Communist Party Leader In Hubei Released In Effect Of The COVID-19 Outbreak

Jiang Chaoliang (Twitter/@peopledailysapp)

JAKARTA - The cleaning of officials in Hubei Province, the center of the COVID-19 outbreak, is underway. Authorities took steps to remove officials in Hubei Province deemed not handling the outbreak well.

This is done also part of the central government in response to public anger. They consider the local government to have failed to deal with the deadly COVID-19 outbreak in the region.

China's official news agency, Xinhua, reported that the Communist Party Leader for Hubei Province, Jiang Chaoliang, was released. In the meantime, he will be replaced by the mayor of Shanghai, Ying Yong, who has close ties to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Ying Yong has been appointed secretary of the Hubei Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), replacing Jiang Chaoliang, according to a decision by the CPC Central Committee. pic.twitter.com/kcgzY1ohSd

- People's Daily, China (@PDChina) February 13, 2020

Quoted from the South China Morning Post, February 13, 2020, Wuhan City Communist Party Leader Ma Guoqiang is also said to be discharged. Ma Guoqiang's job will be replaced by Wang Zhonglin, Leader of the Jinan Communist Party.

Last week, the Chinese government also removed officials deemed incompetent in dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak. The number of CORVID-19 cases in Hubei Province to nearly 50,000 sparked renewed concern about how the province is coping with the outbreak which could potentially represent the biggest challenge to President Xi Jinping's term.

The central government last week sent two senior officials to help deal with the outbreak in Hubei Province. Following the dispatch of the two officials, two members of the Hubei Province health commission have since been removed from their posts.

The move came after the Chinese people poured out sadness and anger over the death of doctor Li Wenliang. Doctor Li Wenliang has been accused of spreading rumors of a CORVID-19 outbreak. The cause of Doctor Li's death caused by the virus was also covered up by Chinese authorities, which again sparked the anger of Chinese netizens on social media.

Jiang Chaoliang was Hubei's top man, so replacing him is a big deal, but not unexpected. Wuhan major Zhou Xianwang said it took so long to warn the public about the virus because he didn't have clearance from above.

- Katrina Yu (@Katmyu) February 13, 2020

Rampant reports of how local officials are mismanaging the outbreak have flooded social media. Academics have also signed a public petition demanding free speech after the police punished doctors who gave early warnings about the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Sending Ying Yong and Wang Zhonglin to Hubei shows the central government is determined to fix Hubei and provides answers to people. The cadres there are really disappointing, ”said an authority who declined to be identified.

"The plague is very detrimental to the party (Communists). Those who are responsible will be held accountable, "he added.