Weather crisis exposes weaknesses hidden by economic growth: critics

It took only a fortnight of unexpected snowstorms to lay bare the weaknesses of the mainland's economic juggernaut that three decades of spectacular growth had done so well to hide.

The economic and political consequences brought about by the snow and ice, which have ravaged the country since mid-month, could be much worse than those from the Sars outbreak of 2003 and catastrophic flooding in 1998, analysts say.

'The situation now is much more complicated [than in 2003 or 1998],' said Mao Shoulong , professor of public policy at Renmin University.

'What has appeared to be a natural disaster is, in essence, a massive failure of governance.'

The worst snowfall faced by the mainland in decades has snapped power lines in southern and central regions, forced the closure of many factories, and brought the country's air, rail and road transport systems to their knees.

'Those are just symptoms, but they would prompt people to ask why unexpected snowfall can render the country, boasting 30 years of unprecedented economic growth, so fragile and hapless,' Professor Mao said.

It was not just a shortage of coal at power plants, fixed electricity prices, or the closure of about 10,000 small, unsafe mines that had led to the dire situation, but the unfortunate confluence of those problems during a snowy holiday period, he said.