Panic Grips China After Government Ask Households To Stockpile On Food And Other Daily Necessities Amid Power Crisis, Pandemic, Taiwan Tensions

Chinese government has urged households to stockpile on food and other daily necessities as a crippling power shortage, adverse winter weather and resurgent Covid-19 pandemic threaten to disrupt country's supply chain, South China Morning Post reported.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) late on Monday (Nov 2) directed local governments to encourage people to stockpile "daily necessities," including vegetables, oils and poultry, in order to "meet the needs of daily life and emergencies."

The ministry also urged local authorities to make sure that people have an "adequate supply" of essentials this winter into next spring.

“Families are encouraged to store a certain amount of daily necessities to meet the needs of daily life and emergencies,” the ministry added.

The warning issued by the government sent shock waves through Chinese social media on Tuesday, as many people speculated about the commerce ministry's rationale.

Speculations were rife in Weibo, China's social media behemoth, that calls to stockpile food may be related to the possible outbreak of war with Taiwan.

Hu Xijin, Editor-in-chief of the Global Times, however scotched speculation of potential war with Taiwan

"Even though the situation across the Taiwan straits is intense, I do not see the urgency of a situation on the verge of being triggered at the nearest moment. What I see is that the mainland's severe warnings and strengthened preparations for military conflict have produced a significant degree of strategic deterrence." Hu said.