China’s lies, damned lies and statistics

  • By Prabhu Dayal

    China deliberately concealed the extent of the outbreak of the Covid-19 outbreak during the early days

  • China also kept mum about its casualties after the clash with Indian Army in Galwan Valley
  • Now, after eight months have elapsed since the clashes, China has grudgingly acknowledged casualties

Abraham Lincoln had famously said: “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” The Chinese leadership does not seem to realize this and continues to use false figures and statistics to bolster its case. Thus, it weaves one web of lies after another, totally oblivious of its own eroding credibility. For example, CNN reported in December that documents from Wuhan accessed by it reveal how China deliberately concealed the extent of the outbreak of the Covid-19 outbreak during the early days by playing down the actual figures. The ‘Wuhan Files’, as they have come to be called show China’s complete lack of transparency about its poor handling of the coronavirus outbreak in the early days. The health authorities in the province of Hubei, where the virus was first detected listed a total of 5,918 cases on February 10 last year—more than double the number that was made public. False statistics were used by the Chinese authorities to hide their incompetence.

Experts and persons in positions of authority have continued to accuse Beijing of lying and being opaque about information pertaining to the virus. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently said that Beijing has to step up and make sure it is being transparent about the deadly virus. In an interview with MSNBC, Blinken said that the Chinese government’s failure’ in sharing and providing pertinent information regarding the deadly virus is something “we must address”. He added: “There is no doubt that, especially when COVID-19 first hit but even today, China is falling far short of the mark when it comes to providing the information necessary to the international community, making sure that experts have access to China. All of that – that lack of transparency, that lack of being forthcoming, is a profound problem and it’s one that continues.”

Not surprisingly, such jiggery-pokery also remains a hallmark of the Chinese leadership’s approach to its casualties in the savage June 15 Galwan Valley clashes. Shortly after the clashes, India had confirmed the loss of 20 soldiers. Moreover, these slain soldiers were honored for their bravery with their names installed in memorials. In sharp contrast, China kept mum about its casualties, although not just Indian but international sources too reported that the figure of such casualties was higher than that for India. For example, the Russian news agency TASS reported recently that China suffered 45 casualties during the clash.

Simply put, Xi Jinping and his henchmen are again lying through their teeth, perhaps oblivious to the act that others can see through their lies and deception. Why are they acknowledging only four casualties when it is widely believed that the figure was much higher? Is it because they want to continue propagating their theory of China’s superiority over India? Now, after eight months have elapsed since the clashes, China has grudgingly acknowledged casualties and named four of its soldiers who were killed–a far smaller number than what is widely believed. Asked why this was being done eight months after the clash, the spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Hua Chunying said that “The report has been revealed to give the truth to the public because the truth is long-awaited and is necessary for the people to know the true story.” However, in view of the fact that international sources have reported much, much higher casualty figures, the figures now disclosed by the Chinese authorities only highlight their unflinching belief in their own ability to pull the wool over the eyes of not just their own people but everyone else’s too.

After acknowledging the above casualties, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman went on to say: ” “India is an important neighbor of China and restoring a healthy, stable relationship is the aspiration and also in the interest of the two peoples. I hope the Indian side will work with us towards achieving this shared goal.” Given China’s track record, will anyone believe that there is even an iota of sincerity in these remarks? Will anyone be taken in by China’s lies, damned lies or it’s falsified statistics?

(The author is a former diplomat)

(Courtesy OPOYI)

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