Egg-Sized Hail ‘Assault’: Streets Turn To ‘Ice River’; Residents In Awe Say, ‘Not A Good Omen’!

Egg-sized hailstones in Zhejiang leave residents in awe, not a good omen. Analysis, moral crisis in Chinese society signals end of CCP regime. Beijing acknowledges rapid surge in epidemic just after New Year holiday, death surge in Jiangsu. CCP imposes exit bans on four categories of people, tens of thousands affected. Xi and Putin, Nikkei exposes authoritarian similarities, unveils Xi's It's all covered in today's China Truths. Egg-sized hailstones in Zhejiang leave residents in awe, not a good omen. By 6 pm on February 21, the skies above the Lishui region in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, had darkened dramatically and were hit by unusual downpours and hailstorms, with some hailstones measuring as large as eggs. The hailstones, varying in diameter from 2 to 5 centimeters, lasted around 5 to 10 minutes. The hail blanketed the streets so densely, up to 20 centimeters thick, that they quickly resembled flowing ice rivers, leading to the deaths of birds caught unawares and causing considerable damage to vehicles left outdoors. Furthermore, it caused traffic jams and complicated travel. Ms. Zhang, living in Lishui, shared with the press that her family had never encountered hailstones of such size. Observing children collecting hail and helmets, she attempted to catch one herself, only to be struck, resulting in a swollen arm. People expressed astonishment, saying they had never seen anything like this in their lives. This unexpected onslaught of giant hail in Zhejiang led to lively online debates, with numerous netizens interpreting it as an ominous sign. Yesterday brought thunder, today hail. It's as if the universe is howling, and the earth is roaring. It's time to wake up. This can't be a sign of good omen. Shocking Scenes, Icy Conditions in Suzhou Lead to 100-Car Pileup Early in the morning on the 23rd, a significant vehicle collision occurred on an elevated road within the Suzhou Industrial Park, Jiangsu Province. WeVideo, a subsidiary of the Beijing News, reported that icy conditions led to a massive pileup involving over 100 vehicles on the elevated section of Xing'an Street in the Suzhou Industrial Park. Footage shared online depicted a chaotic scene with numerous vehicles colliding, resulting in a compact mass of cars, some of which ended up atop others, suffering extensive damage. The incident injured nine people, with three requiring hospitalization. Fortunately, no deaths were reported. By 9 a.m., efforts to manage the accident site were ongoing. A vehicle owner shared his experiences from that morning, noting that the slippery roads made breaking a harrowing ordeal, inducing significant anxiety and physical stress. Exiting the elevated roadway left him with sweaty palms. The Suzhou Meteorological Observatory had already issued a yellow alert for icy conditions at 6.13 p.m. on the 22nd, anticipating the formation of ice on roads, particularly on overpasses and bridges, due to a combination of rain and cold temperatures. Additionally, on February 20, a spell of freezing rain in Xi'an, Shaanxi, effectively transformed the surfaces of elevated bridges into slippery ice, triggering a series of collisions as vehicles struggled with brake failure, leading to severe damage. Analysis, moral crisis in Chinese society signals end of CCP regime. As we've reported, China has started the Chinese New Year amidst considerable turmoil, with the most alarming being a wave of murders during the initial days of the New Year observed nationwide, resulting in dozens of fatalities and casting a shadow of grief across the country. The most glaring case occurred on New Year's Eve, February 9, in Zhika Village, Zhu County, Zhaozhou City, Shandong Province, leaving 21 people dead. This incident is regarded as the most significant murder case in recent years, sending shockwaves throughout China and internationally. Due to the CCP authorities' clampdown on information, specific details mainly spread through rumors. The motives behind these crimes are widely speculated, but all theories share a common thread—the perpetrators were wrongfully accused and imprisoned, seeking revenge upon their release. Immediately afterwards, murders continued in various places. Earlier, on February 4, a video surfaced online showing a bus in Beijing's Chaoyang District reduced to a charred frame, but this news was also rapidly censored. Rumors later spread that the fire was caused by a stock investor who had experienced losses, leading to an explosion that killed or injured more than 20 people. Yet, this claim remains unconfirmed. In the latest incident, on February 20, images posted online showed a large number of body parts scattered on The roadway was cordoned off with conical barriers, and a police officer was seen guarding the site. Nevertheless, information regarding this incident was quickly censored, leaving the cause of the event unknown. Some have speculated that it could have been a traffic accident. However, viewers of the video have raised questions, noting the absence of any vehicle that could have caused such an accident. Facing the frequent occurrences of violent crimes in Chinese