#Newspaper

Sharp Power on Vatincan by China: Joseph HA Chi-shing, sympathist of the Anti-ELAB movement, is set aside; Holy See changes decision and appoints Peter CHOY Wai-man to be Hong Kong’s next bishop 2/2

(18 Jan) The position of Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong is still vacant since The Most Reverend Michael YEUNG Ming-cheung passed away in January last year. Catholic News Agency (CNA) reported yesterday that the Holy See had originally intended to appoint Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing to be the new bishop, to which Pope Francis agreed. However, Ha’s public support of the Anti-ELAB movement placed political pressure on Vatican City. It finally changed its mind and appointed the more pro-China Peter Choy Wai-man.

CNA claimed that the new appointment was approved by the Holy See. Choy is one of the four vicars general of the Diocese of Hong Kong. He has a close relationship with His Eminence Cardinal John Tong Hon and good rapport with the Chinese government. Choy had met with Carrie Lam during the height of the protests. Fearing backlash, Tong suggested that the Holy See postpone the announcement of Choy’s appointment.

A senior priest in Hong Kong told CNA that Choy was a “pro-Beijing hawk” and an “enemy of the retired Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun SDB”.  Another Hong Kong priest opined that the Holy See’s decision on the appointment reflects its betrayal of its faithful followers to please China.

Source: Stand News
https://bit.ly/38k1c8V

#Church #BowToChina #SharpPower #Vatican

#Newspaper

Substandard and fake drugs in Africa found mainly from China

(16 Jan) Counterfeit or substandard drugs are widespread in Africa and have caused numerous deaths. Not only do these fake drugs fail to cure the diseases, they may even cause further damage on health as well as contribute to building resistance to vital frontline medications. These fake drugs found in Africa mainly come from China, followed by India as the second popular source. Recently, a fake drugs trafficking case was tracked down, and was found to have a Chinese national involved.

Source: The Herald
https://bit.ly/38FLDIP

#WithChineseCharacteristics #Medicine #Africa

#Newspaper

(13-Jan) Using Huawei technology in UK 5G networks would put transatlantic intelligence sharing at risk, senior US officials have warned British ministers. Despite the head of MI5 indicated that he saw “no reason to think” that using Huawei technology would threaten intelligence sharing with the US, his view was flatly contradicted by a senior member of the US lobby delegation to UK, who also warned that the Congress had made it clear they would evaluate the transAtlantic intelligence sharing if the green light is given to Huaiwei 5G in UK.

Source: The Guardian
https://bit.ly/30QsBNh

Further reading:
Huawei will be allowed to build parts of Britain’s 5G network
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/01/28/huawei-will-allowed-build-parts-britains-5g-network/

#Surveillance #WhiteTerror #Huawei #ChinaThreat #5G

#Newspaper

Korean Media: China's refusal to supply raw materials may halt South Korean face mask production

(31 Jan) Due to the continuous spread of the Wuhan novel coronavirus, people from multiple locations are scrambling to buy masks, alcohol and other medical hygiene products. The quality of such products in South Korea is well recognised. Korean press stated that because China refused to export raw materials necessary for the production of Korean face masks, its local face mask manufacturers may stop production next Monday.

According to the report, raw materials to produce filters used to cost around 19,000 won (16USD). However, the outbreak of the novel coronavirus led Chinese face mask producers to snatch away filters intended for Korea. This drove the cost up by many times its original.

The report described that the impact extended beyond filters. Raw materials for other parts including non-woven filters, nose strips and earloops were also imported from China. Consequently, Korean manufacturers predict that face mask production may halt next Monday as a result.

The sale of face masks in Korea shot up in a few days. Many retail suppliers were sold out, regardless of whether they were online or physical stores. The report described buying face masks in Korea was akin to "plucking stars from the sky."

