Inkstone
Edition
Feb
03

Hey Inkstoners,

 

The Hong Kong government just texted me.

 

“Call 21251122 if you visited Hubei in last 14 days. Other from Mainland must stay home 14 days, wear mask when out. (DO NOT REPLY),” reads the SMS message on my phone, from Hong Kong’s health ministry. I swiped the notification away.

 

Tired of the coronavirus? Me too.

 

Like everyone else I see on the streets of Hong Kong, I wear a mask everywhere and treat all public surfaces as potentially lethal. It’s tiresome.

 

But I’m also one of the lucky ones. People in the central city of Wuhan, in Hubei province, where the outbreak was first reported, have it much worse. 

 

The city remains in a lockdown, and all but one of the more than 360 deaths from the contagion so far have been reported in mainland China. While Hongkongers are taking no chances, only 15 cases have been reported in the city. 

 

Things are more complicated for Celia Chen, our colleague in the southern city of Shenzhen. Her mom lives in the city in the center of the outbreak. 

 

Chen was supposed to visit her parents in Wuhan over Lunar New Year – the most important time of the year for Chinese communities around the world – until the outbreak forced her to cancel her plans.

 

In the first story we have for you today, she tells of the story of how her family manages this difficult time with lovely details. Don’t miss it.

1. 💌 Family reunion

A reporter’s mother is stuck at home alone in Wuhan. That didn’t stop her family from bonding over breaking news, funny videos and virtual mahjong.

2. 🐓 Bird flu

Bird flu has been reported in China just south of Hubei. It rarely jumps to humans but is deadly when it does.

3. 🛒 Patriotic consumerism

“Made in China” is starting to be synonymous with high-quality, cool and a bit nationalistic. Just ask Chinese retailers and millennial shoppers.

4. 👶 Baby shortage

Why aren’t Chinese couples having more babies? It’s not just about the rising cost of raising a kid in China.

 

5. 🛣 Belt and road

Chinese investment in Pakistan created an “early harvest.” Here’s what happened after the boom.

6. 🀄 Fun police

Chinese authorities took extreme measures to prevent public gatherings. They sometimes involve hammers.

If you’ve got time

Coronavirus Forces World’s Largest Work-From-Home Experiment | Bloomberg

The future of remote working is now.

The FBI’s China obsession | The Intercept

A long read on a Chinese-American engineer who lost everything because of his country’s prejudice.

Get more Inkstone
Inkstone is a daily digest of 6 China-focused stories providing unvarnished insight into a rising potential superpower.
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