China had almost convinced the world that after the disastrous consequences of the Sars (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) cover-up in 2003, it had given up its secretive ways. When the threat of an avian influenza epidemic began to manifest itself, Beijing pledged its full cooperation to the World Health Organisation. And everyone seemed confident that China would stick to its word. This was until tragedy struck at the Jilin Petrochemical plant in northeastern China.