China - what is actually the reality there?

[juddles]

Hi all,

with the news now completely overloaded by coronavirus stuff, I am wondering if any in our AFF community know anything about how China is progressing.

It seems the rest of the world is divided into a few baskets - those that are making a decent fight, like Australia and Germany and South Korea, those that are just swamped in mayhem - Italy, Spain, and the USA, and the rest that are underdeveloped and thus who knows what chaos reigns there.

But China is a case outside the rest. Apart from being the source, the starting point, they also, on news articles alone, are portraying a conquest of the virus. In my mathematical mind the info from there does not make any sense - so completely implausible. But I also admire their national ability to take drastic action when it is needed. But I have such a very small faith in the "numbers" from there. Rumour has it that funeral homes in Hubei province have been caught, despite any government recognition of deaths, buying cremation urns en masse....

But I do not want any fake news - I just want to hear from people with direct connections to China. Have they beaten the virus there? Or are they running a lockdown of stats?

 

[opusman]

Australia, decent fight?

 

[juddles]

Australia, decent fight?

opusman, I get your comment, but please let us not get caught up in australia's actions - there are many many threads to do that. I apologize if my opening post referred to or made any suggestion about the success or otherwise of Australia. I want to focus here just on China...

 

[juddles]

I suspect in advance that there will not be many responses to this thread - confirms my belief that China has managed to quash all reporting. In the sense that this crisis is a global one, the withholding of info for political reasons is, IMHO, obscene. But I understand why they do it. It is, at the end of the day, every man for himself. And China will never want to admit that they caused this problem. Far better to run the line that they bested the beast, and then in the upcoming months/years keep blaming it on others. I just wish everyone could move beyond the blame game and admit this is what it is - a kick in the guts for everyone.

 

[p--and--t]

I too would like to hear firsthand from members who have strong contacts and were very regular visitors to China (and I think from previous posts there are at least a couple on here who had extensive interaction on a daily basis pre covid).

My interest in what is happening currently in China is also expanded in relation to a separate thread started to see if any AFFers can help resolve the shortage of critical supplies which doesn't seem to have got much of an enthusiastic response. (Although there could be some off-board comms happening in the background)

What can you do to help (COVID19)...

As some of you have gathered, I am involved in the Covid19 response. I have been asked many times how individuals can help.. The many immediate problems facing health workers is The lack of PPE - there has been a lots of "unaccounted loss" of PPE - typically by worried staff and members of the...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Let me talk to my friends in Hangzhou, Nanjing and Shanghai today - list specific questions you want answered - specific. We still continue to be in daily contact with our suppliers and many friends.

I am not even going to attempt to post info to questions like 'Have Chinese authorities quashed reporting' - questions regarding daily activities of Chinese citizens or factory workplace activities i will get answers for - ask away.

As to 'critical supplies' - we have 500 face masks dispatched from Nanjing to us on Friday - anybody want anything just send me a pm and I will try to source for you if you are interested.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Sarah Hangzhou: Question 1 - When Chinese Government said you must stay home because of virus you had to stay at home at all times?

Some place yes, but some place the property manager will let you go out to buy some food. You can go out once in 2days. But only go to the market, the other shop not allowed to open. We stay at home all the time as people afraid to go out.

Question 2: When you went out then you had to wear mask 100% of time?

Yes, that’s for sure, and when we back home. We have to disinfection. Then wash hands. As this is infected between people and people. And has contagion risk. Contagion means when a people has the virus and people shake hands with him, and touch eyes or wound, the virus will into the body via wound or eyes.

Question 3 - Motorlife factory now back at work so factory work practices all back to normal as before CNY?

Yes, we are back to normal now. but some supplier may have too many product haven't been produced like the supplier on Wuxi.

Question 4: What about your travel to work each day? All buses and subway are back operating? Are you required to wear masks in the work place? Are you required to wear mask on transport going to work?

I go to work by electric bikes. but there also are some people go to work by bus. Bus and subway as normal. And yes, we wear mask in our work place, the truth is we wear mask in every where when we go out.

Question 5: Subway and bus did close down during virus?

