Sarcastic Scene Under Chinese Communist Rule: Typhoon Lights Up Thousands of Homes

In Focus: “Typhoon King” Makes Landfall in Guangdong, Thousands of Households in Darkness

Today’s focus: “Typhoon King” hits Guangdong, skyscrapers sway, seawater surges; a look at the bizarre incidents under the governance of the Chinese Communist Party during typhoon strikes; Xi Jinping visits Xinjiang, top military officials absent, Ma Xingrui does not follow.

On September 24, Typhoon “Hua-Jia-Sha”, known as “Typhoon King”, directly hit Guangdong, with many areas experiencing strong winds and heavy rain. Zhuhai was one of the most severely affected areas, with recorded gusts of up to 17 levels in the city, uprooting large trees, causing huge waves along the coast, and incidents of seawater surging, leading to some high-rise residents feeling the buildings swaying. Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and other areas also suffered severe damage, with 15-meter-tall trees uprooted.

According to the China Meteorological Administration, “Hua-Jia-Sha” approached Guangdong with winds exceeding level 17. On September 24, several areas in Guangdong experienced gusts of over level 12. Zhuhai’s Xiangzhou district recorded gusts of level 17.

Mr. Tong, living on the 24th floor, posted a video showing noticeable swaying of the chandelier in his home. He mentioned that his residential area is close to the seaside, and on the 23rd, the property notified residents above the 25th floor to move to safe locations. He said, “Our home is on the 24th floor, just outside the evacuation range.”

Some high-rise residents stated that before the typhoon hit, they were informed that residents from the 30th floor and above, including the 30th floor of high-rise residences along Lovers Road, must evacuate; residents from the 10th to 29th floors facing the sea must all evacuate; and residents from the 9th floor and below facing the windward sea must evacuate.

At 7 a.m. on the 24th, a reporter from JiMoo News went to Xiangzhou District near Lover Middle Road in the midst of strong winds and heavy rain. During the interview, the reporter’s glasses were blown away by the strong wind, despite his attempts to find them, they were nowhere to be seen. He remarked, “The wind is so strong, I can hardly stand… my glasses blew away.”

Reporters from the Guangdong Southern Newspaper Media Group rushed to Zhuhai to witness the scene of the typhoon. In the early morning of September 24, Zhuhai entered the 7th-level wind zone, and the reporter was woken by the sound of wind in the hotel room. When he went out for a live broadcast, his helmet was hit several times by flying debris. Due to the strong wind, he was pushed by gusts. From the footage he broadcasted, it was clear to see trees uprooted by the strong wind, utility poles and street lamps swaying, with large waves surging along the coast.

Multiple netizens reported incidents of seawater surging in Zhuhai. Video footage showed high waves engulfing several streets. Some netizens commented that the water level rose rapidly, submerging vehicles parked on the side of the road. Subsequently, local authorities confirmed incidents of seawater surging in coastal areas.

As of 11 a.m. on the 24th, Wanshan Island in Zhuhai recorded the highest gusts reaching above level 17, about 63.8 meters per second. The average wind speed in the city was 8 to 12 levels, with sea surface winds reaching up to 12 to 15 levels, and gusts ranging from 14 to 17 levels.

The Zhuhai Meteorological Department issued a statement around noon, stating that the city has entered the storm surge phase, warning the public to be wary of multiple disasters involving wind, rain, waves, and tidal hazards.

The situation in Guangzhou was also severe, with a large number of trees toppled by strong winds, including a 15-meter-tall tree uprooted.

A netizen posted a video showing tin sheds where workers lived overturned, with only workers and beds scattered in the wind.

Prior to the typhoon’s arrival, Guangzhou issued a “Five Stops” notice, which included stopping classes, work, production, transport, and business. Reported by mainland media, around 7 p.m. on the 23rd, in many supermarkets in Guangzhou, pork, chicken, vegetables, etc., were sold out as people rushed to buy, leading to long queues at the checkout counters.

