It’s winter, the gas heating is out, and the company won’t fix it; you’re driving and are suddenly stopped by the police; you see polluted water on the roadside and worry that there might be some sort of industrial spill… However you might respond to these situations, that’s not how Chinese officials see things.
Don’t Speak of the Cold
In January 2010, residents of Harbin, the capital of China’s northernmost province Heilongjiang, were unhappy with the slow response time of the state-run heating company in fixing their heaters. The problem was widespread, and causing a great deal of escalating, negative media coverage, putting pressure on the company.
Heavy snow in Harbin on Nov. 18, 2013. STR/AFP/Getty Images
