About this video

• Video Title: 4億消失的中國人去哪兒了？可怕的真相【文昭思緒飛揚437期】
• Channel: 文昭思緒飛揚 - Wen Zhao Studio
• Speakers: Wen Zhao
• Duration: 20:57

Overview

This video explores the mystery of China's missing population, questioning the official figures and presenting various theories and data points to suggest a significant discrepancy. It examines real-world observations of empty streets and businesses, analyzes statistical data and foreign reports, and discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key takeaways

• Observed Population Decrease: The video highlights user-generated videos showing significantly fewer people on streets and in commercial areas in major Chinese cities after the COVID-19 lockdowns ended, contrasting with previous years.
• Economic Impact: A decline in commercial real estate rentals and a significant drop in raw salt production are presented as indicators of a reduced population or economic activity.
• External Data and Speculation: Reports from Russian and Japanese media, as well as a hacker's alleged leak of Shanghai's police database, suggest China's actual population might be far lower than official figures, with estimates ranging from 8 to 9.7 billion.
• COVID-19 Impact: The video correlates the observed population changes with the COVID-19 pandemic, citing increased activity at crematoriums and a rise in respiratory illnesses and deaths after the lockdowns, suggesting a substantial loss of life.
• Data Opacity: The lack of transparency in official Chinese population and pandemic data is emphasized as a major reason why the true population figures and the extent of mortality remain a mystery.

This video investigates the significant discrepancy between China's official population figures and observations of a declining population in real-world scenarios, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. The speaker, Wen Zhao, presents evidence from various sources, including social media user reports, foreign media analyses, and industrial data, to suggest that China's actual population might be considerably lower than the officially stated 1.4 billion.

Key points discussed:

• Observed Emptiness: Videos shared online depict unusually sparse crowds in major cities like Shanghai during peak shopping seasons and commuting hours, prompting questions about where people have gone. This emptiness is also noted in commercial rental markets, with vacant shops and apartments despite price reductions.
• Rural Depopulation: The video also touches upon the phenomenon of "ghost villages," citing examples like Siming Mountain Village in Zhejiang and villages in Tang County, Hebei, which appear abandoned, contradicting the idea that urban workers merely returned to rural areas for the holidays.
• Statistical Clues:
  • Crematorium Activity: Reports indicate a surge in crematorium workload after China lifted its zero-COVID policy, with some crematoriums reportedly operating at 8-10 times their normal capacity. This surge, coupled with a decrease in the cremation rate, suggests a significant number of deaths, estimated by some to be in the tens of millions during a three-month period.
  • Salt Production: A notable decline in China's raw salt production since 2020 is highlighted. The speaker argues that salt is a staple with relatively stable consumption per capita, so a drop in production, especially when coupled with consistent or increased exports, suggests a reduction in domestic demand, implying a smaller population.
  • Hacker Data Leak: A report about a hacker accessing Shanghai's public security database and offering population data for sale, claiming it contained records for only 970 million people, is discussed. This figure, if accurate, implies a shortfall of over 400 million from the official count.
  • Expert Opinions: The video references demographic experts like Yi Fuxian, who has previously estimated China's population to be significantly lower than official figures based on analysis of statistical data. Russian media reports from 2018 also claimed China's population was only 800 million, based on food production and import/export data.
• Lack of Transparency: The speaker criticizes the Chinese government's lack of transparency regarding population statistics and pandemic data, particularly the discontinuation of daily COVID-19 case reports, making it difficult to ascertain the true situation.
• Pandemic's Role: The video strongly implies that the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent waves, along with other respiratory illnesses like "mycoplasma pneumonia" and "influenza A," have been a significant factor in the population decline, contributing to a substantial number of deaths beyond official reporting.

In essence, the video presents a multi-faceted argument, piecing together anecdotal evidence, statistical anomalies, and external reports to paint a picture of a China with a population significantly smaller than officially declared, with the pandemic being a major catalyst for this suspected demographic shift.