Mr. Ding, who was on a business trip in Shenzhen, said that on September 23, Shenzhen implemented the “Five Stops” measures, leaving him trapped in a hotel in Nanshan District. As the typhoon struck on September 24, he could hear the howling winds from inside the hotel. At the time, heavy rain poured down, and he could clearly see the hooks dangling from the cranes on the tall buildings under construction nearby swinging in the wind.

Ms. Lin, also on a business trip in Shenzhen, mentioned being trapped in her hotel with heavy rain outside. From the video she posted, the window outside was hazy, with the sound of rain trickling down.

With Typhoon “Hua-Jia-Sha” making landfall, millions of people were affected. Prior to the typhoon, rare measures were observed in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and other places, with a “Five Stops” order issued – including stopping classes, work, production, business, and transportation. This indicates how terrifying the typhoon was. Logically speaking, under such circumstances, the public should prepare adequately to ensure their safety. However, many units made absurd decisions disregarding the severe weather conditions. Let’s take a look:

A netizen reported that on September 24, despite the typhoon approaching, the leadership of Guangdong Dayawan Zhien Electronics Co. Ltd issued a notice requiring all employees to report to work before 9 a.m. on the 24th, otherwise they would be penalized with a fine of 500 yuan per person.

Another netizen shared a video mentioning that as the typhoon was approaching, Guangzhou Zhixin High School still required senior high school students to attend classes as scheduled. On the evening of September 22, senior high school students collectively protested the school’s unreasonable demands.

In another video, a netizen mentioned that on September 24, as the typhoon had landed in Shenzhen under a red rainstorm warning, Shenzhen High School required senior high school students to return to school within an hour and a half. A teacher in a WeChat group threatened students not to spread rumors to avoid repercussions, taking on unnecessary risks.

According to a circulated screenshot, the school stated that Shenzhen lifted the “Five Stops” notice at 4 p.m., requiring students to return to school. However, a student posted, claiming it was difficult for the school to adhere to these guidelines. He mentioned,

Firstly, the notice to return to school for senior high school students was only issued close to 5 p.m. The school is located far away, with areas such as Luohu District and Futian District requiring over two hours to return to school, making it practically impossible to return on time; secondly, at that time, Shenzhen was still under a yellow typhoon warning, with red rainstorm warnings in some areas, indicating that classes should have been suspended; thirdly, due to the school’s remote location, students found it challenging to reach there through transportation means, with roads that are usually congested, especially now with the urgent full school return; if students walk back, the risk is very high; fourthly, by the time students arrive at school, it would be close to the time for school dismissal, hence, the significance of students returning to school to attend just an hour of evening self-study and sleep afterward?

This student pointed out that the school shows a disregard for students’ safety and did not provide advance notice, making the scenario unreasonable.

Another netizen posted a video mentioning that on September 24, despite the five stops in effect across Shenzhen with public transportation halted, Huawei still sent shuttle buses to forcibly bring employees to work.

What’s more intriguing is that after numerous netizens reported on Huawei in Shenzhen requiring employees to work during the typhoon, on September 24, many bloggers promoted Huawei using phrases like “Huawei helped us escape Shenzhen” and “Huawei evacuates”, praising Huawei’s so-called “humanitarian” spirit.

Interestingly, despite Shenzhen implementing the five stops, Huawei outlined in an “Emergency Logistics Support Notice” that although highways were closed, employees in Dongguan Park could access the highway before 8 p.m. with their work cards; Shenzhen Park extended the green light passage time; additional bus services were arranged, and shuttle services increased.

In response to this, a netizen sarcastically remarked, “The country has its laws, Huawei has its rules.”

On the evening of September 23, as the typhoon approached, a netizen captured the “lights of thousands of households” before the storm. They sighed, stating that all these lights were on! In the comments section, one netizen said that the Chinese people, who work overtime all their lives, seemed to only be able to take a breath and rest in the face of natural disasters.

A netizen left a comment: “The lights of thousands of households rely on typhoons, the typhoon has emotions, but the party is heartless.”

