Death of a Hero Doctor Sparks Crisis of Confidence in Xi’s China
- Outrage prompts calls for free speech to trend on social media
- ‘Flaws in the entire system of governance have been exposed’
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Chinese President Xi Jinping’s government has worked hard to channel public anxiety over the new coronavirus into patriotic fervor. But the death of a 34-year-old doctor on Friday has unleashed a wave of fury that is sparking a rare crisis of confidence in the Communist Party.
Li Wenliang, who was sanctioned by local authorities after blowing the whistle on the disease last month, succumbed to the virus early on Friday. His death was immediately met with an outpouring of grief and outrage by hundreds of millions of social media users: They vented about how he was initially silenced, and mourned with the pregnant wife and young child he left behind.