Source: Hket

https://inews.hket.com/article/2553088?r=cpstni

#Korea #FaceMask

#Newspaper

Chinese student breached Australian epidemic defense
Proudly lied about coming from Hong Kong and got away

Editor’s Note: Various commentators in Hong Kong brought up a very important point on 3 Feb. The reason why Carrie Lam is keeping Shenzhen Bay, Hong Kong Airport, and HZMB (Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge) open is very likely because she wants to make it easy for the powers and riches from mainland China to fly to elsewhere through Hong Kong. If they fly to other places, they will put down Hong Kong as the port of departure. Shenzhen Bay is very close to the Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, and this port is also close to the Hong Kong International Airport. Therefore, aristocrats from mainland can take flights from different places to Shenzhen or Zhuhai, and through Shenzhen Bay or HZMB to the Hong Kong Airport, and then fly to anywhere in the world. These people may even hold Hong Kong or foreign passports, like Meng Wenzhou. Shenzhen Bay is usually used by the private cars with dual license plates (which general public are not able to get such license) from China and Hong Kong. That place is also close to the affluent neighbourhood of Nanshan, Shenzhen. Since a Chinese student in Australia lied about his port of departure and got away, other people are likely to follow suit, using Hong Kong as “white gloves,” that is, to hide their dirty hands using Hong Kong as a cover.

(3 Feb) One after another, many countries are imposing strict control over China as the novel coronavirus continues to wreak havoc around the world. Since 3 Feb, the Australian government began to ban visitors from mainland China from entering the country, except for Australian citizens and permanent residences. However, a Chinese student, in a bid to enter Australia, used fake information to evade the current immigration policy set by the Australian government and even told the media how he did it.

Sidney Today interviewed 3 Chinese students. One of those Chinese students K used fake information in order to enter the country. He said he made a transfer flight in Hong Kong on 1 February and arrived at Brisbane Airport at 11:45 PM. He learned about the travel ban in Australia after he landed. His classmates even teased him in text messages that he would be deported. Instead of getting deported, he changed the port of departure from China to Hong Kong. He proudly told the media that “Yes, the orange one! I crossed out China and changed it to Hong Kong.” As a result, he was allowed entry by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, who didn’t even bother to check his luggages thoroughly.

Source: Apple Daily
https://bit.ly/397pQKe

Further reading:
Incomplete Closure of Border leaves Hong Kong Open for Mainland Chinese
https://publielectoral.lat/guardiansofhongkong/16566

#WhiteGloves #Australia #HongKongAirport #PortOfDeparture #ChineseStudent #Selfishness

#Newspaper

Outbreaks of different types of animal related flu and epidemics in China

Editorial note: The rising outbreaks of different types of animal related flu and epidemics reflect the severity of environmental and ecological damages in China. The appetite for exotic wild life and exotic leather products, being used as a statement to flaunt one's fortune, is the driving factor of exotic and endangered animal poaching and the illegal wild life trade in PRC. Corrupted government officials at all levels are often part of these illegal activities, making it even harder to curb at root sources.

Poor animal captivity and animal trading environments means certain markets become readily become outbreak sites for infectious and deadly diseases. China has a lot to do to improve in terms of epidemics prevention and monitoring system.

Whether CCP's workers at all level truthfully disclose information to the public timely and transparently matters a lot in the prevention of animal-to-animal or animal-to-human transmission. Yet this is CCP’s darkest side. Under such a tyrannical and authoritarian government, workers from top to bottom report ‘good news’ to appease their superiors. CCP’s self-deception and mutual manipulative practices have become a curse, a never ending one cycling through a vicious cycles of deceit and mistakes.

CCP's secretive ways of handling things often impede and delay proper prevention measures and control outbreaks. Communities are locked in self-reinforcing vicious cycle of repeated contagious epidemics that cause high casualties.

Summary: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs announced that a highly pathogen strain of H5N1 has been reported at Hainan Province. Local authority said they had put down all the poultry at the breakout chicken farm.

Daquangou Reservoir, Xinjiang recorded H5N6 bird flu, affecting swans. The reservoir belongs to the administrative region of the league 8 construction unit of the army. There were 190 swans in the reservoir. 19 of them were found to have the bird flu. Another 19 infected swans have already died. Authorities claimed that they have sanitised the surrounding environment while putting the remaining swans in close monitoring.