Another netizen sorrowfully expressed that Guangzhou at least had a typhoon to take a break, while Zhejiang had nothing…!

On September 23, Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping led a group to Xinjiang to participate in the 70th-anniversary celebrations of Xinjiang’s establishment. According to the Chinese Communist Party’s tradition, when the party leader and chairman of the Central Military Commission visit a place to attend events, regardless of the faction, all top officials should attend to show respect. However, Xinjiang Military Region Commander Liu Lin and Political Commissar Yang Cheng, were both absent, leading to speculation. Many believe that these two individuals have been purged.

According to Xinhua, on the day of the event, Xi Jinping met with Colonel-level and above officers stationed in Urumqi and took a group photo with them. However, from the official photos, both Liu Lin and Yang Cheng were not present. Liu Zhenli, a member of the Central Military Commission, was seated to Xi Jinping’s left, and the identity of the individual on the right is suspected to be former airborne commander Wen Dong.

All these led to speculation about whether the two prominent figures in the Xinjiang Military Region have fallen from grace.

Some analysts believe that Liu Lin and Yang Cheng have been secretly taken down. Over the past two years, internal power struggles within the Chinese Communist Party’s military have intensified, with many senior officers being quietly removed from their positions. For instance, in August this year, when Xi Jinping met with military officials in Lhasa, Tibet, Tibet Military Region Commander Wang Kai was absent. Similarly, it is believed by the public that Wang Kai has faced dire consequences.

Political commentator Li Lin analyzed that these individuals were likely taken down long before but the official announcement is pending. Furthermore, the downfall of these two individuals might be linked to the recent dismissal of Xinjiang Party Secretary Ma Xingrui, adding more mystery to the situation.

Looking back at the reports in Xinjiang Daily, in January this year, during a conference in the Xinjiang Military Region, then Party Secretary of the Autonomous Region and the Military Region’s First Secretary Ma Xingrui, along with then Party Secretary and Political Commissar Yang Cheng, and then Deputy Party Secretary and Commander Liu Lin, all delivered speeches.

However, after six months, the 66-year-old Ma Xingrui was suddenly removed from his position before his tenure ended, with the official reason given as being “reassigned.” This time, Xi Jinping’s visit to Xinjiang did not include Ma Xingrui.

Hence, the public perceives Ma Xingrui’s political career as having come to an end.

Rumors suggest that Ma Xingrui was one of Xi Jinping’s important confidants, with the outside world suspecting that his fall is related to internal conflicts among high-ranking Chinese Communist Party officials.

On September 24, independent commentator Cai Shenkun took to an overseas platform to write about Ma Xingrui, stating that although Ma Xingrui had begun working with the Central Rural Work Leading Group, he must be prepared to cooperate with the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection at any time to investigate his wife. It is confirmed that Ma Xingrui’s political future has come to an end. Various signs indicate that Ma Xingrui may not be able to disassociate himself from allegations of family corruption, and the best recourse for him might be to “pack up and return home.”

Cai Shenkun pointed out that Ma Xingrui, a product of the “Aerospace Department,” and a fellow native of Shandong along with Peng Liyuan, had an influential relationship with Xi Jinping. Before Xi Jinping came to power, Ma Xingrui frequently visited Xi’s family and was one of the closest high-ranking officials outside the Fujian and Zhejiang factions.

On September 3, Ma Xingrui attended the Beijing military parade, marking his first public appearance after stepping down. In the CCTV footage, he appeared solemn, displaying a sense of heavy burdens.

In response, Cai Shenkun analyzed that this indicated Ma Xingrui was aware of his circumstances, filled with anxiety. He mentioned that with the recent arrests of Ma Xingrui’s brother and personal secretary, the panic evident in Ma Xingrui’s demeanor during the military parade indicated his downfall, suggesting that his appearance on the Tower of Heavenly Peace could likely be his last public appearance.

— Production Team of JiaYin Moment —