For now, all the subway back to normal. but before, we have a period that the subway and the bus all stop to avoid people go to the other place.

Question 6: Supermarkets and ALL other shops now open? So shopping is like normal before CNY and before virus? But you must war mask outside your home at all times?

Yes all open, but the place like bar and night club and cinema still can not open as there too many people in one place if they open.

Question 7: Are restaurant open?

The restaurants are opened now, but the sales is not good recently as people prefer to eat at home. We think cooking by ourselves will be more safe.

Question 8: Are restaurant open again?

The restaurants are opened now, but the sales is not good recently as people prefer to eat at home. We think cooking by ourselves will be more safe.How do people eat in restaurant if must wear mask all times outside their home?

Question 9: If you go to restaurant how do you eat if must keep mask on all times?

hahaha, take off the mask, and people will choose a table with a safe distance. The main point is hangzhou do not have increase cases now , if there still have increased cases, the restaurant will not allow to open.

 

[tgh]

Thanks CE.. adds a touch of humanity to the perception of a machine state

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Thanks CE.. adds a touch of humanity to the perception of a machine state

My pleasure - Chinese people are just beautiful human beings same as rest of humanity - any questions you want asked please ask away.

 

[juddles]

A question that is specific - is the consensus or feeling over there that they have beaten the virus? Are they aware that in every other country the rate of infection is following an exponential curve? Are they aware that as per the info made available, China has had no issue with Coronavirus since the first of March?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

A question that is specific - is the consensus or feeling over there that they have beaten the virus? Are they aware that in every other country the rate of infection is following an exponential curve? Are they aware that as per the info made available, China has had no issue with Coronavirus since the first of March?

No doubt they will be aware that China has had few new cases recently. That is the official government line.

Even if they had suspicions to the contrary, I'd be very surprised if they communicated those on record.

 

[juddles]

No doubt they will be aware that China has had few new cases recently. That is the official government line.

Even if they had suspicions to the contrary, I'd be very surprised if they communicated those on record.

that is a certainty from without - their numbers make no sense. But what I would like to hear is of the percepitions of the chinese themselves.

 

[Fifa]

Millions of people left Wuhan before the borders were closed by authorities.
Why didn't the virus spread out of control in the major densely populated cities of Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chongqing, Beijing and Hangzhou?

 

[p--and--t]

Was there any economic support to the residents that were locked down (as the AU Gov is intending) or were they left to their own resources to survive?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But what I would like to hear is of the percepitions of the chinese themselves.

That's something you wouldn't really ask, certainly not if you were looking for any critical angle.

 

[dajop]

Millions of people left Wuhan before the borders were closed by authorities.
Why didn't the virus spread out of control in the major densely populated cities of Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chongqing, Beijing and Hangzhou?

If you look at the timing of when things all went pear shaped, many Wuhan workers were probably moving to their rural ancestral homes to celebrate Spring Festival rather than other big cities. I wonder if the official statistics belie what is happening in the depths of rural China.

 

[JohnK]

Millions of people left Wuhan before the borders were closed by authorities.
Why didn't the virus spread out of control in the major densely populated cities of Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chongqing, Beijing and Hangzhou?

That is an interesting question.

The virus has spread out of control around the world and the outbreak of the virus in almost every country was caused by people who had recently arrived from China.

Perhaps some manipulation of the actual numbers?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

When I get to Office I will make a list of above questions and put them to my contacts - today I will talk to Amy in Nanjing who has an 11yo son so I will question her re affects it has had on him - I will also contact with Chuck in Beijing who was Senior Concierge at a major BJ hotel and get some input from him - pls be patient as I am still supposed to be working and we are so busy at moment

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Starbucks in Shanghai modified layout:



Pic courtesy of my American friend Eric who has spent over half his entire life working in China - his words - ‘It was around noon in the hongqiao area but neither of these variables is relevant. When you deliberately make your restaurant uncomfortable expect customers to get the hint that they are unwanted’ and ‘The new layout obviously is obviously driven mainly by CV regs, but it's still possible to adhere to those and remain inviting’ - Starbucks open but deserted

 

[amaroo]

Australia, decent fight?

The daily stats seem to point to that conclusion.