Patrick MendisandJoey Wang

Opinion | The three mistakes the Chinese government has made in its mishandling of the coronavirus crisis

Even though the Sars disaster demonstrated the need for greater openness, China has made the same mistakes in the current crisis while expecting a different outcome. Wuhan’s decision to suppress the bad news was particularly dire

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Patrick MendisandJoey Wang

Published: 9:00am, 19 Feb 2020Updated: 9:03am, 19 Feb 2020

Given the Communist Party’s tight grip on power, it is hardly surprising that it would mortgage the health of Chinese citizens early in the coronavirus crisis to preserve the political system. Indeed, while China has responded faster to the coronavirus epidemic than it did the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in 2002-3, it has also exposed an inherent flaw in its system, by silencing and punishing those who deviate from official orthodoxy.

Even though the Sars disaster demonstrated the need for greater openness and responsibility, China has made the same mistakes in the current crisis while expecting a different outcome.

The first mistake was shooting the messenger. Dr Li Wenliang – a young ophthalmologist at Wuhan Central Hospital – had first shared his concerns on December 30, 2019 with a group of former classmates on WeChat. At the time, the coronavirus had not yet been identified. Dr Li warned of a Sars-like outbreak, and encouraged his classmates to adopt stricter measures to prevent infection in their hospitals.

However, screenshots of this private chat spread and came to the attention of his superiors. Dr Li’s reward for this simple act of professional vigilance was an order from the hospital to write a letter of self-criticism. The local police also questioned him, saying he had “gravely disturbed social order”.

Dr Li was forced to give affirmative answers to two questions in a statement – “Can you stop your illegal behaviour?” and “Do you understand you’ll be punished if you don’t stop such behaviour? – and to put his red thumbprint on them. With this statement, the virus was allowed to spread unabated for a few more weeks.

This would lead to the second mistake: a perfect storm was gathering, as the district of Baibuting in the city of Wuhan prepared for an annual mass banquet. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the event, local organisers were planning to break a world record for the most dishes served.