The 'lying' was especially a symptom during and especially AFTER Mao's days, when the dream was to have the most populous nation (on par with India, at least) despite the weird anomaly of the one-child policy (from1979 to 2015 - oh how wonderful /s - eugenics at its finest) - which theoretically should have reduced the population. But, weirdly, the population kept increasing.

This lady points out that on its face it's wrong. It's mathematically impossible. People were 'juicing the numbers' at all levels, mainly to qualify for the government handouts and tax-breaks, and who knows what limousine and real estate purchases.

Combine that with a population that can turn murderous over little things like, for example, one's hairstyle (See: Taiping rebellion), and you get a fabulous mix of corruption and pay-back.