Experts Warn Of Sudden Political Change; Researcher: Coronavirus Mutates, More Youths Dying

Experts warn of potential sudden political change in CCP. Guangdong COVID-19 outbreak worsens, symptoms more severe in young people. Another Chinese youth publicly opposes CCP tyranny. July data shows Chinese economy still mired. Shanghai unemployment crisis, neighborhood committees demand halt to unemployment benefits. Severe casualties in Jidan flood, authorities censor information. Seeking Truth, Supreme People's Procuratorate Prosecutor General Ling Yong's Crimes. It's all covered in today's China Truths. Experts warn of potential sudden political change in CCP. Recent widespread public rumors suggest shifts within the upper ranks of the Chinese Communist Party. Furthermore, Ling Jiefu, a retired Renmin University professor, openly called for the CCP to voluntarily exit the historical stage, seeking support from high-ranking officials to form a Chinese federal republic. Ling confirmed his authorship of this appeal on Aug. 11 to Epoch Times reporters. Commenting on this development, Hong Kong veteran journalist Ching Siong reports that Beijing is awash with rumors that are detrimental to Xi Jinping, though these remain unconfirmed. Ching noted a shift in the CCP's official narrative, notably in the People's Daily, where references to Xi are markedly reduced. For instance, Xi's name and specific terms associated with him are rarely mentioned. Although Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the CCP Military Commission, continues to praise Xi, Ching believes the editorial decisions of the People's Daily warrant closer examination. A recent odd occurrence in Beijing involved several CCP ambassadors stationed abroad. These diplomats, while speaking about the CCP's 20th Third Plenum and their host countries, did not mention Xi's name in the Chinese versions of their statements, a significant departure from usual practice. As the 120th anniversary of Deng Xiaoping's death approached on Aug. 22, the CCP's party journal, Qiushui, published a lengthy 4,800-word article praising Deng's technological insights. The article emphasized Deng's crucial role in advancing technology post-cultural revolution. Interestingly, Xi Jinping's name was mentioned only once, in connection with his theory of new qualitative productivity. However, analyst Wang Yi suggests the article's timing and focus indirectly serve to commend Xi, arguing that Xi is built upon and further developed Deng's technological philosophy, notably by introducing the concept of new quality productivity. Kaixin Cohen, a U.S.-based commentator, told Radio Free Asia that the CCP's reforms are mere facades to placate the populace amidst unresolved political, economic, and social crises. The current leadership, he argues, faces a precarious situation with a faltering economy and high unemployment rates, which could threaten their stability. Adding to the narrative, Lai Rongwei, CEO of the Taiwan Inspiration Association, suggested that any unusual activity within CCP-controlled media could be significant. It's possible that such anomalies could be either the anti-Xi faction using the media to communicate, or Xi himself attempting to draw out his opponents. Lai also reflected on Xi's tenure, noting that since his rise to power, Xi has systematically targeted and dismantled the factions of former leaders Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, as well as the descendants of Deng Xiaoping, thereby undermining the institutional groundwork laid during Deng's era. However, he observed that Xi's personal authority doesn't match the levels of influence once held by Mao Zedong or Deng Xiaoping. Currently, those opposed to Xi remain quiet, biding their time. Furthermore, according to these experts, few of the people Xi has promoted are truly loyal to him. Everyone has their own ambitions and is just waiting for the right opportunity. With the CCP's secretive operations, sudden shifts in the political landscape could happen out of nowhere. Guangdong COVID-19 outbreak worsens, symptoms more severe in young people. Recently, authorities quietly reported that in July alone, the number of COVID-19 cases in Guangdong increased by about 10,000 compared to June. Many users on social media have shared their symptoms after recently testing positive. On Aug. 15, mainland media outlets like Southern Metropolis Daily reported that Dr. Yan Wensen, associate chief physician of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at Guangdong Second Provincial People's Hospital, said, In recent outpatient visits, most COVID-19 patients have been young people, showing symptoms like sore throat, fever, and muscle pain. These cases are generally scattered. Dr. Liu Hongzhou, director of the National Center for Infectious Diseases Clinical Medicine and president of Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, noted that COVID-19 still has a high transmission rate during summer, likely due to increased gatherings, viral mutations, relaxed personal protective measures, and indoor environments. The topic more severe symptoms in young people during Guangdong's latest COVID-19 outbreak has sparked widespread attention on social media, with users sharing their experiences and concerns. One Guangdong user commented, Coughing, sore throat, and runny nose for three days. Another user posted, I'm infected too, feeling completely weak. A recent study published in the top international academic journal Cell pointed out that after contracting COVID-19, issues such as slower tissue repair, reduced ability to fight other infections, chronic inflammation, and long-term sequelae are due to trauma suffered by the immune system. It is particularly crucial for severe patients not to take their recovery lightly. Severe COVID-19 can cause long-term changes in the innate immune system. China recently released its first blue book on immunity data in the Chinese population, which mentioned that over 50% of China's healthy population has mildly compromised immunity, with most people's immunity levels being suboptimal. Chen Gang, a pseudonym, a scientific researcher in Guangzhou, recently disclosed to the Epoch Times that the coronavirus has already mutated, causing numerous deaths among young people. Chen revealed that in December 2022 