It appears a significant number of knuckleheads have been stabbing people, including women and children, with infected syringes in Urumqi. And people, understandably, are pissed. Here are two perspectives, which do not really deviate from each other (possibly because the NYT got much of its info from the state media).
I do find it brilliant that the Chinese state media has come out with the story, with lots of details, simultaneously with the Western outlets. I read the NYT article first and thought to myself, okay, either 1) some pissed off Uyghurs are doing this to Hans as a systematic, creative, and sick means of protest or 2) there were a few isolated incidents and rumor and mass hysteria will cause the Han to form vigilante groups again and attack Uyghurs.
But then, I immediately read Xinhua's story. That story focused on unity, e.g. Uyghurs were at the protests and Uyghurs had reported some of the stabbing incidents (it seems to imply that Uyghurs had been stabbed too). I think this new media strategy, first adopted by the central government during the July uprising, has been very effective. Before all of this, the strategy had been imposing a cone of silence. No public statements. No access for foreign journalists. Nothing. Now, there are slick press releases. Almost instantaneous responses. And controlled access for the foreign press through government minders-filters.
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