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Taiwan
China
Josephine Ma
Josephine Ma

As I see it | How war fever could become a major headache for China

  • A simple notice about ensuring food supplies quickly devolved into online speculation about an attack on Taiwan
  • Rhetoric over the island has seeped into the psyche of the public

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A Beijing resident stocks up on cabbages after the government issues a seasonal reminder about basic necessities. Photo: Reuters
Josephine Ma

The notice sent out last week by China’s Ministry of Commerce was supposed to be a general reminder to the public to be prepared for emergencies.

In a seasonal notice before the onset of winter, the ministry urged households to stock up on basic necessities. It also called on local governments to ensure food supplies.
In other years, the notice might have gone unnoticed but in these febrile times, the warning ignited speculation that Beijing could be prepared to launch an attack on Taiwan.
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Nervous netizens also noted that 10,000 disaster survival kits were distributed in the eastern city of Jinan. Could cities around the country be preparing for war, they asked.

The authorities moved quickly to quell the rumours. The ministry clarified with another statement that it was trying to make sure the public was not caught short by any disruptions to food supplies caused by the pandemic, or extreme weather.

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State media also went on the offensive, repeatedly quoting officials as saying food supplies were adequate.

02:01

China urges citizens to stockpile ‘daily necessities’, sparking fears of food shortages

China urges citizens to stockpile ‘daily necessities’, sparking fears of food shortages
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