Together We Will Defeat the Epidemic

As the number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to rise across many countries, the global war against this epidemic has entered a critical stage. The global stock market plunge triggered by the outbreak reflects fears that failure to contain the epidemic will lead to an economic recession.

When the epidemic broke out, the Chinese government, acting very responsibly for the safety of the Chinese people and the international community, took the most extensive and strict control measures. Prompt medical treatment and lockdown of residential areas to stop the spread of the virus have delivered effective results. Now, countries around the world need to stand hand in hand in the face of this common enemy.

Tedros Adhanom, WHO director-general, praised China that it bought the world time by taking steps to contain the outbreak. Martin Albrow, a well-known British sociologist, believed the world would see and recognize the Chinese people’s efforts as China’s medical workers worked ceaselessly day and night, regardless of the danger and some even at the cost of their lives in the fight against the virus.

In order to prevent the spread of the epidemic in the world, China promptly shared with the international community key information about the novel coronavirus, such as its genetic sequence. Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist at WHO, said that China’s researchers rapidly shared the genetic sequence of the virus with the world, and based on it, PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) tools got developed, which helped other countries to quickly detect and prepare for the virus.

In order to share the achievements it has made in this fight, China is sharing its technical documents on epidemic prevention, control, and diagnosis and treatment schemes with more than 100 countries and over 10 international and regional organizations, including WHO, ASEAN, the European Union, APEC, the African Union, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Besides, China has participated in over 20 technical exchanges through expert discussions, consultations, and remote meetings with Japan, South Korea, Russia, Germany, France, the U.S., Laos, and other countries.

Hit hard by the epidemic, Italy has locked down every city, which is unprecedented. On March 11, a team of Chinese scientists led by a vice president of the Red Cross Society of China left for Italy to assist in its containment of the novel coronavirus. In response, Italy’s permanent representative to the EU Maurizio Massari wrote in an op-ed: “Italy has already asked to activate the European Union Mechanism of Civil Protection for the supply of medical equipment for individual protection. But, unfortunately, not a single EU country responded to the Commission’s call. Only China responded bilaterally.” In addition, experts of the Red Cross Society of China also went to Iran, Iraq, and other affected countries to share experience and help them fight against the epidemic. China has also provided testing reagents to Palestine, Japan, Iran, and the African Union, and necessary assistance to the Republic of Korea, Iraq, Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and some African countries.

At the same time, China is actively engaged in international cooperation in the R&D of antiviral drugs and vaccines.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. Since the outbreak, leaders of more than 170 countries and heads of more than 40 international and regional organizations have expressed condolences and support to China. By March 2, supplies donated by 46 countries and six international organizations had arrived in China.

The epidemic is bound to have a short-term impact on the health of the global economy. Being the world’s second largest economy with an economic aggregate of nearly RMB 100 trillion, a huge domestic market, a workforce of nearly 900 million and sufficient educated personnel, China has an economy of great resilience and potential, and therefore its long-term economic trends will remain upbeat. The IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva believed that China’s economy would rebound quickly.

As the “world factory” and “world market,” while making every effort to fight against the epidemic, China has also taken a slew of measures to speed up the orderly resumption of work and production, thus relieving pressure on the world economy and safeguarding global common interests. Honeywell, a leading U.S. manufacturer, has 21 factories in China. And now 18 of them have resumed production, and the other three are partially functional. Tesla has also begun production at full capacity in China. China’s persistently strong market demand makes manufacturers like Ford confident about the future of the Chinese market.

Affected by the outbreak, foreign companies initially suffered supply chain disruptions, production shutdowns, delivery delays, and other problems. As China steadily pushes forward the resumption of production and work, it will reactivate the global industrial chain and reassure global manufacturing companies. Meanwhile, producers of bulk commodities such as energy and minerals, as well as sectors such as luxury goods, tourism, conventions and retail, are poised to reap China’s economic dividends in the near future.

Western wisdom said, “No man is an island.” An ancient Persian poet said, “The children of Adam are the limbs of one body.” Chinese ancestors said, “However geographically apart, the sun and the moon are the same for all and hang in the same sky.” All these sayings demonstrate the consensus of different civilizations on mutual assistance and common destiny.