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The New York Times published an article today (November 9) that, to rewrite the narrative of Wuhan, where the epidemic originated, the CCP had activated its propaganda machine. First it was a six-hour documentary series, showing “Party members and cadres are moving forward” and Wuhan. “Warrior in White”. Then there’s a star-studded 20-episode television series that tells the stories of Wuhan doctors, express passengers, and construction workers in a fictional way. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Communist Party of China also financed the filming of a new opera about the Wuhan doctors.
The article pointed out that Wuhan was once synonymous with the destructive power of the new corona virus (CCP virus), and has now become the target of enthusiastic praise from the Chinese media, but this series of praise is actually part of the coordinated action of the CCP government, with the purpose of positioning Wuhan and even China as a “world symbol of” excellent government. “It is a propaganda offensive that aims to eliminate public anger against the mistakes of the government, who have made people pay a high price and anger will linger for a long time.But the recent narrative rewrites the experience, only celebrating success, leaving little room for sadness.
The article said that these shows also showed some pain in the initial stage of the outbreak, but this pain will definitely turn into a happy ending in the end. Whistleblowers who were punished for warning their friends about the virus are not mentioned. Nor has it recognized the citizen journalists who were detained after registering the death toll, some of whom are still missing.
The article quoted social worker Guo Jing as saying, “This type of narrative recognizes everyone’s contributions and sacrifices, but it also erases so much suffering that people have experienced, and it doesn’t ask if the sacrifices of so many people are really true. Necessary?”
The article noted that as early as February this year, the Chinese Communist Party planned to change the narrative in Wuhan and began commissioning the filming of the fictional narrative television series “Together”. The screenwriter visited Wuhan, which was still closed in March.
The article specifically mentioned that just three days before the screenwriter’s arrival, a circulating video showed a Wuhan citizen yelling at a visiting official through a window: “They are all fake!”
Some Wuhan residents told US media that while they see signs of recovery, wounds from the epidemic are everywhere around them.
One of the residents’ attorneys, Sophia Huang, said taxi drivers she knew often complained about how bad business was and were still worried about a new outbreak. A friend of hers became seriously ill from the virus and remained in a temporary hospital in Wuhan for some time.
“I think a lot of people in Wuhan still live with a kind of pain,” said Sophia Huang, 35. “In fact, we are not as successful as the media said.”
Maria Repnikova, a political scientist at Georgia State University who studies Chinese propaganda, said: “(The Chinese Communist Party) is a little too anxious, this is still a really painful topic. “The speed of production of the new show underscores the government’s desire to” shape this narrative more quickly and efficiently on more platforms. “
The article noted that the CCP’s propaganda has also drawn the ire of some people, who believe that the authorities’ omissions and carefully edited details are intended to deny what the public has seen with their own eyes. For example, another series of documentaries produced by the Communist Party of China State Television did not mention Li Wenliang, who was condemned by netizens.
Li Wenliang is considered the “whistleblower” of the epidemic. He first warned his friends to beware of the virus on WeChat Moments, but was punished by the authorities for it. In addition, seven doctors like him were reprimanded for revealing information about the epidemic. And he was called a “liar” by the official media.
Li Wenliang’s subsequent death from the infection made people angry at the authorities. Under pressure from large public opinion, the authorities quickly turned to praise Li Wenliang, trying to redefine him as a CCP member to deflect the anger of the people. However, Li Wenliang was never mentioned in the CCP’s anti-epidemic eulogy conference or in the aforementioned propaganda.
After all, the initial suppression of Li Wenliang and others was strong proof that the CCP concealed the epidemic, and it is a widely known fact that the CCP cannot change it in any way. Furthermore, this has also become the reason why the virus spreads all over the world. It is being celebrated internationally. I believe that the CCP can only hope that people will forget this period in history and naturally refuse to mention it again.