14 PRC scientists, including bird biologists, epidemics prevention and control experts, forestry and agricultural experts who examined and investigated different types of wildlife epidemics in China warned that the trend of wild life and animal related epidemics will be persistently high in 2020. They recommend the PRC government to strengthen measures to curb wild lives poaching and trading. Traders and buyers should face stiffer penalties.

Source:
https://bit.ly/2uii9lT
https://bit.ly/2vSBM4B

#Coronvavirus #H5N1birdflue #H5N6swanflu #Epidemics #ChinaTyranny #Hainan #Xinjiang

#Newspaper

Surgical gown recall leaves medical centers scrambling

(31 Jan) Millions of surgical gowns made in China are being recalled because they may not be sterile. Surgeries are now being canceled in some hospitals.

The company said these facilities did not "maintain proper environmental conditions." Problems included gowns exposed to contaminants through open windows, failure to provide hand sanitation, and operators eating in the production area.

In fact in 2018, Cardinal Health had discovered that the supplier used an unregistered factory to produce the products, but after testing the company thought it would not affect the products, so it didn’t report it to the FDA at that time.

Surgical gowns are usually packed with other surgical equipments when shipped, so everything in the package may be contaminated. Cardinal Health said it has stopped working with Siyang HolyMed and will cooperate with the FDA's investigation.

Source: CBS News, Apple Daily
https://cbsn.ws/2GY7Ohx
https://bit.ly/31xxAD5

#SurgicalGowns #MadeInChina #Contaminated

#Newspaper

About 200 PRC students of the University of Hong Kong are sent to hotels for quarantine, some of them do not strictly comply with the guidelines: Student accommodation staff from the HKU

Editorial note: PRC students’ non-compliance with quarantine guidelines not only increases the transmission of virus at community level, but it also reveals the deficiency of the current quarantine arrangement - nobody ensures actual isolation from the rest of the community.
Hotels are being abused as luxury free holidays. Hotel’s lack of authority and transparency to disclose whether they have high-risk visitors staying at the premises put other visitors at risk. Noted that a Wuhan couple stayed at W-hotel subsequently confirmed as coronavirus infected had transmitted the virus to people they had directed contacts as well as increasing other people who had contacts with them at two other hotels where they had been visited.

(5 Feb) The coronavirus epidemic continues to spread. HKU indicted some days ago that they arranged PRC students who returned to Hong Kong to stay at hotels for “self-quarantine.” However, some students did not strictly comply with the quarantine guidelines and “went around everywhere.”

The student dorms staff pointed out that all students were required to have their body temperature measured at the time of check-in. Staff asked the students which parts of PRC did they come from. They were then centralised for sending to many hotels, including L’Hotel Island South and other hotels in Yau Ma Tei and Kwun Tong, as well as other districts. HKU distributes body temperature measurement sheets to the students. Hotel staff is responsible for recording their body temperature.

The student dorms staff stated that since the coronavirus response plan began in the end of last month, at least 200 students had been sent to different hotels for “self-quarantine”. However, some of them did not strictly follow the quarantine guidelines. “They went around everywhere. Some went to work. Some even invited their friends to play at the hotels.” The staff said relevant students would be disciplined, including the issuance of warning letters and be expelled from dorm.

Ming Pao journalists attempted to enquire L’hotel about this but the hotel group refused to disclose whether HKU had arranged PRC students to stay at their hotel at Southern District. The hotel group only vaguely replied to media’s enquiry that they have ‘visitors’ from Mainland staying at the hotels who were required by the government to quarantine for 14 days. These people are not from Wuhan or other places in Hubei Province.

Source: Ming Pao (05-Feb)
https://bit.ly/39mmGCR

#Coronavirus #WuhanPneumonia #HKU #PRCStudent #Quarantined

#Newspaper

Elderly man passed out after 3 hours in queue for mask
Carrie LAM’s 70-yo supporter: government failed people’s basic needs badly

(7 Feb) Surgical masks keep running out! Government keeps refusing to help! A convenient store announced today to give out 100,000 masks (5 per person) to Hong Kong residents aged 65 and above at 20 designated locations. An elderly man came alone and passed out after staying in line for 3 hours. Store staff gave 5 pieces to him before he was sent away by ambulance. This shows how desperate Hong Kongers have become as they see masks more important than everything else.