society recently, commentators widely regard this as highlighting a moral crisis amid societal hostility and the outcomes of the CCP's autocratic rule. Recently, the spike in violent crimes across China has spotlighted a deep moral crisis fueled by social hostility and the outcomes of the CCP's autocratic rule. Li Jianping, former Beijing lawyer and head of the Federation for a Democratic China-Canada, points out that this crisis, marked by widespread harm and grievances at society's lower levels, including indiscriminate violence, is rooted in an autocratic regime. He pins the crisis on two main factors, the regime's own misdeeds sparking public backlash, and internal conflicts among people, often appearing as legal battles. Li argues for a critical look at the CCP's system, suggesting that the plight of the vulnerable, entwined with political issues, demands a shift He identified two primary sources of this crisis, the first being the regime or the officialdom itself, whose misconduct leads to public resentment and acts of retaliation, the second involves conflicts within the populace, largely manifesting as legal disputes. According to him, these social phenomena demand a re-evaluation of the CCP system. The moral dilemmas faced by the most vulnerable groups spark civil disputes and violence, deeply intertwined with politics. Thus, he argues, criticism should increasingly be aimed at the government and the system, advocating for a democratic revolution, pushing for a democratic transition in China, and altering the social framework to enhance the society's legal and moral standards. Another commentator, Mr. Tang Jingyuan, sees the visible malice in Chinese society as just the tip of the iceberg, revealing a severe moral decay and a breakdown in social control. He attributes the underlying cause to accumulated injustices and escalating conflicts, exacerbated by wealth inequality and unresolved grievances. The widespread injustice, oppression by the elite, and corruption within local CCP governance have shattered faith in the justice system, pushing many towards extreme forms of protest as they see no other recourse. Mr. Tang also suggests that this situation reflects the CCP bureaucracy's failure to manage society effectively, not only failing to address social issues but becoming a source of them. The cycle of retaliation and the potential for these actions to be imitated signal a domino effect of similar incidents, possibly leading to a turning point where public discontent directly challenges the CCP's rule, indicating the regime's approaching end. Beijing acknowledges rapid surge in epidemic just after New Year holiday, death surge in Jiangsu. Right after the Chinese New Year holiday wrapped up, Beijing confirmed a resurgence of the new coronavirus epidemic. On February 22, the Beijing Center for Disease Control, CDC, reported the concurrent spread of influenza and the new coronavirus in the city. Although the flu is on a slight decline, the new coronavirus cases are surging sharply, from just 6.4% from February 1, jumping to 21.1% by February 22, predominantly due to the JN.1 variant. This led to online comments declaring, the outbreak phase is here. The Beijing CDC has noted that the post-New Year period sees many returning to Beijing for work and the imminent reopening of schools, coinciding with the peak season for respiratory illnesses. Crowded settings like schools, child care, and elderly care facilities heighten the risk of spreading the virus. Authorities have called for increased vigilance among returnees to Beijing, schools, and care facilities. Anyone showing symptoms like fever or cough is urged not to attend work or school, avoid group activities in public spaces, and the elderly are specifically advised to get the new coronavirus vaccine. Meanwhile, residents of Yancheng, Jiangsu, report a significant rise in local deaths, noting that funerals have more than doubled in frequency, overwhelming funeral homes. A resident named Mr. Chen said that they're unsure about the exact virus, only experiencing body aches and fatigue, suggesting it might be a mutated strain. CCP imposes exit bans on four categories of people, tens of thousands affected. The societal living conditions in China are worsening, prompting more people to flee the country. To counteract this, the CCP has not only increased the number of border checkpoints and patrols to stop illegal border crossings but has also tightened control at airports and other points of entry and exit. An insider revealed to Radio Free Asia that the CCP's border forces have finished setting up anti-smuggling measures along the borders of Guangxi and Yunnan, effectively sealing off all routes to Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and beyond. Immigration offices and airport customs across the country are coordinating closely to ensure that those closely watched by the authorities are prevented from leaving China. The source, who chose to remain unnamed for their safety, mentioned that the CCP's border security measures are tiered, specifically targeting four groups of people. The first group consists of human rights lawyers like Bao Longjun and his wife Wang Yu. With Wang Yu unable to secure a passport and Bao