Taiwan war speculation after China stockpile advice
(4 Nov 2021) A seemingly innocuous government recommendation for families to store necessities for an emergency sparked both scattered instances of panic buying and guesswork among some Chinese netizens this week: Is China going to war with Taiwan? The online speculation started with a Commerce Ministry notice posted Monday evening about a plan to ensure the supply and stable price of vegetables and other necessities for the winter and spring. A line in it encouraged families to store some necessities for daily life and emergencies. That was enough to set off some hoarding and a discussion on social media that the ministry could be signalling that people should stock up for war. But most residents interviewed in Beijing, the Chinese capital, thought war was unlikely while acknowledging the rising tensions. They generally favored bringing Taiwan under Chinese rule by peaceful means, the official position of China's long-ruling Communist Party. "I think this is probably to raise public awareness (about national defense). It's also possible that this is a deterrent to the Democratic Progressive Party authorities," said Mr. Gao, a Beijing resident. "I don't feel panic but I think we should be more alert about this than in the past," said Hu Chunmei, who was taking a neighborhood walk. "(We should) be alert about the possible impact of the tensions (with Taiwan)." Taiwan is a self-governing island of 24 million people that China regards as a renegade province that should come under its rule. Tensions have risen sharply in recent years and months, with China sending a growing number of warplanes on sorties south of the island and the U.S. selling arms to Taiwan and deepening its ties with the government. War fears or not, there were scattered reports of runs on rice, noodles and cooking oil in some Chinese cities, according to local media. The more immediate worry for some was the possibility of neighborhood lockdowns as a COVID-19 outbreak spreads in several provinces. The government moved quickly to try to tamp down fears with assurances of sufficient supplies. A bright yellow sign in an aisle of a Beijing supermarket asked customers to buy reasonably and not to listen to rumors or stockpile goods. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
