China can offer lessons on fighting the epidemic to the world
Editor’s Note:
The
fight against the novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) has entered a critical
phase. What lessons can China offer the world in dealing with COVID-19? In what
aspects can China make further progress? How has China interacted with the
international community? Following the release on Friday, February 15, of a
report: “China’s Fight Against COVID-19 Epidemic: A Decisive Campaign,” by the
Shanghai Institute for International Studies (SIIS), Global Times (GT) talked
to authors of the report over these issues.
GT: Your
report calls the current fight against the novel coronavirus pneumonia a “decisive
campaign.” Where do we now stand in this campaign?
Chen
Dongxiao (president of the SIIS): Our position depends on the situation in two
battlefields: One is Central China’s Hubei Province centered on Wuhan, and the
other is the rest of the country. The two battlefields are of a different
nature and involve differing tasks.
As the
epicenter of the outbreak, Wuhan is the priority among priorities. Our current
tasks there should be to figure out the total number of infected cases and
allow all of the patients to be treated. Meanwhile, we should focus on reducing
the infection and fatality rates. With the country’s previous efforts, the
situation in Wuhan and some other parts of Hubei Province is getting better,
but still sticky.
The rest
of the country should be consolidating their achievements while continuing to
support the epicenter. The vast majority of provinces excluding Hubei have
witnessed a decline in newly confirmed cases for more than 10 consecutive days.
As long as the trend is not reversed in the next one to two weeks, the
inflection point of the epidemic will gradually appear in various regions.
Other
regions should provide support and confidence for the Wuhan battlefield to win
the ultimate victory.
GT: The
report believes that the inflection point for the novel coronavirus pneumonia
to some extent depends on the “collective efforts of the Chinese government and
people.” At the current stage, how do you evaluate the Chinese government’s
measures and people’s behavior in the face of the epidemic? As major Chinese
cities witness a travel rush after the Spring Festival holidays, can these
collective efforts withstand the pressure?
Lu
Chuanying (secretary general, Research Center for International Cyberspace
Governance, SIIS): The number of infection cases in China, except for the
epicenter of Central China’s Hubei Province, declined for the 11th consecutive
day on Friday. On February 3, 890 new cases were confirmed, but the number was
221 on Friday. It is highly likely this trend will continue next week.
Some
provinces have even seen zero newly confirmed cases for several consecutive
days. And in multiple regions for days more patients were cured than confirmed.
All these outcomes suggest the collective efforts of the Chinese government and
people are effective. The positive side of the epidemic has surfaced.
On the
other hand, major cities in China are facing pressure from post-holiday travel
rush. The government and enterprises are now very concerned about this. Measures
have been taken including checking travelers, asking them to quarantine
themselves at home for two weeks and dissuading people from NCP-stricken areas
from returning to the cities in which they work. These measures are playing a
great role in controlling the epidemic.
The
epidemic in cities including North China’s Beijing, East China’s Shanghai and
South China’s Guangzhou and Shenzhen have all stood the test posed by the
population in the first week of the travel rush.
However,
as the incubation period has not yet passed, these cities can by no means take
the situation lightly. It is believed that as long as governments and
enterprises shoulder their responsibilities and ordinary people adopt necessary
self-protection measures, the virus can ultimately be defeated.
GT: You
said in your report that China can offer some lessons in tackling the “unique
challenges” for epidemic prevention and control in cities. What experience can
the world learn from China in this regard? And how should these cities balance
epidemic control and economic development?
Liu Kan
(associate professor, Institute of Global Governance, SIIS): In recent years,
infectious diseases such as SARS, H1N1, MERS and the Ebola virus have caused
serious public health crises in the international community.
Several
lessons can be learnt from China’s dealing with the novel coronavirus.
First,
the government must establish a grid-based and refined management mechanism to
respond to public health crises, in cities and villages, and should give full
play to the role of community organizations.
Second,
the country should enhance the government’s ability to respond rapidly to
crisis. Especially in the face of novel infectious diseases, medical research
institutions, governments at all levels and ordinary people all need a gradual
process to become aware. The key is that governments should be able to grasp
the tendency of public health crises in a timely manner and make quick
adjustments in accordance with the developing situation.
Third, a
country should make full use of modern technology and develop applied
technologies in response to public health crises.
In
addition, as soon as the virus begins to spread, the entire country should be
mobilized and efficient governmental intervention is necessary. The central
government needs to rapidly mobilize nationwide medical staff and resources to
support the epicenter and meanwhile should classify patients in different
conditions so as to cut off the source of infection and more reasonably
allocate medical resources.
Major
cities are the engines of the Chinese economy. Resuming economic activities as
soon as possible in these cities - except for Wuhan -- is important. The
Chinese government has already taken effective steps, including encouraging
telecommuting, distance education and telemedicine, which have ensured certain
industries’ operations. Authorities have also provided support for key
industries to resume work through financial and labor policies, and have helped
smaller enterprises tide over difficulties.
Except
in key areas such as Wuhan, we should combine efforts to not only control the
epidemic, but also push for development, reform and stability.
GT: In
what ways should China improve its prevention and control of epidemics as well
as public health emergency management?
Zhou
Yiqi (associate fellow, Institute of comparative politics and public policy
studies, SIIS): Above all, transparency of information should be increased and
the public supervision needs to be enhanced. Important information of public
interest should be released in a timely and accurate manner.
Second,
public health institutions should be given more independence and entitled to
issue public health information and warnings based on scientific evidence.
Third,
grass-roots health agencies should further strengthen their abilities to cope
with a public health crisis including personnel training, material reserves and
building hardware.
Fourth,
the country should encourage and support non-governmental organizations at the
grass-roots level to engage more in the public health crisis response,
especially in areas that involve donations and distribution.
Fifth,
the media’s supervisory role should be brought into play. Media outlets need to
bear the responsibility of supervising public opinion in the early stages of
public health crises, publish accurate, objective reports and warn the
government and society.
GT: Your
report concludes that “international cooperation proves increasingly important
in the war against the COVID-19 epidemic.” How do you evaluate the
international community’s role as well as the interactions between China and
the world in response to the outbreak?
Lu
Chuanying: The international community has played a significant role in China’s
fight against the epidemic.
First,
their efforts are a manifestation of international solidarity. China is on the
frontline of the fight against the virus. It has been under the most serious
pressure and has made the greatest sacrifice. The international community’s
support and encouragement is essential, and can boost our confidence through
international cooperation.
Second,
the international community has provided assistance in medical resources and
professional treatment. You can read in our report that as of February 7, more
than 30 countries donated medical supplies to China. The WHO expert group also
arrived in China to provide professional advice at the invitation of the
Chinese government.
Third,
it can efficiently strike back against false information so as to remove
distractions in the global fight against the epidemic. Certain Western media
outlets and politicians were spreading false information and staining China’s
huge efforts to curb the epidemic. Many countries, in particular developing
countries, and international organizations, including the WHO, have clarified
and refuted those rumors in a timely manner. This is very important for
international cooperation to combat the epidemic.
Source:Global Times
Cover of the report “China's
Fight Against COVID-19 Epidemic: A Decisive Campaign” by the Shanghai Institute
for International Studies (SIIS) Photo: Courtesy of the SIIS
China can offer lessons on fighting the epidemic to the world
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