bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Yujie Xue

A humanitarian crisis of sorts took place in a Chinese town last week after the local authority imposed draconian measures to lock down 300,000 residents to contain an outbreak of Covid-19.
The restrictions in the downtown area of Tonghua, a rust-belt town in Jilin province near China’s border with North Korea, not only led to complaints about food and medicine shortages, but also to an outpouring of criticism on social media that delivery and e-commerce services from the likes of Meituan and Ele.me had also been suspended.
While Tonghua is not well-known for being a tech-driven metropolis – the last time it hit the headlines was when angry workers from a bankrupt steel plant beat a manager from a potential private bidder to death – the adverse reaction to the sudden withdrawal of convenient internet services shows just how essential they have become to everyday life in China.

“Where are those food delivery and online grocery apps when you need them most?” Kevin Li [told the Post], a 32-year-old resident of Tonghua, which had reported 279 confirmed Covid-19 cases by Tuesday. He tried and failed to order from online delivery giant Meituan and Duo Duo Maicai, a fresh vegetable delivery app operated by social commerce firm Pinduoduo.
“The situation in Tonghua is so bad … Even during the lockdown last year in Wuhan, local people could still use JD.com, Meituan, and Ele.me,” wrote another netizen on Weibo, referring to the country’s major e-commerce and food delivery apps.
Ele.me is owned by Alibaba Group Holding, the parent company of the Post.
Li and his wife ran out of groceries shortly after the lockdown began and had to rely on packaged ramen before local community workers commenced grocery deliveries on January 24, after the city’s deputy mayor Jiang Haiyan publicly apologised for the situation and promised a team of 7,000 deliverymen to provide subsidised food parcels for residents.
Chinese e-commerce platforms to be held responsible for food safety issues
But it was not a failure of technology or the apps per se that caused the problems since the local government shut down all restaurants, supermarkets and grocery stores to contain the outbreak, and people needed a negative Covid-19 test result to carry out specific work. This meant online deliveries, community group buying and even ride hailing were all rendered useless since the underlying infrastructure that supported them was not operational.
One local grocery shop owner listed on food delivery service Meituan Selected, surnamed Zhao, told the Post via phone that it was impossible for him to provide any services due to the city-wide closures. “Logistics services have all stopped … There’s no one to deliver the orders, and most shop owners are locked down at home,” said Zhao.

Amid the closures, only the local government has been able to respond to peoples’ needs. Chinese media outlet Yicai reported that the only available logistics service in Tonghua was state-owned China Post. But this has raised questions over the emergency response and why the government was not able to use the private sector to better effect.
“Meituan Selected and Chengxin Youxuan [another community group buying platform] both just entered Tonghua, and they have entire suites of solutions to offer efficient grocery delivery and distribution. Why did the local government not ask them for help?” one person asked on Weibo.
Deaf live-streamers join China’s online shopping craze
“Meituan and Ele.me have more professional teams and definitely are capable of coordinating with local government,” another netizen suggested on Weibo.
During the lockdowns of big Chinese cities such as Wuhan in early 2020 and Shijiazhuang this month, services from internet giants were available. But the situation seems to have been complicated by the fact that Tonghua, in line with many other lower-tier cities on China, does not have the same deep penetration of online delivery services.

“It doesn’t matter if it is online shopping or food delivery, offline logistics rely on gig delivery workers,” said Chen Tao, an e-commerce analyst from Beijing-based research firm Analysys. “Currently we don’t know if it’s the local Tonghua government or the online platforms that are responsible for the unavailability of these online services, but the deployment of these platforms and availability of necessary workers, is definitely better in larger cities.”
Why community buying is winning fans and ruffling feathers in China
Zhuang Shuai, the founder of Beijing-based consulting firm Bailian, also suggested that slower adoption and usage of online platforms, as well as the availability of gig workers who are often drawn from the migrant population, may have played a part in Tonghua’s situation.
“Tonghua as a county-level city cannot be compared to provincial capitals like Wuhan and Shijiazhuang. In terms of its population, number of online users and delivery workers on those platforms, it is just not worth the tech companies’ return on investment,” said Zhuang.
“The food shortages in Tonghua demonstrate the importance of developing the city’s local economy,” one netizen wrote in a widely-circulated Weibo post. “Many have suggested asking tech companies like Meituan for help, but for this to work the average income of people in this city must be able to support the normal operation of these platforms.”


What would happen if online deliveries from China’s tech giants stopped overnight? This city offers a glimpse

Volunteers check orders of daily necessity goods at a supermarket according to requests from residents in quarantine in Tonghua, northeast China's Jilin Province, Jan. 24, 2021. Photo: Xinhua/Xu Chang

(210124) -- TONGHUA, Jan. 24, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Staff members of an online logistics service platform prepare orders of daily necessity goods in Tonghua, northeast China's Jilin Province, Jan. 24, 2021. Tonghua authorities have improved the city's supply chain following complaints of untimely and insufficient provision of daily necessities to better address household needs amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)

Bloomberg Best of the Year 2016: Water vapor and smoke rise from a Tonghua Iron & Steel Group Co. plant in the Erdaojiang district in Tonghua, Jilin province, China, on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016. The city's once-vaunted state-run steel mills have slipped inexorably into decline, weighed down by slumping global markets, a changing economy, and the burden of costs and responsibilities to the people of the town they fostered. Phoptographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

(210127) -- TONGHUA, Jan. 27, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Workers unload materials at the construction site of an observation center in Tonghua, northeast China's Jilin Province, Jan. 26, 2021. According to local authority, the observation center, consisting of 1,186 separate units, have been finished installation on Wednesday. The center will be used for centralized isolation. (Photo by Zhou Yuan/Xinhua)

Tech

Policy

Economy

China Economy

It was not a failure of technology or the apps that caused the problems - the local government shut down infrastructure, such as restaurants and stores
Analysts say that slower adoption and usage of online platforms, as well as the lower availability of gig workers, contributed to the service disruption


Analysts say that slower adoption and usage of online platforms, as well as the lower availability of gig workers, contributed to the service disruption.
