中国国営メディア、論調を転換 ゼロコロナ緩和受け

【北京ＡＦＰ＝時事】中国政府の統制下に置かれている国営メディアはこれまで、新型コロナウイルスの危険性や海外での感染拡大による混乱ぶりを伝える悲観的な報道に徹してきたが、同国が「ゼロコロナ」政策に基づく厳しい行動規制の緩和に動く中、論調を大きく変えている。（写真は検査を受けるために並ぶ人。資料写真）
　中国では長期にわたり、感染拡大の抑制に向けて大規模なロックダウン（都市封鎖）や指定施設での強制隔離、数百万人規模の集団検査といった強硬策が実施されてきた。だがここにきて、ロックダウンの終了と政治的自由の拡大を求める抗議行動が全国に広がったのを受け、政府は規制緩和へとかじを切った。
　それに伴い、国営通信社や政府発表での新型ウイルスをめぐる論調も一変。危険性を強調する姿勢を後退させる一方で、地方当局によるロックダウンの過剰実施を非難するようになった。
　中国共産党の機関紙・中国青年報は、現在流行しているオミクロン株は昨年流行したデルタ株とは全く異なっており、「オミクロン株に感染しても大多数は無症状か軽症で、重症化する人は非常に少ない。これはすでに広く知られていることだ」とする広州の大学病院に勤める崇雨田教授の談話を掲載した。
　国営紙・北京青年報は、「過度に恐れる必要はない。ただし予防策は講じるように」との、回復した感染者から読者へのアドバイスを紹介した。
　また、共産党の機関紙・人民日報は２日の記事で、これまで認められていなかった、感染者の自宅隔離を許可した地方当局の決定について、公衆衛生専門家は支持していると報じた。
　香港を拠点にする政治アナリストのウィリー・ラム氏はＡＦＰに対し、こうした論調の変化について「国民に対してはさらなる規制緩和への心構えを、政府に対しては（ゼロコロナ政策からの）脱却の余地を持たせるための、一種の官製プロパガンダだ」と分析した。

■地方当局に責任転嫁

　専門家によれば、政府は現在、一段のコロナ規制緩和に向け地ならしを進めており、行き過ぎた規制を敷いてきたことの責任を転嫁しようともしている。
　コロナ対策を担当する機関は３日、人民日報に掲載された記事の中で、過剰な対策を実施した地方当局の「責任を厳しく追及」するよう訴えた。ラム氏は「多くの地方当局者が処罰されるだろう」と語っている。
　ウイルス検査機関も責任転嫁の矛先として浮上している。国営通信各社はここ数日、検査機関による規則違反の疑いを相次いで報じた。
　各地の地方当局は先週、これまで全員に義務付けていた集団検査の対象縮小を発表。高齢者や、外出を全くしない人は検査を受ける必要がなくなった。
　規制がわずかに緩和された形だが、国営通信社は規制の変更を繰り返し報道。新華社通信は「政府が国民の要求に応えている」ことの証しだと評した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/12/06-13:40）

Once dominated by doom and gloom coverage of the dangers of the virus and scenes of pandemic chaos abroad, China's tightly controlled media has dramatically shifted tone as the country tentatively moves away from zero-Covid.
Long anchored to a hardline strategy of mass lockdowns, forced quarantine in centralised facilities and mass testing for millions, Beijing is dialling down curbs in the wake of nationwide protests calling for an end to lockdowns and greater political freedoms.
That policy shift has been accompanied by rapid changes in pandemic messaging in both state media and official statements -- which now downplay the risk from the virus and blame local officials for over-zealous implementation of Covid lockdowns.
The prevalent Omicron strain is not at all like last year's Delta variant, Guangzhou-based medicine professor Chong Yutian said in an article published by the Communist Party-run China Youth Daily.
After infection with the Omicron variant, the vast majority will have no or light symptoms, and very few will go on to have severe symptoms, this is already widely known, he assured readers.
Don't be overly terrified, but also take some precautions against the virus, a story in the Beijing Youth Daily quoted recovered Covid patients telling readers.
And an analysis Friday by state-run newspaper People's Daily quoted health experts supporting local government moves to allow patients to quarantine at home, which would be a marked departure from current rules.
This is a kind of official propaganda preparing the people for more relaxation and giving the government some possibility to step down (from zero-Covid), Hong Kong-based Chinese politics expert Willy Lam told AFP.
- 'There will be punishment' -
Experts say Beijing is laying the groundwork for a loosening of Covid rules -- as well as putting in place convenient scapegoats to blame for the restrictions going too far.
The country's top virus response body has already pointed to over-zealous local officials who had gone overboard with their virus measures, urging in a Q&A with the People's Daily on Saturday that these people be strictly held accountable.
There will be punishment of a lot of local officials, Lam told AFP.
In one case announced by authorities on Saturday, a sub-district security official in Hunan province was expelled from the Communist Party and removed from his post for assaulting a local resident during a lockdown-related dispute.
Covid-testing companies are also emerging as a scapegoat, with state media in recent days publishing exposes of alleged violations by testing organisations.
Nucleic acid companies will be the first to be sacrificed by the government, Chinese political blogger Jing Zhao wrote on Twitter, under his pen name Michael Anti.
Catching the bosses of these companies can solve two problems: the people wanting to find scapegoats, and (the fact that) abandoning nucleic acid tests and switching to less sensitive antigen tests is more in line with Omicron's rules and can reduce some pressure on pandemic control, he said.
- 'Carrots and sticks' -
And the state propaganda apparatus has already begun to portray pivots away from the zero-Covid policy as evidence of the Chinese government's care for its people.
Local governments across the country said earlier this week that they would not require all people to take part in mass testing campaigns, allowing groups including the elderly and those who never leave their homes to skip testing -- a minor step back from existing policy, but one repeatedly highlighted in state media headlines.
Xinhua news agency described the changes as proof the government responds to what the people call for.
The Chinese Communist Party recognises that the zero-Covid policy has put on the line a fundamental pillar of its legitimacy: its promise to provide a basic living standard for citizens, Diana Fu, associate professor of political science at the University of Toronto, told AFP.
She said the softening tone on Covid was part of the party's traditional strategy of responding to protests through a combination of carrots and sticks.
While the security apparatus has swung into motion in repressing protestors, local governments are also giving concessions in terms of easing Covid restrictions to let the pressure valve release.