Beijing says 59,938 citizens have died in the latest Covid wave. China and Bhutan host boundary talks in Kunming. India’s trade with China rises to $135.98 billion, marking over a 21 percent year-on-year increase. ‘Wolf warrior’ diplomat Zhao Lijian was removed as the foreign ministry spokesperson and moved to the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs. Beijing sends a new envoy to Kathmandu. Chinascope tries to separate fact from fiction on China’s current affairs and international politics.
China over the week
China has finally acknowledged the steep death count resulting from the latest Covid wave that has packed crematoriums in urban areas.
“The analysis showed that from December 8, 2022 to January 12, 2023, a total of 59,938 deaths related to Covid infection occurred in medical institutions nationwide…about 90.1% were 65 years old and above, of which about 56.5% were 80 years old and above,” said Jiao Yahui, director of the Department of Medical Affairs of the National Health Commission.
Doubts about China’s reported Covid deaths had grown from echo to a loud clamour that officials couldn’t simply ignore. The Chinese state media even published op-eds to justify the lack of reporting on the latest wave of Covid deaths.
“This method (counting all deaths within 28 days of a positive test) is relatively convenient but the caveat is that this approach is too general,” said Liang Wannian, deputy dean of Tsinghua University’s Vanke School of Public Health, in an interview with China Daily.
But it was only a matter of time Beijing would have had to come clean to acknowledge the number of people lining up at crematoriums to bury their loved ones.
“The images – taken by Maxar in late December and early January and reviewed by CNN – show a funeral home on the outskirts of Beijing, which appears to have constructed a brand-new parking area, as well as lines of vehicles waiting outside of funeral homes in Kunming, Nanjing, Chengdu, Tangshan and Huzhou,” reported CNN.
The death count-related hashtag was viewed over 230 million times and continued to rise after the news was made public on Saturday. Chinese social media users raised doubts saying the actual Covid death count could be higher.
“In fact, there are too many limitations in only counting those who are in the hospital. Those who cannot be queued and cannot enter the hospital, or many people who did not go to the hospital may die,” wrote a Weibo user.
Though the Chinese state media is trying to create a narrative, the current wave of Covid has peaked, but more pain might be on the way in rural areas.
People will return to their homes for the Chinese New Year later this week. Unlike in past years, there are no restrictions and the virus is likely to spread further into semi-urban and rural areas of China.
After the recent elevation of Qin Gang as the foreign minister, another major development has made the headlines.
Zhao Lijian, the face of China’s ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy, has been moved to a minor foreign policy department within the foreign ministry. Zhao is no longer the spokesperson and has been moved as one of three deputies in the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs.
Zhao Lijian’s sort of ‘demotion’ in the foreign ministry was widely discussed on Chinese social media as Zhao has gathered his supporters for his rather brash style of responding during daily press briefing.
The hashtag related to his new role was viewed over 40 million times on Weibo.
Zhao Lijian’s sideways benching to temper his renegade rhetoric doesn’t mean that the department where he has been moved has no relevance to China’s diplomacy. The Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs is at the forefront of many boundary-related matters that involve India – and its neighbours.
China’s boundary talks with Bhutan have been shrouded in mystery as very skimpy details have emerged in public.
Now, a Bhutanese delegation led by Dasho Letho Tobdhen Tangbi, Secretary of the International Boundaries of Bhutan, met with Hong Liang, Director-General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.
“In a frank, friendly and constructive atmosphere, the two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on border issues and reached a positive consensus on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on the “Three-Step Roadmap” for accelerating the Sino-Bhutanese border negotiations. The two sides agreed to advance the implementation of all steps of the “three-step” roadmap in parallel. The two sides agreed to increase the frequency of expert group meetings and to maintain communication through diplomatic channels on holding the 25th round of Sino-Bhutanese border talks at a mutually convenient time,” said the readout of the meeting published by Xinhua New Agency.
Beijing and Thimphu had signed the memorandum in October 2021. But we don’t have the details about what the ‘three steps’ entail.
We can expect a maximalist negotiation tactic from Zhao if he is allowed to lead these discussions in the future. But it’s unlikely he will be the lead face as he is one of the three deputies in a department which isn’t considered as relevant as Policy Planning Department or the Department of Asian Affairs.