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China and Covid19

Death of Lanzhou Toddler after Late Emergency Response Sparks Online Anger over China’s Covid Policies

“Unless you shut down the entire internet in Lanzhou, there is no way for you to cover this up.”

Manya Koetse

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The emergency number was dialed at 12:15. The ambulance arrived at 14:03. Chinese social media users are lashing out at Lanzhou authorities and expressing anger over a failing emergency response system in light of the death of a 3-year-old child in one of the city’s Covid ‘high-risk areas.’

The death of a 3-year-old boy after carbon monoxide poisoning in Lanzhou, Gansu, has sparked anger on Chinese social media this week since there was a…

Manya Koetse is a sinologist, writer, and public speaker specializing in China’s social trends, digital culture, and online media ecosystems. She founded What’s on Weibo in 2013 and now runs the Eye on Digital China newsletter. Learn more at manyakoetse.com or follow her on X, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

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China and Covid19

Weibo Watch: Small Earthquakes in Wuhan

How Wuhan is shaking off its past with a new wave of innovation, the hot topics to know, and the Weibo catchphrase of the week: ‘the Three Questions of Patriotism.’

Manya Koetse

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PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #37

 

Dear Reader,

 

“Wuhan Earthquake” (#武汉地震#) momentarily became the number one trending topic on Weibo this Friday night, after residents of Jiangxia District reported feeling their homes and buildings shake. “Was there an earthquake, or am I drunk?” some wondered.

I also felt a bit tipsy in Wuhan this month. Neon signs, dancing livestreamers, flying drones, bustling night markets, and holographic lights. On my first night in…

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China and Covid19

Sick Kids, Worried Parents, Overcrowded Hospitals: China’s Peak Flu Season on the Way

“Besides Mycoplasma infections, cases include influenza, Covid-19, Norovirus, and Adenovirus. Heading straight to the hospital could mean entering a cesspool of viruses.”

Manya Koetse

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In the early morning of November 21, parents are already queuing up at Xi’an Children’s Hospital with their sons and daughters. It’s not even the line for a doctor’s appointment, but rather for the removal of IV needles.

The scene was captured in a recent video, only one among many videos and images that have been making their rounds on Chinese social media these days (#凌晨的儿童医院拔针也要排队#).

One photo shows a bulletin…

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