Chinese state media publishes call for end to online attacks on Covid experts amid mounting criticism as cases surge

Multiple outlets carried an article that took on critics of the current approach as well as those spreading a nationalist conspiracy theory that blames foreign forces

China has dramatically dropped its draconian zero-Covid policies this month and the article defended the authorities’ handling of the situation

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Patients at a hospital in Tanghan on Friday. China has seen a surge in cases since it lifted controls earlier this month. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:56pm, 30 Dec 2022Updated: 7:57pm, 30 Dec 2022

Multiple Chinese state media outlets have published an article calling for an end to online attacks on medical experts who have called for a flexible approach to Covid-19 and criticising nationalist conspiracy theories that blame “hostile foreign forces” for the current outbreak.

The article, published first by a former journalist known as Mingshuzatan on their personal WeChat account, was reprinted on the website of the Guangming Daily newspaper on December 24, before being picked up by a number of other major outlets.

The piece directly addressed online opinion leaders, asking them to contribute positively in times of pandemic rather than filling the internet with criticism.

It also defended China’s Covid policies over the past three years and said the dramatic U-turn in recent weeks was “not at fault”.

China pivoted away from zero-Covid earlier this month after using draconian controls to contain the virus for the past three years.

The sudden shift has caught many citizens off guard, and has overwhelmed hospitals and morgues around the country as result of the surge in infections and deaths.