alone, around 10 million people died. From 2021 until now, the death toll has been three to five times higher than before, with an especially high mortality rate. Over the past few years, at least 100 million people have died. Chen also said that the data he shared is absolutely real. Many medicines have posted that in some villages, 200 people saw a dozen or more deaths, and it's considered normal for 20 or so people to die. Another Chinese youth publicly opposes CCP tyranny. Another Chinese youth has publicly spoken out against the CCP's oppressive rule. On August 14, Su Yutong, a freelance writer living in Germany, released a video along with a caption stating that this is a young person from mainland China who advocates for the tear-down-the-wall movement. In the past, this young person was framed on political charges and detained in a psychiatric hospital. In the video, the young activist says, We demand equality, not privileges. The young man mentions that he used equipment like routers to publicly broadcast the demands. The CCP authorities labeled him a political criminal, issued a warrant for his arrest, and confiscated his routers, laser audio devices, transmitters, mobile phones, and other equipment. He now cannot return home. He urges people in mainland China to see through the CCP's lies. In October 2022, Peng Lifa's protest on the Sidong Bridge in Beijing against the CCP made headlines and inspired more young people to join the anti-communist movement. Commenting on this youth's courageous defiance against the CCP, Su Yutong said, The spark lit by Mr. Peng Lifa continues to spread. Recently, a young man from Hunan, Fan Yirong, hung a Sidong Bridge banner on a bridge. We are well aware that directly challenging the CCP in mainland China leads to imprisonment for these brave young people. They themselves likely understand the high cost to their freedom, yet they persist. July data shows Chinese economy still mired. The latest data out of China paints a concerning picture of a slowing economy. Investment growth in July continued to decelerate, with the real estate sector remaining a major drag. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Chinese economy is struggling to regain momentum and is mired in a challenging situation. In detail, according to official figures China's National Bureau of Statistics released on Thursday, August 15, fixed asset investment growth slowed year-on-year from January to July, with real estate development investment plunging by 10.2%. Consumer spending on big-ticket items is also weakening. The troubled real estate sector is exacerbating the problem, with new home prices falling at their fastest rate in nine years. J.P. Morgan's chief China economist, Zhu Haibin, has announced a downward revision in their forecast for China's GDP growth this year. Citing disappointing June data, the team has lowered their projection from 5.2% to 4.7%. This move follows similar downward revisions by other major investment banks, including Goldman Sachs and Barclays. The ongoing real estate crisis has weakened household finances, leading to reduced spending. Businesses are also hesitant to borrow due to growing pessimism about the economic outlook. In July, bank loans to the real economy contracted month-on-month for the first time in 19 years, raising concerns about a possible Japan-style stagnation. Additionally, industrial output growth slowed, and the urban unemployment rate increased. Furthermore, Reuters reports that the continued slowdown in industrial production, coupled with weak indicators in exports, prices, and bank loans, has intensified concerns about China's economic outlook. The data also indicated that the national urban unemployment rate rose last month for the first time since February. However, there are concerns that the Chinese Communist Party's unemployment statistics may be misleading, as they only account for urban areas and exclude the rural unemployed population. SHANGHAI UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS – NEIGHBORHOOD COMMITTEES DEMAND HALT TO UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS China's economic troubles are deepening as foreign investors pull out and businesses close, particularly in Shanghai, where unemployment is soaring. Reports from a Weibo user indicate that neighborhood committees are telling unemployed residents to stop collecting benefits and instead register with them, signaling widespread unemployment in the city. Screenshots show netizens discussing being asked to give up benefits in exchange for low-paying jobs, with older workers in the 40-50 group hit especially hard. The term refers to a demographic in China consisting of individuals who are typically in their 40s and 50s and face difficulties in securing employment. According to Chinese law, unemployment insurance supports those who lose jobs involuntarily, while the 40-50 subsidy aids older workers struggling to find work. On August 15, Douyin creator Stella's Life Channel described Shanghai's high unemployment, noting that many professionals in their 30s and 40s have been jobless for six months to a year. She said that only low-wage, entry-level positions are available, making it difficult for those who previously held high-paying jobs. Netizens have echoed these claims with personal stories. One former algorithm engineer from Tencent shared that after being laid off from a job paying 46,000 yuan, about $6,414, a month, he couldn't find work for eight months. Another ex-employee of a state-owned securities company questioned the official 5% unemployment rate, pointing out that she and two friends, all formerly employed at top firms, are now jobless. Over the past few years, unemployment rates in mainland China have reached unprecedented levels, with a widespread unemployment crisis affecting the entire nation. According to data from the CCP's Statistics Bureau, the average unemployment rate among Chinese youth before the pandemic was about 10%, but last year, it rose above 20%. In June of last year, the unemployment rate for individuals aged 16 to 24 escalated to a record high of 21.3%, leading to a halt in the release of further data by the authorities. In January of this year, the Statistics Bureau published the adjusted unemployment figures for youths from last December, which notably