Friday (Feb. 7th): Death of Doctor

Li Wenliang

Name? Li Wenliang

Westphalian identity? Chinese

Age? 34

Why is he in the news? As the first doctor to (attempt to) warn others of the possibility of a new SARS-like virus, his (forced) silence, infection, and death have sparked outrage in China regarding the government’s response to the Coronavirus outbreak.

Why do we care? The death of anyone is tragic but the death of Wenliang is especially hard as he was the first to report on the virus.

Why should you care? Wenliang’s detainment and forced silence emphasize the continued control of the Chinese government over the spread of information both within and outside the country.

Who else cares? Understandably, the Chinese government cares as word has gotten out about Wenliang’s efforts, effectively making him a martyr. There has been outrage and frustration on various social media sites such as Weibo and WeChat, and Western media are loving it.

Any further comments? Chinese President Xi Jinping is facing increasing challenges; a struggling economy, geopolitical tensions, the virus itself and now a martyr as a symbol of political failures. The medical epidemic will end sooner or later, but it will take a herculean effort before Xi’s government can receive a clean bill of health again.

Joshua Dario Hasenstab

General Coordinator