LogFAQs > #961331785

HeroDelTiempo17 posted...

There is so much propaganda flying around about China, both positive and negative, that you have to constantly be reading things between the lines. And I hate to be the one to out-centrist Wang but if you somehow read that NPR article as being pro-China you've bought way too heavily into the anti-China spin.

headline.
Officials promise groceries for Xi'an, China, city of 13 million under lockdown

first half, all positive spin.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) Chinese officials promised steady deliveries of groceries to residents of Xi'an, an ancient capital with 13 million people that is under the strictest lockdown of a major Chinese city since Wuhan was shut early last year at the start of the pandemic.

China's Commerce Ministry has contacted nearby provinces to help ensure adequate supplies of everyday necessities, a ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

State broadcaster CCTV aired a story Thursday showing building staff assembling free grocery deliveries for the residents of an apartment complex in Xi'an.

The deliveries included a box of 15 eggs, a 2.5-kilogram (5.5-pound) bag of rice and some green vegetables. Residents could also expect either some chicken or pork, it said.

the "critical" part:
Still, some people complained in comments below the segment shared on Weibo, a social media platform, that they have not received the same deliveries in their communities. Many worried if they will be able to obtain fresh vegetables and meat.

This week, authorities tightened restrictions in Xi'an so that people can no longer leave their homes to buy groceries. Previously, residents were allowed to buy food once every two days. The city is also sealed off, meaning that people cannot leave without special permission.

Xi'an reported 155 new locally transmitted cases on Wednesday, and a total of about 1,000 cases in the latest outbreak.

The numbers pale in comparison to outbreaks elsewhere in the world, but are significant for China, which continues to follow a policy of trying to eradicate the coronavirus. That has resulted in widespread lockdowns to cut the virus's spread.

China has reported a total of 101,890 cases and 4,636 deaths since the pandemic began.

even when it's critical, it's using the funky numbers and trying to make it not sound as bad. but do remember that most people just read headlines and if they read anything, just the first paragraph or two. at which point their takeaway is "oh, they're giving groceries to their people! that's a good thing!" it's framed pretty clearly as a positive for China with some light critique but still meant in a positive way. this is pretty similar to how they handle some of the worst Uighur stuff like their spin on forced sterilization. ...though seriously, the headline wasn't a giveaway that it's intended to be positive?