“How Timely!” Commenters Mock Xinhua’s Coverage of Xi Jinping’s Belated Disaster Zone Visits

A fawning Xinhua article on Xi Jinping’s concern for residents affected by pure disasters has grow to be the newest piece of “low-level crimson, high-level black” propaganda. Meant to tout Xi’s steadfast management, it unintentionally highlighted simply how belatedly he has visited catastrophe zones. The main focus of the piece was Xi’s current go to to Zhuozhou, an space of Hebei devastated by flooding in August of this yr. Xi visited three months after the very fact. The piece lauded Xi for his behavior of post-disaster inspections, itemizing his 2014 journey to Yunnan, 5 months after an earthquake killed a whole lot and injured 1000’s extra; a 2020 go to to Anhui, one month after flooding displaced a whole lot of 1000’s; and a 2021 go to to Shanxi, three months after storms destroyed tens of 1000’s of houses. A screenshot of the article with highlighted dates of Xi’s belated visits circulated extensively on social media. One of many prime feedback learn, “How well timed!” 

The 2023 Zhuozhou floods had been already one thing of a political debacle for Xi Jinping. Two weeks earlier than the floods, China’s Ministry of Water Sources revealed a quantity of Xi Jinping’s “Key Pronouncements on the Administration of Water Sources,” and arranged examine periods on the work throughout central, provincial, and native water bureaus. Within the aftermath of the flood, netizens mocked Xi’s behavior of “pointing the way in which ahead” on topics he appears unlikely to have experience in by providing sarcastic endorsements of his e-book: “Organizing a examine session on ‘Xi Jinping Thought Concerning Water Administration’ for world consultants in flood management is an excellent factor! He’s pointed the way in which ahead for world flood management!” 

The current demise of Li Keqiang, who served as Premier and was quantity two within the Social gathering hierarchy under Xi from 2012-2022, has made Xi’s tardy catastrophe visits an much more delicate matter. Li was usually first on the scene after disasters. In the course of the 2020 Anhui catastrophe, Xi Jinping infamously saved his sneakers immaculate whereas visiting the Anhui flood zone, whereas Li Keqiang strode by means of the muck whereas inspecting the Chongqing floods. (Visiting catastrophe zones is a part of the Premier’s function. Li’s predecessor, Wen Jiabao, was nicknamed the “King of the Silver Display” for his performances at catastrophe websites.)

Regardless of propaganda hailing Xi as “the folks’s chief,” his belated flood visits reveal how he retains the folks at arm’s size. When he does see them, they’re usually little greater than bit gamers in his extremely choreographed drama.