Lack of free speech helped spread of coronavirus in China, says leading professor

The lack of a free press, poor governance, and an information blackout are all culprits in allowing the spread of the Covid-19 disease, which has caused thousands of fatalities, according to a leading academic. “I hope the heavy price [of the outbreak] will make Chinese authorities come to realise that without press freedom, people will live in distress and the government in mendacity,” He Weifang, a professor of law at Peking University, wrote in an article shared with friends via the social media network WeChat on Monday.

The article, which had been handwritten in an effort to bypass the censors, also said a free press that could report on the authorities’ performance would help develop a better governance system.

The disease, which first emerged in Wuhan city, has killed more than 1,800 people and infected over 70,000 worldwide, mostly in Hubei province.

He also highlighted a report published by the Communist Party’s bimonthly journal Qiushi on Saturday, which said President Xi Jinping had told officials to act to stop the disease spreading in early January – something that was not made public at the time.

According to the report, Xi told the Politburo Standing Committee two weeks ago that he had called for disease control measures in a meeting with officials on January 7, saying it would be a “major test” for the country and its governance system.

But the state news agency Xinhua made no mention of this call in its report on the January 7 meeting and it was not made public until Saturday’s report appeared – 12 days after the Politburo Standing Committee meeting.

“A shocking fact is that Xi’s January 7 speech was not reported by any media. Does Xi know that? Or did the leadership decide it was inappropriate to release it to the public?” He wrote in the article.