Xi Jinping’s revealing response to floods and heatwaves

a year of frightening weather. Beijing, the capital, just experienced its heaviest downpours in 140 years, shortly after enduring an unusually brutal heatwave. Over a four-day period starting on July 29th, Beijing recorded 744.8mm of rain—more than the city sees in a typical year. Still heavier rain, and more extreme flooding, was endured in the capital’s outlying districts and nearby cities. Swollen rivers washed away bridges and roads and trapped passengers on long-distance trains.

The world would gain from a fuller, franker Chinese discussion about why the weather is growing more extreme. The country is the largest single source of greenhouse gases that affect the whole planet. Yet official media have downplayed climate change in their coverage of the latest disasters. Alas, the party seems allergic to freewheeling grassroots debate about whether the climate is changing. To date, most public discussion about China’s year of extreme weather has been strikingly inward-looking. State-media outlets have dwelled on heroics by soldiers, officials and rescue teams. Netizens have complained about instances of official incompetence.

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