excluded students still in school. Therefore, the true extent of unemployment in China remains shrouded in mystery. Severe casualties in Zhidong Flood, authorities censor information. From 8 p.m. on August 8 to 5 a.m. on August 9, Zhidong County, Yan'an, Shaanxi experienced record-breaking torrential rain, marking the highest single-day rainfall ever recorded in the area, leading to significant casualties. The Qinghuang Temple Valley, or Qinghuang Miaogo, was hit particularly hard, with reports of a dam collapse, numerous vehicles swept away by floodwaters, and the entrance to the valley completely blocked. Residents from the area describe the situation as dire, with vehicles still buried in thick mud even a week later. Recent footage shows what appears to be a collapsed dam, partially submerged with blocked outlets. An agricultural processing plant in the area was also damaged when the access road was destroyed by the flood. Another survivor from the affected area said that all ground floors were submerged that night, and many houses were destroyed. Those who escaped were mainly on the second floor or higher, while many others couldn't get out in time. Residents also report that the government's response has been minimal, with most rescue efforts carried out by volunteers from other regions. Authorities have been more focused on controlling information, deploying police to prevent residents from approaching the disaster site or recording footage. Despite the severity of the disaster, official reports only acknowledge one death and the evacuation of over 5,600 people. In the most affected area alone, there are more than 770 households and over 2,200 residents. However, residents reveal that the government is asking disaster victims to register with their IDs, and only 600 people have been registered so far, despite the severe casualties. Seeking Truth, Supreme People's Procuratorate Prosecutor General Ling Yong's Crimes. According to a report from the Minghui website in July 2024, Falun Gong practitioners from 44 countries submitted a list of their persecutors to their governments, demanding actions like entry bans and asset freezes against these individuals and their families. This action marks the 25th anniversary of the practitioners' resistance to persecution. The list includes high-ranking officials from various nations, including the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, all EU countries, and 12 other countries across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. One notable name on the list is Ling Yong, the current Prosecutor General of China's Supreme People's Procuratorate. Ling Yong, born in November 1957 in Xinjiu, Zhejiang, is a Chinese Communist Party official. He climbed the ranks within the party by adhering to its policies, especially those concerning the persecution of Falun Gong. According to the list mentioned above, Ling Yong's involvement includes commanding the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners despite knowing their innocence. From September to December 2022, under his directives, 154 practitioners were unlawfully prosecuted and sentenced, with numerous instances resulting in death, disability, or devastating impacts on their families. In one case, Niu Xiaona, a severely disabled practitioner from Heilongjiang, was abducted, falsely accused, and sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Harbin Railway Transport Court. In 2023, at least 1,188 practitioners were illegally prosecuted and sentenced, 383 of them were elderly. For instance, 75-year-old Li Xuesong from Xi'an received a sentence of over three years and a fine of 10,000 yuan, approximately 1,394 U.S. dollars. Additionally, a group of 427 wrongfully sentenced practitioners were collectively extorted out of 5,810,600 yuan and 6,400 dollars. Throughout his tenure from September 2022 to May 2024, Ling Yong is accused of being directly and inescapably responsible for various forms of persecution against Falun Gong practitioners carried out by prosecutors across the country, without any legal basis or actual criminal evidence. When Ling Yong became the party secretary of Hubei in February 2020, the intensified persecution of Falun Gong practitioners continued under the local political and legal bodies, including the judiciary and the 610 office. Established on June 10, 1999, this extralegal police unit is tasked with the mission of eradicating Falun Gong. They engaged in secretive trials, failed to notify families or lawyers, and arrested, interrogated, extorted, and sentenced practitioners who promoted effective remedies. That year, three practitioners died from persecution, others were injured or disabled, and 38 were illegally sentenced. The zero-out campaign resulted in at least 573 practitioners being harassed, abducted, having their homes searched, subjected to brainwashing, and detained unlawfully. According to incomplete statistics, during Ling Yong's tenure as party secretary of Hubei province, at least 14 people were persecuted to death, and many Falun Gong practitioners suffered disability or injury, for which Ling Yong is held primarily responsible. As the chief administrator in Shanghai, Ling Yong controlled the political and legal committees, the 610 office, and the judiciary to enforce the Communist Party's persecution policies against Falun Gong practitioners, with many practitioners being persecuted to disability or injury, for which Ling Yong is held primarily responsible. Amid mounting evidence of the worsening human rights situation in China, particularly the CCP's brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, there is a growing call for all conscientious and just individuals within China, along with relevant international organizations, to focus on the tragic plight of these practitioners. They are urged to assist the Chinese people in fully accounting for all the crimes of the CCP and the Jiang Zemin faction, the mastermind behind the persecution, to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations promptly, end this 25-year-long bloody persecution, and restore the dignity that humanity deserves. Don't forget to leave a comment in the section below to share your opinions on today's topic with us. Make sure to like and subscribe to see more interesting topics from Chinatruths.