Sample Pages Preview
Preface
Foreword
The winter may not have been severe and the mercury across China may not have dipped below alarming levels in late 2019 and early 2020. Yet the Chinese people were eagerly awaiting the warmth of spring. What they encountered instead was one of the worst “cold waves” in the form of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The outbreak in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, changed the festive mood of the city, the province and its people before the Spring Festival holiday. Dire and tragic reports of people losing their nearest and dearest emerged. But Wuhan residents, in true Chinese spirit, displayed exemplary courage and resilience in combating the disease.
Their heroic fight was ably, and gallantly, supported by the more than 40,000 medical personnel from across the country who began arriving in Wuhan on Jan 24, Lunar New Year Eve, to join the fight against the novel coronavirus epidemic, first identified in Wuhan and later named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization.
With the central authorities’ swift and decisive response, China not only showed its determination to fight against the pandemic, but also coordinated its policies and decisions, and cooperated with the WHO and other countries to combat the common enemy threatening the whole of humankind. By making the courageous decision to lock down the whole province of Hubei, and mobilize natural resources to contain the epidemic, China once again demonstrated its commitment to protect its people.
The pandemic has taken a heavy toll on China’s economy, as it has done on the global economy. Now that the epidemic has been largely controlled in China, Chinese governments at different levels have to strike a subtle balance between containing the outbreak and encouraging resumption of production. The central government has taken a series of measures aimed at supporting the small and medium-sized enterprises to overcome the impact of the health emergency and keep the job market stable.
Apart from challenges, the outbreak, however, has also created opportunities for the digital economy. For instance, online work and education have gained strength.
China has weathered many a storm, economically, socially and politically. And it has always emerged stronger from each crisis. This time, too, China’s economy is exhibiting its resilience.
But despite China’s huge sacrifices and painstaking efforts to fight the virus, many in the West have raised questions on China’s governance, and stories of discrimination, even violence, against Chinese nationals and people of Chinese origin have been reported from many parts of the world. Though there is still no scientific evidence to prove the virus originated in Wuhan, some foreign politicians and media outlets have blamed China, using racist and other derogatory terms, for the global health crisis. Which has put Chinese, even other Asians, at risk.
By demonizing Wuhan’s sacrifice, Hubei’s suffering, and China’s fight against the virus, some Western politicians and media outlets are doing a great disservice to global public health governance. Fortunately, across the globe many people, who can tell right from wrong and good from bad, have strongly opposed such racist anti-China campaign.
A virus respects no borders, favors no ethnic group and is loyal to no political dispensation.
This is a big test for the international community. And the worst of times brings out the best in the people. Many countries and their people have lent a hand to China in this time of distress.
China, on its part, has shared its experiences in dealing with the health emergency with the WHO and other governments since the beginning of the outbreak, in order to help them strengthen the global fight against the virus. And after largely containing the outbreak in the country, it has sent medical supplies and medical teams to many countries to help them contain the pandemic.
The world has to understand that we are in this together, and no one is safe until everyone is safe. The COVID-19 outbreak is a threat to not only global public health but also the global economy. Only with cooperation and coordination, rather than indulging in a blame game, can the world win the fight against the virus and overcome the global economic and social risks.
This book, Sacrifice, Toil and Tears, is a compilation of the commentaries published in China Daily and on its website since the outbreak. We hope they provide some food for thought, offer solutions to problems faced by the Chinese and global economies, and help promote global coordination and cooperation.
Winter always makes way for spring. And with better coordination, deeper cooperation and greater confidence, we can make sure this crisis will eventually make way for a brighter future.
