OPINION China is winning the fight against the Novel Coronavirus pneumonia
WHEN Chinese nationals celebrated the Spring Festival in 2020, the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), a new disease, had widely spread. Since the outbreak, Chinese President Xi Jinping has taken decisive actions and given specific orders to fight this unusual battle against the epidemic.
The CPC Central committee has taken stringent and comprehensive measures to combat the virus, establishing a leading group to respond to the epidemic, sending expert teams to key areas such as Hubei Province, and locking down major cities such as Wuhan. More than 15,000 medical workers from the People’s Liberation Army and other provinces rushed to the frontline to combat the virus.
Two prefab hospitals dedicated to 2019-nCoV patients in Wuhan, Huo Shen Shan Hospital and Lei Shen Shan Hospital, have been built and put into service within two weeks. Sixteen provinces are backing up 16 cities of Hubei Province – each province helps its counterpart city designated by central government, initiating the ultimate battle to surround and annihilate the virus. Production and distribution of medical supplies have been accelerated.
There are several characteristics on the measures taken by the Chinese government against the epidemic.
First, comprehensive prevention and treatment.
The Chinese government attaches great importance to public health and the people’s lives. Since the outbreak, President Xi called several important meetings, hearings at top level, and gave specific instructions on prevention.
The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held an unusual meeting on the first day of the Lunar New Year to discuss appropriate measures to control the epidemic, emphasising that the most critical task for China at the moment is epidemic control and prevention.
President Xi also stressed that we must make concerted efforts with confidence and resolve, and in a science-based and targeted way to win the battle against the epidemic.
To stop the virus from spreading, most of the Chinese people chose to stay at home during the Spring Festival consciously, cancelling their previous plans to visit relatives and friends, which is an important tradition of the Spring Festival in China.
Government at central and local levels cancelled large-scale gatherings and extended the Spring Festival holiday, delaying the opening of schools and factories.
The second characteristic is prevention measures in scientific ways.
The scientific method is the best way to prevent and mitigate the disaster. People always pray for a hero when there is a disaster, trusting their health to a skilled doctor when control and in sickness. China’s response to epidemics has always highlighted the importance of scientific measures with focus and precision.
After the SARS outbreak in 2003, China subsequently promulgated the ‘Regulation on Contingent Public Health Emergencies’ and ‘National Contingency Plan for Public Health Crisis’, making action plans in response to public health emergency from national to district level.
President Xi and Premier Li Keqiang highly value the suggestions of medical experts such as Dr Zhong Nanshan, an experienced medical expert who fought SARS on the frontline 17 years ago and has now returned to the 2019-nCoV ground zero at the age of 84. His professionalism and dedication deeply touches the Chinese people.
The Chinese government has put research on the 2019-nCoV vaccine as the top priority. The Wuhan Institute of Virology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences achieved a breakthrough on Jan 29 in vaccine development by finding an effective medicine to inhibit the virus at cell level, which lays an important foundation for tests of clinical application.
The third characteristic is lawbased prevention and control.
China has adopted the ‘Guideline of Commission for Overall Law-based Governance of the CPC Central Committee’s on practising law-based infection prevention and control of novel coronavirus pneumonia’, emphasising the importance of implementing law-based prevention, control, and treatment.
The Central government of China has instructed local government at all levels to carry out prevention and control measures on rule-of-law basis. Meanwhile, illegal activities sabotaging China’s fight against the epidemic will be strictly forbidden and punished.
The Chinese government believes it important to trust and rely on its people, who will carry out the best self-prevention if kept informed with updated information. The Chinese government has been updating 2019-nCoV statistics and related information in a timely and transparent manner for Chinese people and the outside world.
The fourth characteristic is prevention through international cooperation.
International cooperation in controlling the epidemic outbreak is essential to China. China attaches great importance to cooperation with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and has been updating WHO with the latest information. WHO highly values China’s effective prevention and control measures, many of which are even far beyond the recommendations of WHO and the requirements of international health regulations. Such measures are taken not only out of a great sense of responsibility for the life and health of Chinese people, but also as strong support for global prevention and control efforts.
China also attaches importance to cooperation with other countries and expresses its gratitude to the precious support from the international community.
China has advised its citizens to stay at home instead of travelling around, so as to control the virus spreading to other countries. The virus is ruthless, but the human fighting spirit will ultimately prevail. The epidemic outbreak once again shows that we all live in the same global village with a shared destiny.
The 2019-nCoV outbreak reminds us of Dr Wu Lien-teh (also known as Goh Lean Tuck and Ng Leen Tuck – 1879 to 1960), PhD holder of Cambridge University and son-in-law of Wong Nai Siong. Dr Wu was born in British Malaya in 1879, he served as a senior medical officer from the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China in the 20th century. He was one of the key persons to establish a modern prevention system to control infectious diseases in China – making a great contribution in controlling the outbreak of plague in Northeast China in 1910, Suiyuan plague in 1917, and Shanghai cholera disease in 1932.
In the foreword of his autobiography ‘ Plague Fighter: The Autobiography of a Modern Chinese Physician’ published in 1959, he wrote, “I devoted most of my life to ancient China, from the end of the Qing Dynasty to the foundation of the Republic of China, until the collapse of the Kuomintang’s administration, the bygones remain fresh in my memories. I believe that the foundation of the People’s Republic of China will bring harmony and prosperity to this great nation ever after.”
After the outbreak of the 2019-nCoV, the China Consulate received heart-warming encouragement and tremendous support from Sarawakians. Minister of Local Government and Housing Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, SUPP president, came to our consulate, together with Datuk Richard Wee – Sarawak Federation of Chinese Associations president, and Datuk Tan Jit Kee – Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sarawak deputy president, to donate surgical gloves and financial resources to China.
Many Chinese associations and the local community have also shown their support for China’s fight against the epidemic by making donations and in other heart-warming ways.
Datin Amar Kathryn Wee, Sarawak Mirage Club chairperson, at the age of 84, has led the club to mobilise a generous financial donation to China. Many Sarawak friends, such as Datuk Wee Kok Hui – representing Wee Boon Ping Group of Companies and Kuching Chung Hua Middle School Alumni Association, Datuk Lau Nai Hoh representing Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce Sarawak Branch and Sarawak Pan-Chen Lau Clan Association, handed over their donation to the China ConsulateGeneral.
A number of Chinese associations in Sarawak transferred financial donations directly to China through the Bank of China Kuching Branch. All the above shows the solidarity and long-lasting friendship between China and Sarawak.
Under the strong leadership of President Xi, outstanding achievements have been made with positive signs. The number of confirmed 2019-nCoV cases outside Hubei Province has declined continuously for seven days. Spreading of the virus is under control, percentage of cured and discharged cases have increased distinctly – more than 4,000 people have been cured and discharged till now.
My dear friends, the Spring Season is coming. Let us hold our hands together and get ready for the ultimate victory in the near future.
Cheng Guangzhong is ConsulGeneral of the People’s Republic of China in Kuching.