By Pei Guangjiang and Huan Xiang, People’s Daily
A white paper titled “Fighting COVID-19: China in Action” was issued by China’s State Council
Information Office at a press conference on June 7.
The around-37,000-character white paper keeps a record of China’s efforts in its fight against the
virus, shares the country’s experience with the rest of the world, and clarifies its ideas on the
global battle.
China’s fight against the virus fully demonstrates the leadership and science-based decisions of the
Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core.
When the novel coronavirus struck, catching the country unawares, the CPC Central Committee
and the Chinese government have given its full attention to the matter and taken swift action.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has taken personal command, planned the response, overseen the
general situation and acted decisively, pointing the way forward in the fight against the epidemic.
Putting people’s lives and health first, China swiftly adopted a series of policies on epidemic
prevention and control and treatment of the infected. “In little more than a single month, the rising
spread of the virus was contained; in around two months, the daily increase in domestic
coronavirus cases had fallen to single digits; and in approximately three months, a decisive victory
was secured in the battle to defend central China’s Hubei province and its capital city of Wuhan,”
the white paper records China’s arduous efforts in the fight against the epidemic with a clear and
detailed timeline.
Xu Lin, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and director of
the State Council Information Office, said at the press conference that all 1.4 billion Chinese
people will always remember the hardship in fighting against COVID-19.
In fighting the epidemic, China has put the people’s interests first – nothing is more precious than
people’s lives. It followed the principle of early detection, reporting, quarantine and treatment, and
treated the infected in dedicated medical facilities where medical specialists from all over the
country and all the necessary medical resources were concentrated, with a goal to improve the
patient admission and cure rates and reduce the infection and fatality rates. By May 31, 94.3
percent of the confirmed cases had been cured, surpassing the average recovery rate for normal
viral pneumonia.
The country’s nationwide virus control measures are now being conducted on an ongoing basis.
Wang Chen, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of the Chinese
Academy of Medical Sciences, said China attaches great importance to regular COVID-19
prevention and control measures. Systematic actions should be taken in the whole society to strike
a balance between effective epidemic prevention and normal life and work, Wang added.
Ma Xiaowei, director of China’s National Health Commission, noted that the Chinese government
has acted with openness, transparency and responsibility, and quickly put in place response
mechanisms.
Racing against time to conduct etiological and epidemiological studies, China identified the
pathogen in eight days and developed testing reagents in 16 days, he explained.
The country wasted no time in reporting the outbreak to the World Health Organization and
relevant countries and regions, and shared with them the genetic sequence at the first opportunity,
Ma said, adding that China also immediately carried out international cooperation in epidemic
prevention and control.
“The clear timeline reveals that the work done by the Chinese government and scientists can stand
the test of history and time,” Ma said.
China’s battle against the epidemic fully demonstrated its governance capacity and comprehensive
national strength. The country rallied 346 national medical teams, consisting of 42,600 medical
workers and more than 900 public health professionals to the immediate aid of Hubei. The
construction of the 1,000-bed Huoshenshan Hospital was completed in just 10 days, and that of
the 1,600-bed Leishenshan Hospital in just 12 days. In over 10 days, 16 temporary treatment
centers providing over 14,000 beds were built.
After the outbreak, the entire country acted promptly. Relying on its overall national strength,
China pooled all its strength in the shortest period of time and halted the spread of the epidemic.
Its strength was fully revealed in the epidemic.
China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said that the country’s outstanding contribution to
global anti-pandemic cooperation has won itself wide applause from the international community.
Foreigners not only praised China on the internet, but also lit up landmarks in red, played Chinese
songs in neighborhoods and cheered “Thank you, China” on the streets.
After the COVID-19 epidemic, China’s ties with the majority of countries in the world have been
strengthened rather than “undermined,” and the country’s “circle of friends” was further expanded,
the vice minister said.
Wang Zhigang, minister of science and technology, noted that China has engaged in international
cooperation in the whole process of developing COVID-19 vaccines.
The country will make its coronavirus vaccine a global public good when it is available, as
President Xi Jinping promised at the virtual event of the opening of the 73rd World Health
Assembly, the minister added.
“However, at the same time, some foreign politicians and media claimed that China is guilty of
being the source of the virus based on presumption of guilt, trying to label the virus and politicize
the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Xu.
They played up the accusations that China was accountable for spreading the virus and concealing
the facts, which have no factual basis and disrespect science, Xu noted, adding such remarks have
triggered strong indignation among the Chinese people.
Faced with defamation and slanders, the country must and will respond, Xu said, adding that it’s
not a verbal game, but is clarifying the facts, restoring the truths and maintaining moral justice and
human conscience.
