"Hundreds of thousands of China's citizens have lost everything and had their lives destroyed. Still, the government is more interested in quelling the protests of victims than providing help. For the leadership this is about saving face. It is also proof that when a government "makes the news," it controls the news. This leaves the question of how bad the flooding has become.<p>It also highlights the fact that China's system of damns has not tamed its rivers."<p>"The government has put itself and saving certain cities it values above the lives of the people in other less favored areas.<p>This includes creating levee breaks and discharging water to flood farmland and lesser cities to defend what the government values. China Insights claims that On August 10, the upper reaches of the Qing River in northern China's Hebei Province had a dam break while flood levels downstream Tianjin were dropping. This has brought about speculation the authorities discharged flood water to Hebei in order to protect Tianjin. These officials led police teams and personally directed them to block the flood water exits to make sure the water stays in the farmland."