This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-51409801
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Li Wenliang: Death of Wuhan doctor sparks outpouring of anger | Li Wenliang: Death of Wuhan doctor sparks outpouring of anger |
(32 minutes later) | |
The death of a Chinese doctor who tried to warn about the coronavirus outbreak has sparked an unprecedented level of public anger and grief in China. | |
Li Wenliang died after contracting the virus while treating patients in Wuhan. | |
Last December he sent a message to fellow medics warning of a virus he thought looked like Sars - another deadly coronavrius. | |
But he was told by police to "stop making false comments" and was investigated for "spreading rumours". | |
News of his death was met with an intense outpouring of grief on Chinese social media site Weibo - but this quickly turned into anger. | |
There had already been accusations against the government of downplaying the severity of the virus - and initially trying to keep it secret. | |
Dr Li's death has fuelled this further and triggered a conversation about the lack of freedom of speech in China. | |
The country's anti-corruption body has now said it will open an investigation into "issues involving Dr Li". | |
The Chinese government has previously admitted "shortcomings and deficiencies" in its response to the virus, which has now killed 636 people and infected 31,161 in mainland China. | |
According to Chinese site Pear Video, Dr Li's wife is due to give birth in June. | |
What has the public reaction been? | What has the public reaction been? |
Chinese social media has been flooded with anger - it is hard to recall an event in recent years that has triggered as much grief, rage and mistrust against the government. | Chinese social media has been flooded with anger - it is hard to recall an event in recent years that has triggered as much grief, rage and mistrust against the government. |
The top two trending hashtags on the website were "Wuhan government owes Dr Li Wenliang and apology" and "We want freedom of speech". | The top two trending hashtags on the website were "Wuhan government owes Dr Li Wenliang and apology" and "We want freedom of speech". |
Both hashtags were quickly censored. When the BBC searched Weibo on Friday, hundreds of thousands of comments had been wiped. Only a handful remain. | |
"This is not the death of a whistleblower. This is the death of a hero," said one comment on Weibo. | "This is not the death of a whistleblower. This is the death of a hero," said one comment on Weibo. |
Many have now taken to posting under the hashtag "Can you manage, do you understand?" - a reference to the letter Dr Li was told to sign when he was accused of disturbing "social order". | Many have now taken to posting under the hashtag "Can you manage, do you understand?" - a reference to the letter Dr Li was told to sign when he was accused of disturbing "social order". |
These comments do not directly name him - but are telling of the mounting anger and distrust towards the government. | These comments do not directly name him - but are telling of the mounting anger and distrust towards the government. |
"Do not forget how you feel now. Do not forget this anger. We must not let this happen again," said one comment on Weibo. | "Do not forget how you feel now. Do not forget this anger. We must not let this happen again," said one comment on Weibo. |
"The truth will always be treated as a rumour. How long are you going to lie? What else do you have to hide?" another said. | "The truth will always be treated as a rumour. How long are you going to lie? What else do you have to hide?" another said. |
"If you are angry with what you see, stand up," one said. "To the young people of this generation, the power of change is with you." | "If you are angry with what you see, stand up," one said. "To the young people of this generation, the power of change is with you." |
'An epic political disaster' | 'An epic political disaster' |
Analysis by Stephen McDonell, BBC News, Beijing | Analysis by Stephen McDonell, BBC News, Beijing |
The death of Dr Li Wenliang has been a heart-breaking moment for this country. For the Chinese leadership it is an epic political disaster. | The death of Dr Li Wenliang has been a heart-breaking moment for this country. For the Chinese leadership it is an epic political disaster. |
It lays bare the worst aspects of China's command and control system of governance under Xi Jinping - and the Communist Party would have to be blind not to see it. | It lays bare the worst aspects of China's command and control system of governance under Xi Jinping - and the Communist Party would have to be blind not to see it. |
If your response to a dangerous health emergency is for the police to harass a doctor trying to blow the whistle, then your structure is obviously broken. | If your response to a dangerous health emergency is for the police to harass a doctor trying to blow the whistle, then your structure is obviously broken. |
The city's mayor - reaching for excuses - said he needed clearance to release critical information which all Chinese people were entitled to receive. | The city's mayor - reaching for excuses - said he needed clearance to release critical information which all Chinese people were entitled to receive. |
Now the spin doctors and censors will try to find a way to convince 1.4 billion people that Dr Li's death is not a clear example of the limits to the party's ability to manage an emergency - when openness can save lives, and restricting it can kill. | Now the spin doctors and censors will try to find a way to convince 1.4 billion people that Dr Li's death is not a clear example of the limits to the party's ability to manage an emergency - when openness can save lives, and restricting it can kill. |
Chinese people are going to take some convincing. | Chinese people are going to take some convincing. |
How was the death announced? | How was the death announced? |
There was confusion over when exactly Dr Li had actually died. | There was confusion over when exactly Dr Li had actually died. |
He was initially declared dead at 21:30 on Thursday (13:30GMT) by state media outlets the Global Times, People's Daily and others. | He was initially declared dead at 21:30 on Thursday (13:30GMT) by state media outlets the Global Times, People's Daily and others. |
Hours later the Global Times contradicted this report - saying he had been given a treatment known as ECMO, which keeps a person's heart pumping. | |
Journalists and doctors at the scene said government officials had intervened - and official media outlets had been told to change their reports to say the doctor was still being treated. | |
But early on Friday, reports said doctors could not save Dr Li and his time of death was 02:58 on Friday. | |
What did Li Wenliang do? | What did Li Wenliang do? |
Dr Li, an ophthalmologist, posted his story on Weibo from a hospital bed a month after sending out his initial warning. | Dr Li, an ophthalmologist, posted his story on Weibo from a hospital bed a month after sending out his initial warning. |
He had noticed seven cases of a virus that he thought looked like Sars - the virus that led to a global epidemic in 2003. | He had noticed seven cases of a virus that he thought looked like Sars - the virus that led to a global epidemic in 2003. |
On 30 December he sent a message to fellow doctors in a chat group warning them to wear protective clothing to avoid infection. | On 30 December he sent a message to fellow doctors in a chat group warning them to wear protective clothing to avoid infection. |
Four days later he was summoned to the Public Security Bureau where he was told to sign a letter. | |
In the letter he was accused of "making false comments" that had "severely disturbed the social order". Local authorities later apologised to Dr Li. | |
In his Weibo post he describes how on 10 January he started coughing, the next day he had a fever and two days later he was in hospital. He was diagnosed with the coronavirus on 30 January. | In his Weibo post he describes how on 10 January he started coughing, the next day he had a fever and two days later he was in hospital. He was diagnosed with the coronavirus on 30 January. |
What is the situation in China and worldwide? | What is the situation in China and worldwide? |
On Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping told his US counterpart Donald Trump that China was "fully confident and capable of defeating the epidemic". | On Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping told his US counterpart Donald Trump that China was "fully confident and capable of defeating the epidemic". |
China has introduced more restrictive measures to try to control the outbreak. | China has introduced more restrictive measures to try to control the outbreak. |
The capital Beijing has banned group dining for events such as birthdays. Cities including Hangzhou and Nanchang are limiting how many family members can leave home each day. | |
There are confirmed cases of the infection in some 25 nations. There have so far been only two deaths outside mainland China - one in Hong Kong and one in the Philippines. | There are confirmed cases of the infection in some 25 nations. There have so far been only two deaths outside mainland China - one in Hong Kong and one in the Philippines. |
Have you been affected by any of the issues raised? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | |
Or use the form below |