It comes as social media platforms shut down the account of a high-profile critic of the government’s insistence on releasing a traditional Chinese medicine to millions of residents. On Wednesday, the Ministry of Public Safety pledged that any people taking advantage of epidemics to make a profit would be dealt with severely, with fines of up to 3 million yuan (£ 363,400). In Shanghai, a man faced administrative punishment for “fabricating and disseminating price increase information and disrupting purchase price orders.” The man was accused of buying products and reselling them online at prices increased by up to 360%. Another was accused of renting someone else’s business license and selling products and food on the Internet at inflated prices, making a profit of $ 230,000 (180 180,000). Last month, Shanghai market watchdogs said they had already issued about 20,000 price warning letters. In Beijing, residents reported sharp price increases in stores. Fears that the capital could lead to a lockdown have led to widespread stockpiles, leading to shortages in some supermarkets, even in areas that have not yet been classified as medium or high risk. A woman in quarantine talks to a visitor during a lockdown in Shanghai. Photo: Alex Plavevski / EPA “People are in an area without an epidemic and they are back in the vegetable market today. “The price of eggs has gone up, and the price of meat has gone up and the potatoes are still there, but their value has doubled,” said one Weibo resident. “I did not panic, but that urges me to panic.” Authorities ordered mass trials of more than 20 million people across Beijing and suspended all weddings, funerals and banquets as they tried to stem a growing epidemic. On Thursday, the city reported 50 new cases. Authorities closed some individual residential buildings, office buildings and a university, and closed some public and event venues. Across China, analysts estimate that more than 340 million people are completely or partially excluded in 46 cities. Guangzhou southern production hub canceled hundreds of flights and ordered mass tests on about 5.6 million people after detecting a suspected case. Shanghai, meanwhile, reported the lowest daily number of cases in more than three weeks on Thursday, with 9,330 asymptomatic diagnoses. Authorities said they would allocate more resources to improve vaccination rates among the elderly, but have shown no signs of lifting the lockdown. Shanghai’s 25 million people have been on lockdown for weeks, with severe food shortages and delivery problems. The allegations include allegations that the government insisted on supplying households with millions of doses of Lianhua Qingwen – a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used to treat Covid-19. Residents said the delivery of unsolicited doses seemed to take precedence over food. Grocery vlog sheds light on price spike in locked Shanghai – video TCM has significant support from China’s central and local governments and is among the products Beijing has donated to other countries to combat Covid-19. However, Lianhua Qingwen has become controversial, with signs that criticism is not being tolerated as authorities try to contain expressions of dissent. Wang Sicong, a well-known figure and son of one of China’s richest men, was shut down by Weibo and his account closed on Wednesday after an obvious questioning of Lianhua Qingwen’s effectiveness. In a post to an estimated 40 million followers, Wang asked if the product had been approved by the World Health Organization. A post that has since been deleted also reportedly prompted Chinese regulators to investigate manufacturer Shijiazhuang Yiling Pharmaceutical. Shares of the company fell 35% after Wang posted, Bloomberg reported. Wang’s account was suspended last week, a notice that only said he had “violated relevant laws and regulations.” Yiling Pharmaceutical said it would take legal action against the defamatory statements. On Wednesday, it was completely deleted. Subscribe to the First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7 p.m. BST Wang’s posts have been among the highest representations of growing resentment in China as lockdowns and harsh Covid zero measures continue, particularly in Shanghai. The WHO looked at TCM as a cure, finding “promising evidence” that it helped reduce the progression of the disease, Quartz said. But Lianhua Qingwen is not recommended as a Covid-19 treatment, even in some places where TCM is widely used. Singapore has only approved it as a treatment for colds and flu, but is now testing Covid-19. It is banned from importing into New Zealand, Sweden, the USA and Australia. Additional references by Xiaoqian Zhu and Chi Hui Lin
