HONG KONG -- The dismissal on Easter Sunday of Chinese Health Minister Zhang Wenkang and Beijing Mayor Meng Xuenong for their role in covering up the seriousness of the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) epidemic was the biggest governmental shakeup in over a decade and has far-reaching ramifications.
For one thing, it suggests that the ruling Communist Party now acknowledges that it is not only wrong but also impossible to hide the extent of an infectious disease. By the dismissals, the party signals that it recognizes that the health of the Chinese people, as well as the health of people around the globe, is more important than the party’s desire to minimize the reporting of problems in order to encourage economic growth and social stability.
All signs indicate that the Chinese leadership is now determined to be truly upfront with the international community regarding the seriousness of the situation and what is being done to cope with it.
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