Longjun's passport being flagged at the border, the second group encompasses legal scholars and historians. The third group is made up of dissidents, and the fourth group comprises non-governmental organizations, NGOs, workers. A dissident from China has disclosed that the roster of individuals barred from leaving the country has swelled to include tens of thousands of scholars and dissidents. Xi and Putin, Nikkei exposes authoritarian similarities, unveils Xi's pressing fear. On Feb. 21, Nikkei published an insightful piece by Katsuji Nakazawa, its former Beijing bureau chief, highlighting the parallels between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin as leaders of authoritarian regimes. Earlier in the month, Xi reached out to Putin, secure in the knowledge that Putin would robustly endorse his regime. The article emphasized their shared aversion to showing any weakness, aware that even a hint of vulnerability could trigger sweeping political upheaval. A recent event in Russia poignantly underscored this trait. As the Chinese New Year holiday neared its end, the imprisoned anti-corruption activist and prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny passed away. While the might stay under wraps for a while, an earlier episode indicated the political ramifications of the mysterious demise of one of Putin's harshest critics, Prigozin's insurrection in June. Putin's response was measured, choosing not to immediately retaliate against Prigozin, which many in Russia saw as a sign of weakness. Two months later, Prigozin was killed in a plane crash. During those two months, Putin's administration appeared indecisive, failing to respond to Prigozin's defiance. An expert on Russian politics based in Europe remarked on Navalny's case, the regime made every effort to seal his fate before the presidential elections in March. It was a demonstration of power, a lesson drawn from Prigozin's mutiny. In Russia, oligarchs favored by the Kremlin can flaunt their wealth but have no say in Kremlin politics. Similarly, the Chinese Communist Party, purporting to represent the interests of the nation, enforces a comparable model of governance, a fact that has become increasingly apparent since she assumed the CCP's helm. The CCP has directed the establishment of party cells within every entity across the nation. The intense scrutiny faced by Alibaba Group serves as a prime example of this drive for deeper party integration. Xi's government fears that Alibaba's rising clout could potentially challenge the party's grip on power. Mirroring Putin's attempt to display his strength before the presidential election, Xi has postponed convening the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee, a pivotal economic policy meeting initially slated for late 2023. The postponement begs the question, why the delay? Xi is unwilling to exhibit any form of weakness. He will proceed with the meeting only when confident it will solidify his power. Though the CCP Politburo met at the end of January, it did not confirm a date for the third plenary session in February. The scheduling and agenda of this meeting are more crucial than the CCP's National People's Congress, set for March 5. The crucial question remains whether Xi can reassert his supreme authority once more. The Economist How scared is China of Donald Trump's return? On Tuesday, February 20, The Economist, a British publication, highlighted the complex challenges Xi Jinping faces with the prospect of Donald Trump returning as the US president. The decoupling strategy proposed by Trump's economic advisers threatens significant harm to China's economy. The piece points out that insights into the CCP's reaction to Trump potentially reclaiming the presidency can be gleaned from Chinese social media, which has recently been ablaze with both anger and ridicule regarding this topic. The discussion isn't limited to online forums. It's also a burning question among China's elite—how would a Trump administration, potentially imposing tariffs over 60% on Chinese imports, impact China? This scenario is widely debated, sparking concerns over an escalated trade war and its substantial economic toll. The article emphasizes Xi's current priority to decipher the moves Trump might make against the CCP if granted a second term. Signals indicate that Trump's core team's stance against the CCP could be hardening. Xi is tasked with assessing the potential economic fallout, as Trump's advisers' vision for an economic decoupling poses a dire threat to China's financial stability. Studies by Jiebin An, senior economist from the International Monetary Fund IMF, and other economists explore the consequences of the world dividing into competitive economic zones with restricted foreign direct investment, FDI, between them. Their research suggests that having investment flows between these blocks could reduce China's GDP by about 2%, compared to a scenario with freer investment movement. Furthermore, analysis by Carlos Ghos from the University of California, San Diego, and Eddie Beckers from the World Trade Organization predicts that a 30% tariff hike could slash China's revenue by over 5% by 2040. 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 China Truths.