Tag

Wuhan

Opinion

Wuhan's heartfelt wish for many new Gerichs

No developing country in the world has received as much support from Germany in the form of expertise, technology transfer and all kinds of aid as the People's Republic has since the beginning of its reforms. Were we too naive in the face of a potential systemic rival?

By Table.Briefings

Liao Yiwu
Feature

'That is why China's leadership fears the truth'

Liao Yiwu is one of the most renowned Chinese authors. Due to his critical views of the Chinese government, his books are banned in China. With "Wuhan – A Documentary Novel" he has now published a new book. Speaking with Michael Radunski, Liao Yiwu talks about Covid, the truth in China, and the consequences for foreign countries.

By Michael Radunski

China Wuhan News: COVID-19 first broke out in Wuhan. There are many theories surrounding the origin of COVID. China.Table provides you with all current news.

What is Wuhan known for?

In early 2020, the Chinese government notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of the emergence of a new variant of the coronavirus in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province in central China. Within a few months, the virus spread at an unprecedented rate, giving the city global notoriety. Since the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, the city has been considered the place of origin of the coronavirus. The Chinese government initially blocked an independent WHO investigation and imposed a strict lockdown on Wuhan. Due to the lack of transparency, numerous theories on the possible origins of COVID have since developed.

Did COVID-19 originate in Wuhan?

COVID was first detected in the city of Wuhan. Experts assume that the coronavirus was transmitted from a bat to humans via an intermediate host. They consider a wild animal market in Wuhan as the place of origin of COVID.

However, Western countries, particularly the U.S., have criticized the lack of transparency in the investigations into the origin of the coronavirus. U.S. intelligence agencies have raised concerns, accusing China of suggesting that COVID originated in a laboratory in Wuhan and got accidentally leaked into the outside world. The "lab leak” theory is contradicted by the Chinese government, which in turn countered the accusations with its allegations. According to them, the coronavirus had been discovered on frozen foodstuffs imported from abroad. Virologists investigating the origin of the virus, however, consider the theories of the U.S. and Chinese governments to be unlikely and assume that COVID was transmitted by wild animals.

What are the current conditions in Wuhan?

Wuhan was under a strict lockdown for several weeks in 2020. Despite lower numbers of COVID cases, China is maintaining a strict "zero covid" policy. As a result, since the emergence of COVID, residents and other Chinese cities, such as Shanghai, have repeatedly been put into lockdowns and ordered to mass testing. Investigations into the origin of COVID-19 are also still ongoing.