping — Image caption Exhibitions are highlighting the achievements of the Communist Party

The date is marked every year, but celebrations for this 70th anniversary are expected to eclipse previous events.

It’s the first big anniversary since China has emerged as a global power. While 10 years ago China was a superpower in the making, it is now the world’s second largest economy, almost eye-to-eye with the United States.

What to expect?

The main celebrations will take place in the capital, Beijing, where there will be a grand military parade with “advanced weapons” on display, followed by a “mass pageant”.

President Xi Jinping – considered the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao – will address the Chinese people. His speech is expected to celebrate China’s rapid growth and which will be closely watched for any indication of the country’s direction in the coming years.

The president will also hand out honours for contributions to the country and in the evening there will be a grand gala and fireworks show.

All official Chinese celebrations are carefully choreographed and the success of this one is particularly important to the government.

The Dos and Don’ts

The parade – open to invited guests only – will take place around Tiananmen Square in central Beijing. The surrounding area will be practically under lockdown, and in fact has been so several times already.

During rehearsals leading up to the big day, hotels near Tiananmen Square told guests that for several hours each day, no-one would be able to leave the hotel or return to it should they be out, leading to much travel chaos and rebookings.

Many shops and restaurants in the centre are also closed or have shortened hours and some subway stations are temporarily shut.

Chinese paramilitary police — Image caption Security is tight ensure the party goes to plan

Trains to Beijing are running numerous safety checks on their passengers and vehicles going into the city are also being tightly watched.

On the big day itself, areas around Tiananmen Square will be blocked and guarded. Local residents will need to identify themselves if they want to pass.

To ensure the sun will shine brightly on the celebration in notoriously polluted Beijing, several coal plants and construction sites in and around the city have been ordered to stop work for the duration.

There’s also a ban on any low-flying aerial vehicles in place. That means anything from light aircraft to drones, balloons and even racing pigeons.

Censorship galore

Across much of the city centre, there are national flags set up at every door. Voluntary inspectors are monitoring the streets and locals have told the BBC they’re being questioned after having even brief conversations with foreigners

One person said she was asked by an inspector: “Who were those foreigners? Why were they here?”

The tight control naturally extends online as well. Popular social media platform Weibo said it was deleting content that “distorts” or “insults” the country’s history ahead of the anniversary.

Chinese flags outside a row of shops — Image caption Every house and every shop is sporting a national flag

Chinese journalists are always expected to toe the party line anyway, but starting in October they will have to pass an extra test to prove they are versed particularly in Xi Jinping’s teachings, officially called Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, which has been written into the constitution.

Whether or not they pass the exam will then determine whether they’ll be accredited as journalists.

“The fundamental point with this ‘training’ and indoctrination process isn’t so much about the content,” David Bandurski of China Media Watch told the BBC.

“It is about reinforcing the message and understanding among journalists that they work, first and foremost, for the Chinese Communist Party, and serve its agenda.”

So not only will the events be choreographed – the domestic coverage of them will also be tightly guarded.

What about Hong Kong?

Despite Beijing’s determination to let its achievements shine on 1 October, there’s a good chance Hong Kong will pull focus.

Anti-Beijing protests always take place in Hong Kong on China’s National Day, but this time, the activists know that the world is watching.

Anti-government protests have rocked the city for months and the situation shows no sign of dying down.

Clashes between police and activists have been becoming increasingly violent, with police using tear gas and activists storming parliament.

Protester throwing a tear gas can back at the police — Image caption The protests have often escalated into violent clashes

That means two things for 1 October: official celebrations in the territory are being toned down to avoid clashes – the annual fireworks display has been cancelled – while at the same time, activists are planning to step up their protests.

On Sunday 29 September, a “Global Anti Totalitarianism March” is scheduled to take place at various locations around the world in support of Hong Kong.

On 1 October itself, a march in central Hong Kong is planned with everyone asked to wear black.

If the past weeks’ demonstrations are anything to go by, the smiles and celebrations in Beijing will be competing for media space with pictures of tear gas and angry young protesters in Hong Kong.

Source: The BBC

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CHINDIA ALERT: You'll be living in their world, very soon

Chindia Alert: You’ll be Living in their World Very Soon

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