Rumor 6: China attempted to suppress information about the epidemic by arresting whistle-blowing doctors.

Fact: No doctors have been arrested for whistle-blowing. In contrary, doctors who reported the disease to their higher-ups were rewarded by central authorities.

On Dec 30, Wuhan ophthalmologist Li Wenliang shared a lung CT scan and other medical records in a private WeChat (a popular instant-messaging app in China) group with his medical school classmates. Li claimed seven people were confirmed to have contracted SARS, and reminded the group members not to further spread such information.

However, the screenshots were widely shared on the internet. On Jan 3, the Wuhan police reprimanded Li and asked him not to spread SARS-related rumors as they might cause social panic. Li was not fined or arrested, and returned to his post with no further punishment. In mid-January, Li got infected while treating a COVID-19 patient, and tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan 31. He died on Feb 7 after arduous rescue efforts. On the same day, the National Health Commission sent condolences for his death.

Doctor Li is not a "whistle-blower" in the sense defined by western media. He had never reported the situation to health authorities, nor openly warned the public. As a matter of fact, on Dec 27, Zhang Jixian, another doctor in Wuhan, already notified local authorities about an unknown pneumonia, and the government had been investigating the situation for three days before Li made his claims in WeChat. Zhang was later rewarded for her actions.

On Feb 7, the National Supervisory Commission sent a delegation to Wuhan to investigate issues related to Li's death. The findings were published on March 19, saying the police probe into the matter was carried out in accordance with the law, as the Law on the Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases has strict requirements on the reporting, verification and release of epidemic information. But the action taken by the police to reprimand Li was inappropriate, and the law enforcement procedure was also not up to standards. On the same day, the Wuhan police revoked the reprimand letter to Li, and sincerely apologized to his family.

Li was a good doctor, and a member of the Communist Party of China. On April 2, the Chinese government deemed him a martyr. However, the United States took advantage of his unfortunate death, and painted him as an anti-communist fighter, which is baseless.

The Independent Media Institute has investigated the matter.

Rumor 7: China has whitewashed its COVID-19 confirmed and death cases.

Fact: China has always been transparent on the numbers of confirmed and deceased cases, and has fulfilled its duty of notifying the public.

By April 20, Wuhan reported 50,333 confirmed infections and 3,869 deaths, with a crude morality rate of 7.69 percent, higher than the current global average.

China's relatively small numbers of confirmed and death cases were due to the nation's taking the strictest, most comprehensive and timely quarantine measures, including city-wide lockdown. These measures have reduced over 700,000 infections in China, according to an article published by the journal Science on March 30.

Since the outbreak, the Chinese central government has dispatched more than 42,000 medical workers to Hubei province, built two designated hospitals with a total of more than 2,000 beds for severe patients, as well as 16 mobile cabin hospitals hosting around 13,000 beds for mild cases in Wuhan. All suspected patients and those in close contact with confirmed patients have been quarantined in designated areas. These measures have cut off the chain of transmission and stopped the epidemic from spreading. German newspaper Handelsblatt has praised the measures in an editorial.

On April 17, the Wuhan government revised the city's accumulated death toll of COVID-19 from 2,579 to 3,869, and the infection case from 50,008 to 50,333. The amendment is in line with the nation's relevant laws and regulations. It is also an international common practice to verify and revise statistics after the epidemic is under control. China released the updated numbers accurately and timely, and was praised by the WHO for leaving no case undocumented.

Rumor 8: China has manipulated the WHO to escape from global criticism.

Fact: The WHO is an independent international organization with 194 members and it is impossible for any single nation to bend it to its will.

Of the 21-strong leadership team at the WHO headquarters, 11 of them are from the United States, the European Union and Canada, and only one is from China. Ren Minghui has served as WHO's Assistant Director-General for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases since January 2016 and is continuing this work under the new title of Assistant Director-General for Communicable Diseases.

The US was the biggest financial contributor to the WHO before it decided to cut off the funding recently. China ranks only the sixth in terms of funding, with voluntary donations considered.

The WHO consists of senior experts from the medical and public health sector, who are seasoned veterans in the fight against contagious diseases. Their work relies on science, evidence and professional knowledge.

In addition to China, almost all WHO members have clearly stated their support for the work done by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. It is baseless to claim he was elected due to China's help.