Shortly after midnight on April 19, 2022, the PRC government news service Xinhua published an article titled "Scientifically Implement 'Dynamic Zeroing' To Win the Initiative for China's Development." (科学精准落实“动态清零”，为中国发展赢得主动). Some excerpts:
Despite facing the most severe epidemic prevention and control situation since 2020, China adhered to the general policy of "dynamic zeroing" and won the tough battles one by one.
. . . .
Adhering to the "dynamic zeroing" is to race against the virus, to create a safe and stable development environment for China's economy, and to fight for the time and space for the follow-on science-based and orderly opening up.
. . . .
China has made it clear to the world that by striving to achieve the greatest prevention and control effect at the least cost, and to minimize the impact of the epidemic on economic and social development, great things can be accomplished that are beneficial to the people.尽管面临2020年以来最严峻的疫情防控形势，中国坚持“动态清零”总方针不动摇，取得了一个个硬仗的胜利。
. . . .
坚持“动态清零”，就是与病毒赛跑，以快制快、快速识别、快速处置、快速切断疫情传播链条，为中国经济创造安全平稳的发展环境，也为后续基于科学、有序的开放争取时间与空间。
. . . .
中国向世人昭示：努力用最小的代价实现最大的防控效果，最大限度减少疫情对经济社会发展的影响，就能办成有利于人民的大事。
Later the same day Xinhua published an English language article under the title "World Experts Deem Dynamic Zero-COVID Approach Best Choice for China, Boon for World." The "experts" cited in that article were:
- "China's leading epidemiologist Liang Wannian"
- "Gerald Mbanda, a Rwandan researcher and publisher"
- "Bulent Ertugrul, an expert from Reyap Hospital in Istanbul"
Neither article mentioned Zhong Nanshan (钟南山) who, according to the state-sponsored media outlet Global Times, is "China's top respiratory disease expert."
On April 19, 2022, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post published an article titled "China's Top Expert Writes of Eventual Return to Normal, but Article Deleted at Home." An excerpt:
China's top Covid-19 expert Zhong Nanshan has said the country cannot pursue "dynamic zero-Covid" in the long term and should reopen to bring social and economic development back to normal, and adapt to global reopening.
The editorial titled "Strategies for reopening in the forthcoming Covid-19 era in China" was published in the English-language National Science Review journal on April 6. A Chinese translated copy of the article was published on mainland news sites on Monday but has since been deleted.
Zhong's original English language article is available here:
- Original URL: https://academic.oup.com/nsr/article/9/3/nwac054/6564385
- Archived: https://archive.ph/UKgzg
Below are two examples of the deletions of the Chinese language translation of Zhong's article:
ZhongChengWang
On April 6, 2022, the National Science Review (NSR) published an English editorial article jointly signed by Academician Zhong Nanshan, mentioning that in the long run, long-term dynamic zero cannot be achieved, and China needs to promote social and economic development and reopen, and put forward five strategic suggestions. Recommendations included increasing vaccination rates, prioritizing the use of antigen kits in the community, accelerating drug development, conducting follow-up studies on cases to adjust the minimum quarantine period, and adjusting policies in designated cities or regions.
. . . .
The dynamic zeroing policy has been adopted for maintaining effective disease prevention and control. However, China needs to reopen so as to normalize socio-economic development and adapt to global reopening. Prolonged dynamic zeroing cannot be pursued in the long run.
2022年4月6日，《国家科学评论》（National Science Review, NSR）刊发了钟南山院士联合署名的英文社论文章，提到长远来看，长期的动态清零无法实现，中国需要为了社会经济正常发展而重新开放，并提了五点策略建议。建议包括提高疫苗接种率、在社区中优先使用抗原试剂盒、加快药物研发、对病例进行随访调查研究以调整最短隔离时间，以及在指定城市或地区调整政策等。
. . . .
为了保持有效的疫情防控，中国采取了动态清零策略。但是，中国需要重新开放，以使社会经济发展正常化并适应全球重新开放。长远来看，长期的动态清零是不可能实现的。
These screenshots show that the article was deleted the next day and replaced with a notice saying "The article you accessed has been withdrawn!" (您访问的文章已撤回！).
NetEase
At 4:30 p.m. on April 19, 2022, the government-licensed media outlet NetEase published an article titled "Zhong Nanshan: Prolonged Dynamic Zeroing Cannot be Achieved, Pilot Investigations are Crucial" (钟南山：长期动态清零无法实现，试点调查至关重要). The content was substantially similar to the Zhongchengwang article. These screenshots show that the article was deleted the next day, and NetEase was redirecting people attempting to access it to the NetEase home page.
Archive: https://archive.ph/7grh9
Impact on Search Results
The impact of these deletions on search results is illustrated by these two screenshots showing Baidu search results for "Zhong Nanshan Prolonged Dynamic Zeroing" (钟南山 长期动态清零) on April 20 (left) and April 21 (right).
