Stay- local policy won’t hit family bond, festival mood
▶ Practical cooperation is ‘ unstoppable,’ will not be affected by other factors
Given that the 2020 Spring Festival has been spent in the shadow of the coronavirus, more Chinese people anticipated to have this year’s festival with their family members. But as the sporadic cases appeared in many cities across China, they choose to stay where they work and live to celebrate another special holiday.
Liu Huan, a member of the nucleic acid testing team at the Shijingshan Maternal and Child Care Hospital, decided not to return to her hometown in Dingzhou, Hebei Province but to stay in Beijing for the upcoming Spring Festival holiday.
“Many of the medical staff in our hospital chose to stay in Beijing during the holiday although they miss their families at hometown very much. But we are still in a special period currently. If any emergencies happen, we can be right there,” Liu told the Global Times.
Liu has been working in Beijing for six years and this will be the first time for Liu not spending the most important festival together with her parents. “I discussed this with my parents half a month ago and my mother agreed as it echoes the government’s calls for epidemic prevention work,” Liu said.
Given the sporadic cases emerged in several places around China, the country has – for the first time – called for people to stay where they work for the upcoming Spring Festival. Meanwhile, detailed measures have been rolled out to guide the public on their return journeys to their hometowns with many requiring mandatory nucleic acid tests within seven days of travel.
Liu has seen more people coming to the hospital to get nucleic acid tests in recent weeks. Many came with their whole family in order to get “passports” for their hometown reunification.
Though feeling jealousy somehow when she saw these people who would soon reunite with their loved ones, Liu persuaded herself that as soon as this round of epidemic finishes, she will meet her parents happily and safely.
The upcoming Spring Festival has added pressure for the COVID- 19 prevention work across China due to the large number of trips during the travel rush – although this year has experienced a sharp decline – and in group activities.
Governments of all levels in China have issued notices discouraging gathering to avoid possible cluster infections. Many also suggested people who return to hometown monitor their health and remain indoor as much as possible.
This will be the first- ever Chinese New Year that Hu spends outside her hometown, a much quieter one than the previous lively ones she celebrated together with her parents and many relatives at their big house in Shaanxi.
Thanks to hundreds of millions of Chinese people who choose to stay put like Liu and Hu to support the national prevention work against the coronavirus, a special, but safe and warm Spring Festival may follow.
The Chinese mainland reported no new domestic cases on Sunday, according to the National Health Commission on Monday, 53 days after the latest round of outbreaks.
No new deaths or suspected domestic cases were reported, either.
The phased victory is good news for the upcoming gatherings and family reunions for the Spring Festival, but the guard must not be lowered, especially in previously p virus- stricken places, which need n na more time to announce themselves as virus- free, observers said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday lauded the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries ( CEECs), saying “17 plus 1 could make more than 18” at the ChinaCEEC Summit, which is the highest- level summit since the establishment of the cooperation mechanism.
Postponed due to the COVID- 19 pandemic and China’s first major host diplomatic event of the year, the summit, proposed by China, was held via video link on Tuesday and formulated the 2021 Cooperation between China and CEECs Beijing List of Activities to promote the sustainable and steady development of China- CEEC Cooperation.
Chinese analysts said the summit shows the trend of the China- CEEC practical cooperation is unstoppable and will not be affected by other factors, noting that a few countries that stir trouble won’t make big waves. It also reflects the full recovery of cooperation between China and CEECs and will chart the course for economic development of the two sides in the post- pandemic era.
The summit, which comes after new US President Joe Biden took office, sent a message to the US that relations between China and CEECs will remain stable and consistent, analysts said.
Xi said China- CEEC cooperation is based on mutual respect and has no political strings attached. “All countries involved, regardless of their size, are equal partners in a cooperation mechanism featuring extensive consultation, joint contributions and shared benefits,” he said. China and CEE countries share the conviction that openness brings opportunities and inclusiveness ensures diversity. This is the key to the sustained vibrancy of China- CEEC cooperation, Xi said.
Making the summit the first major host diplomatic event of the year shows China has attached great importance to
European diplomacy, said Liu Zuokui, director of the Department of Central and Eastern European Studies at the Institute of European Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The summit is not only a continuation of China’s year of diplomacy for Europe in 2020, but also a new beginning in its efforts to promote the ChinaEuropean Union ( EU) comprehensive strategic partnership in 2021, Liu said.
The summit reflects the improvement in bilateral trade cooperation and the closely bounded interests of China and Europe after the completion of China and the EU’s negotiations over an epic bilateral investment treaty, Liu told the Global Times.
Xi said at the summit that China will continue to provide vaccines to countries in need to the best of its capability, and do what it can to make vaccines a global public good and promote their equitable distribution and application around the world. “China stands ready for vaccine cooperation with CEE countries,” he said.
According to the Beijing List of Activities, the participants will continue to hold China- CEEC health ministers’ special meetings, health experts’ meetings and other activities in a flexible manner.
Analysts believe that the vaccine cooperation between China and CEECs will help Chinese vaccines reach more European countries.
According to Xi, China plans to import over $ 170 billion of goods from CEE countries over the next five years, will strive to double farm product imports from CEE countries over the next five years, and aims for a 50 percent rise in bilateral agricultural trade. China is also willing to expand merchandise imports from CEE countries.
The Beijing List of Activities said that the participants support holding various conferences, expos and forums on trade, investment, connectivity, innovation, science and technology and energy.