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Meeting Governance Challenges
The combat against COVID-19 highlights the need to build a community with a shared future for humanity
By Zheng Guichu | VOL.12 April ·2020-03-30

A Chinese medical aid team, along with medical supplies, arrives in Rome, Italy, on March 12, in part of China's efforts to help Italy contain the novel coronavirus outbreak (XINHUA)

The history of civilization is a history of struggle against diseases. The advancement of science and technology, along with international collaboration, has dramatically reduced the death tolls of pandemics in recent history, yet assumptions of having the upper-hand and control over viruses and the cyber era of the 21st century being immune to viruses might turn out flat-out wrong. As we are developing and improving, so are viruses. The COVID-19 outbreak is again evidence that the specter of deadly pandemic still looms over us, and is ready to prove and assert its persistent existence.

Economic, political, social and security concerns have magnified both decision-makers' and the public's sensitivity to the outbreak of infectious diseases. A globalized world featuring more densely populated metropolitan areas with higher population mobility has strengthened viruses with higher fluidity, thereby posing even greater imminent risks to mankind.

Viruses respect neither borders, nor nationalities or ethnicities. The outbreak of the pandemic has once again reminded us that every country and nation's future is closely linked. Global governance and international coordination must be strengthened, with no delay.

Looking deep into the COVID-19 battle, we can see challenges still looming ahead, demanding wisdom, courage, openness, joint endeavors and concerted efforts from the whole world.

Challenge 1: common interests vs. political divergence

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for confidence, unity, a science-based approach and targeted response for pandemic control efforts. The whole nation has rallied and adopted a string of unprecedented measures to contain and mitigate the pandemic. The government and the 1.4 billion people are united as one in fighting the outbreak. The most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough measures possible have been taken.

The government established a national framework of comprehensive, inter-agency response and cross-region medical supply, from the Central Government to local governments, and from urban to rural areas. Scientists and researchers isolated the first virus strain and developed the test reagent in less than seven days. The mobilization of more than 41,000 medical professionals and coordination of huge amounts of medical materials to reinforce the public health systems in Wuhan and other cities in Hubei Province has manifested the full functioning of the central and local governments, as well as the strong mobilization capability and efficiency of the logistics and resource allocation mechanism.

Thousands of engineers and construction workers built two specialized hospitals equipped with 2,500 beds in less than 15 days. A precisely tailored system has been established to leave no patient unattended.

These extraordinary measures are timely and swift, a conclusion by the World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus after his visit to China. And this comprehensive battle is delivering substantial results, with the spread of the virus slowing down and the diagnosis and cure rates on a steady rise. Facts and data clearly show that China's decisive response is both right and effective.

China is not fighting alone. People around the world are standing by the side of China. In partnership with China, the WHO has been closely monitoring the pandemic and coordinating a concerted international response. Governments across the world have extended a helping hand. Leaders of over 170 countries and 40-plus international organizations including the UN have written to Chinese leaders, and spoken in public to cheer for Wuhan and for China. The African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS issued statements expressing solidarity and sympathy.

Challenge 2: global mechanisms vs. pandemic attack

The pandemic is a test of the capability and efficiency of the global public health and epidemic prevention system at large.

This outbreak shows that in the globalized era, the world is yet to be ready for fights against pandemics. According to the WHO, there is no direct cure or treatment for COVID-19. Hence early detection, quarantine and treatment remain the most effective methods to contain the virus. A lesson drawn from here, therefore, is that proactive and coordinated response to any health emergency is more effective. Efforts need to be reinforced by the international community to take cooperative and coordinated measures to facilitate early detection, early reporting, early diagnosis, and early quarantine and treatment of pandemic.

In addition, an effective and inter-connected anti-pandemic global system, an emergency management platform, and a public health laboratory mechanism for rapid diagnosis should be established and strengthened. There should also be a modern epidemiology investigation and control system, a reaction system on global medical equipment emergency supplies and an epidemic information disclosure mechanism.

In a sense, China's ongoing war against the COVID-19 pandemic is broadly rewarding in that it provides the international community with valuable lessons for the improvement of future practice, such as how to strengthen responsive capabilities of local public health systems, and how to gather and coordinate various national resources for effective pandemic control. The key lies in solidarity, scientific prevention and control measures, and strengthened international cooperation.

The pandemic may breakout in one country today and in another tomorrow. Constantly improved measures are needed in years to come as new diseases continue to emerge. As China improves itself, it will also help with the capacity building of other countries that are still weak in their public health systems. For example, China has provided assistance to fellow developing countries to the best of its ability. It has introduced eight major initiatives for cooperation with Africa, one of which focuses on public health. China will continue to promote public health cooperation with countries in Africa, just like it did during the Ebola outbreak.

Challenge 3: concept of a community with a shared future vs. zero-sum game mentality

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 reminds us once again that we live in a time of transformation, when traditional and non-traditional security issues are entwined, and local issues are highly integrated with global ones. Growing interdependence promotes the understanding that global problems cannot be solved at the national level.

Together we survive, and together we might perish. As Tedros said at a press conference, "The only way we will defeat this outbreak is for all countries to work together in a spirit of solidarity and cooperation. We are all in this together, and we can only stop it together."

The virus will be controlled, but political viruses in the manifestation of the zero-sum game, law of the jungle and hegemonic thinking are yet to die out. Peace and benefits should not be taken for granted. Imagine what a disastrous picture it will be if world powers slide into animosity and zero-sum calculations.

(comments to zanjifang@chinafrica.cn)

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