A Chinese official has been sacked for negligence, video game addiction, and a litany of other offences, authorities said, after a woman barred entry to hospitals due to Covid-19 restrictions miscarried.

Li Qiang, director of the medical emergency center in the historic city of Xi'an, was among officials reprimanded in January over the scandal, which sparked debate about the excesses of Beijing's zero-Covid strategy.

Footage of the pregnant woman's harrowing experience went viral on Chinese social media, leading to widespread public outrage.

Li has now been removed from his post, kicked out of the ruling Communist Party and placed under criminal investigation, the provincial party watchdog said in a Tuesday statement accusing him of negligence and corruption.

Li "was seriously irresponsible, triggering several major incidents that sparked negative public opinion online and caused a bad social impact" during an outbreak in Xi'an last winter, the statement said.

It also alleged that Li had embezzled public funds, accepted bribes and had a "long-term addiction to smartphone games".

The Chinese government sees video and mobile games as a source of moral corruption and has taken steps in recent years to limit younger players' screen time and regulate undesirable content.

Li's alleged illegal gains have been confiscated and he is now under criminal investigation, the statement said.

China is the last major economy committed to stamping out all domestic coronavirus infections, using a combination of mass testing, harsh lockdowns and travel curbs.

But public anger has grown in recent months over heavy-handed enforcement of restrictions, with multiple cases of people failing to receive medical treatment because they were denied entry to hospitals due to Covid rules.

The virus controls have also prompted rare protests including in the capital Beijing and Shanghai, where residents scuffled with hazmat-suited officials during a prolonged lockdown this spring.

Related Links
China News from SinoDaily.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

China lockdown worries hit Asian equity, crude markets
Hong Kong (AFP) July 11, 2022
Asian markets and oil prices mostly fell Monday with a fresh Covid flare-up in Shanghai fanning fears of another economically painful lockdown in China's biggest city. The news came after a forecast-busting US jobs report last week indicated the world's top economy was coping so far with the Federal Reserve interest rate hikes, giving it room for more as it battles soaring inflation. Traders are also keeping tabs on developments in Washington as President Joe Biden weighs removing some of the Do ... read more