Stephen McDonell Profile picture
Aug 10, 2021 12 tweets 8 min read Read on X
#China’s Party-controlled press is now furiously busy scrubbing its reports regarding Swiss biologist “Wilson Edwards” said to be embroiled in a @WHO #covid scandal however...
The statement from #Switzerland’s Embassy in #China regarding “Wilson Edwards”...
A Google search shows the @globaltimesnews piece aaaaaand the page now...
A Google search shows the People’s Daily piece aaaaand the page now...
But the winner tonight is... @ChinaDaily ! Still flying the flag for Swiss biologist Wilson Edwards!
#Switzerland’s most famous biologist Wilson Edwards also lives on in multiple languages c/o @CGTNOfficial. Here he is in Spanish and French... #China #coronavirus
There’s gotta be some Swiss comedian preparing to go to town on the super-Swiss-sounding “Wilson Edwards” and his incredible career as a biologist. #China #Switzerland
16 years into the future there will be all these Swiss blokes struggling to impress women who can’t understand why the teenager talking to them is named Wilson.
In all seriousness though, #China’s Party-controlled media has clearly been ordered to go big on the #coronavirus misinformation in recent days (maybe to pre-empt Biden’s follow-up report?). Enter renowned Swiss biologist Willson Edwards!
Here’s @CGTNOfficial’s story on the mysterious Wilson Edwards and alleged #US “intimidation”. It’s what you get when a society has no media which is allowed to cast the Chinese government in a bad light and when “journalists” jump to attention when called to defend the Party.

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More from @StephenMcDonell

May 29, 2023
Unrest in #Yunnan south west #China over the weekend after reported moves by the government to demolish a mosque. Large numbers of riot police clashed with local Hui Muslims. Najiaying now said to be sealed off, with the internet cut there.
This thread has quite a few clips on in which came out before the internet was cut there…
A key point of tension in recent years has come from the “de-Arabisation” of mosques in #China. Some mosques have been completely demolished and others refashioned to have a more Chinese design. I’m not sure what the plan is in this case.
Read 4 tweets
May 17, 2023
A stand up comedy company in #China has been fined 14.7 million yuan (USD $2.13 million) after a comedian told a joke said to be making fun of the People's Liberation Army at a #Beijing show. The company Xiaoguo Culture says it has terminated its contract with comedian Li Haoshi.
The joke involved dogs chasing a squirrel which he said reminded him of the expression, "Adopt a good style of work; be able to fight and win battles", a phrase #XiJinping has used to praise the work ethic of #China's military.
Stand up comedians in #China really have to be careful what they say. Eg, When performances started after #Covid they were ordered not to make fun of the #Shanghai lockdown. Some have turned to using English but they also must tread lightly... bbc.com/news/av/world-…
Read 5 tweets
Mar 8, 2023
In recent years, #China based correspondents are being increasingly blocked from attending large political gatherings. Instead, the Communist Party flies in “friendly journalists” from other counties who can be relied on for positive coverage of the rubber stamp Congresses.
It’s glaring at this Congress: very few #China-based correspondents being allowed in for anything, it’s mainly the agencies given access + those who’ve been flown in by #Beijing for “journalism training” and who deliver puff about how great the Congress is with questions like…
I am amazed by the naivety of those who think this is somehow comparable to the way things work in other countries. For whatever faults there are with the western media, leaders in the West are routinely grilled by reporters. "Press conferences" at the NPC are propaganda shows.
Read 5 tweets
Mar 7, 2023
Strongly-worded attack on the #US from #China's leader #XiJinping who said "western countries led by the US have implemented all-round containment, encirclement and suppression" against China + that this this brought "severe challenges" for this country. Closed door speech.
#China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang also warned if #Washington doesn't "hit the breaks" soon instead of ramping up tensions that this would "surely lead to conflict and confrontation".
#China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang said that the #US speaks about guard rails to avoid conflict but that if the US continues to go down the wrong path, no amount of guard rails would prevent a de-railing.
Read 4 tweets
Mar 6, 2023
Bad enough that foreign correspondents have to work in #China under appalling conditions with constant state-sponsored harassment but straight out lies from Party-controlled media about it: “freely do interviews”? At the Congress? Most can’t even get inside the Great Hall. Image
Only a handful of mostly agency reporters were allowed in for the NPC opening session. The vast majority of #China-based international correspondents are now denied entry to these events. Instead, people flown in for the Party’s China friendly media training get to go.
BTW, if you want to read the actual FCCC report regarding the ever deteriorating working conditions for correspondents in #China, here it is:
Read 4 tweets
Feb 5, 2023
#China Foreign Ministry re Chinese balloon being shot down by #US fighter jet: “China strongly disapproves of & protests against the US attack on a civilian unmanned airship by force…” that #Beijing had asked US to “handle the matter in a calm, professional & restrained manner”
#China For Ministry[cont] “…the #US use of force is a clear overreaction & a serious violation of international practice. China will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the company concerned, and reserves the right to make further responses if necessary”.
Images of the balloon being shot down now being shared on social media in #China. #US
Read 13 tweets

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