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Image source, China News Service
China has celebrated victory over coronavirus this year
Earlier this year, the Chinese government faced two major challenges; An unknown disease threatens to devastate the population and a wave of voices online telling the world what is happening.
In late 2020, the Chinese state-controlled media noted that the above two problems appeared to be under control.
BBC correspondent Kerry Allen and Zhaoyin Feng jointly took note of the Chinese government’s online censors, who worked harder than ever to block negative news, about people trying to bypass through the Great Firewall and how the propaganda machine rewrote history.
First attempts to blame amid ‘unprecedented’ wave of online outrage
Image source, Sina Weibo
The comments appear again and again on Weibo questions about whether China is experiencing another Sars outbreak.
Earlier this year, something “unprecedented” was clearly happening. Thousands of outrageous messages from the public appeared on Chinese social media, questioning whether local authorities were hiding another virus like Sars.
This is due to the fact that in the face of major disasters, the Chinese government often has a hard time reacting and censors are also slow. In January and February, news agencies took this opportunity to publicize powerful research, widely shared on social media.
Later, when Beijing launched its propaganda strategy, the news was suppressed.
The blame is on many sides. In mid-January, Chinese President Xi Jinping suddenly absent himself from the Chinese press. He was not seen in public and his image disappeared from the front pages of traditional state newspapers such as the Diario del Pueblo. It is speculated that he did it to avoid criticism.
Image source, People’s diary
Pictures of Xi Jinping normally busy on the Chinese government spokesperson page and has become conspicuously absent
But in a week, things changed quickly. Senior officials warned that local authorities would be forever anonymous if information about the cases was withheld locally.
Chinese media and social media have also blamed the Wuhan government, with newspapers like Beijing News writing unusually harsh and critical editorials, asking questions: “Why? Didn’t Wuhan let people know about it sooner?”
Then Xi reappeared in early February full of firm and firm confidence amid China’s rally.
Image source, Beijing News
Local newspapers criticized Wuhan officials for the outbreaks elsewhere, such as Shanghai.
Censorship increased around doctors
Image source, Sina Weibo
More than 1 million Weibo users have left comments on Li Wenliang’s (Li Wenliang) Weibo page since his death.
In the confusion, it became even clearer that one’s voice had been silenced in a place where it shouldn’t have been.
Dr. Ly Van Luong has been known internationally as a “whistleblower” doctor who tries to warn his colleagues about a virus like Sars. Dr. Li died on February 7 after it was reported that he was being investigated for “disturbing the social order” for “making false comments.”
More than a million users visited the Sina Weibo site and left messages of support on his personal page after his death, known to many as China’s “Wailing Wall.” However, the posts were periodically removed, much to everyone’s disappointment.
However, the online community has found creative ways to vividly store their memories of him using emoticons, Morse code, and ancient Chinese writing.
Image source, Facebook
Users expressed anger at the death of Dr. Luy with the masked demonstrations
Many people also write messages on their masks that they cannot speak online. A trend emerged on both Facebook and users’ popular mobile messaging app WeChat, which wrote “I can’t understand this” on their masks in response to Dr. Li’s death.
Journalists ‘lost their shape’ but turned up outside of China
While the authorities have officially recognized Dr. Li as a “martyr”, several other prominent activists could be removed from the country’s anti-Covid history.
Image source, Youtube / Screenshot
Citizen journalist Zhang Zian was jailed for reporting on Wuhan
During the outbreak of the Wuhan epidemic, several citizen journalists had a notable impact on the international scene, bypassing the “Great Firewall of China” to suppress the news. city.
Questions have also been raised about whether a resurgent journalist will become part of a propaganda campaign abroad.
Image source, Li Zehua / YouTube
Li Zehua0 disappeared two months after his last appearance in Wuhan
Li Zhihua disappeared in February after posting a video on YouTube saying that the police were chasing him in his car.
There was no news about him for 2 months, but then Li posted a video saying that he cooperated with authorities and was in quarantine.
Li Zhihua hasn’t posted anything since, and many speculate that he might be forced to make the video above.
Young people struggle but find a new way to speak
Image source, Sina Weibo
Students shouted from their dormitories to protest the blockade of universities across the country
Since March, China has wanted to mark its success in repairing the corona virus, but there is exceptional evidence that censors have tried to squash evidence of discontent, especially among the young.
China has insisted that it wants to avoid a Wuhan-style blockade. However, as the South China Morning Post points out, many universities have continued to implement a “campus lockdown.”
In August, many students returned to a class for the first time. But many protests broke out across the country regarding internet fees and shower times, due to the sudden overcrowding. There have also been many complaints that college cafeterias take advantage of students’ reliance on local food to augment their meals. Since then, many of those debates have been censored.
Anger and discontent among Chinese youth has led many this year beyond traditional social media platforms in search of a common voice.
Image source, Sina Weibo
The memes about the Chinese switch to “NetEmo” worry the government
The site said the platform tried to “stop the trend” by stating that it was seeking user feedback that it deemed “manufactured.”
History has been rewritten with new books and television shows.
China has also tried to promote an exaggerated bright image.
Many were concerned that The Crown might tell a false version of true UK history, many Chinese were concerned that post-Covid books and TV shows wouldn’t tell exactly what. it happened in Wuhan.
Image source, fake images
Fang Fang, once an online star, is now accused of spreading an “end of the world narrative”
Chinese writer Fang Fang received much praise earlier this year for recording her life in Wuhan and offering a rare glimpse into the fear and hope of the people of Wuhan.
However, her online diary has since made her the target of radical Chinese nationalists, who accuse her of trying to smear China and promote “the story of the day.” Apocalypse”.
State media have tried to promote other books, including those by foreigners living in China, to reinforce the government’s brilliant message on the government’s handling of the virus.
In some cases, there has been a backlash when state media has designated a certain way to report on the outbreak of the outbreak in Wuhan.
Image source, CCTV
The women were angry at a drama description of their pandemic role
China has become stronger than the ‘fall of the West’
It is clear that China wants to end 2020 successfully and well.
In addition to telling its citizens that they had won most of the Covid-19 war, China wanted to tell the world that.
But China now seeks to distance itself from its initial involvement with the corona virus and promote the idea that the success of China’s Covid-19 means its political model is more effective than that of the West.
This went beyond calling for the end of already tolerated terms, such as the “Wuhan virus”, which the Chinese media even used in its early stages, to push the clues. that the coronavirus could actually have come from the West.
China’s news channels have given no chance all year to turn the United States, and to some extent the United Kingdom, into mismanagement, and how they have divided the line. exacerbate.
This has progressed to such an extent that it has become commonplace for Chinese netizens to call Covid-19 “American virus” or “Trump virus.”
Chinese newspapers and television stations have been diligently pointing out when the American media reconvened, how politicians have prioritized election campaign spending over health care and an election. How the scandal has led to political polarization.
If there is a message that China wants to send in 2021, it is the country that ends the year in solidarity and prosperity, while the rest of the countries can only be fragmentation and instability. plus.
