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New Covid-19 strain ‘out of control’: how London lockdown was shown in China
- Chinese media highlight mass exodus before measures take effect, and raise concerns that London may run out of food
- Beijing has sought to change the narrative after criticism of China, and issued guidelines telling its media to spread positivity, not stoke fear
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Almost a year after a strict lockdown in the Chinese city of Wuhan to contain the initial coronavirus outbreak, a scaling up of measures in Britain has been described in less than flattering terms by China’s media.
Wuhan’s strategy was hailed by the largely state-controlled Chinese media as a success in curbing the virus’ spread, after initially grim scenes as the city scrambled to build temporary hospitals and source medical staff and supplies.
Now, with China trying to reshape the narrative after criticism from abroad of its initial handling of the outbreak, its media outlets appeared to seize an opportunity as London entered its latest lockdown, albeit one far less tightly enforced than that in Wuhan and elsewhere.
“London’s Great Escape!” read China Youth Daily’s headline, while The Beijing News said “London puts up a show of mass exodus” as railway stations were pictured full of people trying to leave before measures took effect.
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China coronavirus: a look inside the sealed off city of Wuhan
China coronavirus: a look inside the sealed off city of Wuhan
“New virus strain is out of control in the UK!” said National Business Daily’s headline, with more than 40 countries having closed their borders to Britain after a new mutation was identified there.
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