A 70-year-old woman criticized the government for failing to handle even basic works properly. “I used to trust Carrie LAM very much and understood her hardship as a female Chief Executive. However, I am extremely disappointed at her and her administration,” said the old lady. She called out the shortage of mask and rice in Hong Kong, and wished the government would distribute masks and close the entire borders.

A housewife Mrs. LIU thought former Chief Executive Donald TSANG would have done a better job on epidemic control than Carrie LAM, who just absurdly instructed people to not wear masks for prevention. Mrs. LIU’s family members each needed to wear the same mask for 3 to 4 days, padded with a piece of tissue for replacement every day.

Mrs. LEE, a resident of Ma On Shan, said she had only few masks for herself and 4 other family members. “I won’t keep any mask for myself, and will reserve for those who go to work,” said Mrs. LEE.

In Tsing Yi, an elderly man in wheelchair lined up with his wife. As they had only 2 masks left, they avoided going out in order to minimise the usage. Fortunately, each of them got 5 pieces from the convenient store, even though enough to last a few days only.

Another 81-year-old Ms. CHOW had biscuits for breakfast while in queue. She had no time to eat because she just came back from a regular check-up at a hospital, and had to get some masks now because she had none at home.

A 64-year-old Mrs. LAI said her husband might need to stop going to work if she couldn’t get any today. “We need to apply for social welfare assistance from the government afterwards,” said Mrs. LAI.

Despite having sufficient masks for her family, a 73-year-old elderly kept searching for more in the market every day. She stayed at home on the previous 3 days to cut back. The old lady said angrily that the government was totally unacceptable and not working for the Hong Kong people.

Source: Apple Daily
https://bit.ly/2UAiGdJ

#DesperateForMask #MaskShortage

#Newspaper

Unmasked Chinese male got infected after staying with carrier at clinic for 50 seconds and further transmitted to his wife

(7 Feb) Masks have become the basic equipment for citizens to protect themselves from the fast-spreading Wuhan Pneumonia. In Hangzhou, a married couple were both confirmed with Wuhan Pneumonia without any travel history and contact with wild animals within the preceding 14 days. It was later revealed that the husband had visited a clinic for medicine without wearing his mask, and had remained in close proximity with a coronavirus patient for 50 seconds. Shortly afterwards, the couple showed symptoms of the disease.

According to the Hangzhou Health Commission, the city got 10 newly confirmed cases yesterday (February 5), among which a couple, by the surname of Yang, were identified with the virus simultaneously. The infected patients were all allocated to designated hospitals for isolated treatment. Based on the epidemiological study, the Yangs did not have any travel history, live in any epidemic area, or contact any wild animals within the 14 days before showing signs of infection. They did not know the infected patient personally. However, three days prior to the onset of symptoms, the husband had paid a visit to the local clinic for medicine.

The local office of Public Security later analyzed CCTV footages from the clinic. They discovered that on January 22, Yang came face to face with a man, by the surname of Xu, who was eventually confirmed to be infected with the virus. When Xu took his medicine, the two men had close contact for approximately 50 seconds. During that time, both of them did not wear their masks. Xu showed signs of infection on the same day, while the Yangs presented symptoms on the third and fifth day of this encounter respectively. They were then diagnosed with the new coronavirus. Once again, the local health commission reminded citizens should wear masks in public areas and wash their hands as soon as they return home.

In addition, according to the Health Commission of the Ningbo Jiangbei District, there was a confirmed case on Tuesday (February 4), in which a 56-year-old male patient also had no travel history and contact with wild animals. It is suspected that the individual passed by a virus carrier when he shopped for groceries in the wet market without a mask. That entire process took only 15 seconds.

Source: Skypost
https://bit.ly/2OFD758

#Ningbo #Hangzhou #Coronavirus