BEIJING, CHINA — The publicised deaths of celebrities in China raise questions about China’s transparency in informing about deaths due to COVID-19.
In December, a 40-year-old opera singer, Chu Lan passed away. However, the family did not mention the cause of death. Given her relatively young age, this led many to speculate that the cause of death was due to the COVID-19 virus.
Actor Gong Jintang also passed away in the new year. Gong, who was 83 years old, was best known for his role in one of China’s longest-running TV series, In-Laws, Out-Laws. However, just like Chu, Gong’s cause of death is unknown. This led the public to speculate that Gong had also contracted the same virus.
Ni Zhen, the scriptwriter of one of China’s best films, Raise the Red Lantern, which was published in 1991, also reportedly passed away at the age of 84. The screenwriter and professor at the Beijing Film University passed away on 22 December.
Famous journalist and former Nanjing University professor Hu Fuming was among those who died recently on 2 January at the age of 87. He is well-known as the main author of the famous article “Practice is the Sole Criterion for Testing the Truth”.
According to a report, he sent the famous article to Guangming Daily in September 1977, which was published in Guangming Daily, igniting a nationwide debate on the standards for seeking truth. It was the “first spring thunder” that awakened the Chinese and heralded the emancipation of the Chinese people’s minds.
Actor Zhang Mu, 92, who portrayed Mao Zedong in numerous Chinese Communist Party (CCP) films, passed away. Zhang was a calligrapher and the director of the China Opera and Dance Drama Theatre Opera troupe.
According to a report of NTD, a New York-based, global television network, several actors like Ren Jun, Chu Lanlan, Cheng Jinghua, Yu Yuheng, Xiong Yingzheng, Hou Menglan, and Zhao Zhiyuan who shared ties with Xi Jinping-led CCP also lost their lives in the Chinese mainland.
According to local media, 16 researchers from the country’s top science and engineering academies also died between 21 and 26 December. In a report provided by the health department, these deaths have nothing to do with the COVID-19 virus.
China only reported 23 deaths throughout December after making changes in determining the criteria for death due to COVID-19 and is using its own strict criteria currently that only those who die from respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia are counted. The country also stopped publishing daily case data.
The world sees that China is not transparent in providing information related to this matter.
The deaths of these famous people have further fueled speculations of a cover-up by the communist country. However, China insisted it had been transparent with the international community about its COVID data.
