John Pomfret on China's Slow Reaction to Fast-Moving Illness:

"Officials want to keep 'stability,' and they are afraid that there will be chaos if people know the truth."....China's slow response and media blackout about a life-threatening illness has angered some Chinese, notably those in major cities, where information has been available from independent sources such as the Internet....The outbreak is also posing an early challenge for China's new government, led by President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, who have promised a government more attuned to the people's needs....The illness is also a test of China's new-found interest in working with international organizations....[The] director of foreign affairs for the Guangdong health department, said the government did not act faster partly because of economic considerations -- it did not want to affect the Chinese New Year holidays when people spend vast amounts of money on food and shopping....The Propaganda Ministry ordered the media to halt most reporting about the disease during the run-up to the National People's Congress, at which time "bad" news is rarely published....Chinese officials have not exhibited any regrets about the way they have dealt with the outbreak.

Pfff. "The truth?! You can't handle the truth!"